Just as Hitachi Data Systems announces six new intermediate mainframes (CI No 1,558), its sibling distributor Comparex Informationssysteme GmbH has revealed that it is rationalising its line and creating gaps to encourage upgrades. Comparex says that following IBM’s mammoth announcement on September 5, Hitachi Ltd decided to stop manufacturing certain systems, and if Comparex cannot obtain machines as new, it won’t market them as such. However the withdrawals – 8/820, 8/840, 8/860 and 8/880 – will still be available on the second user market. Hitachi Data Systems takes the view that even if certain machines are no longer being manufactured by Tokyo, existing stock and components enable boxes to be revamped and marketed so long as they are in demand. Of the EX 25, EX 31, EX 35 and EX 42, Hitachi Data’s equivalents to the Comparex withdrawals, the EX 31 and EX 42, included in its recent announcement, were previously called EX 30 and EX 40. The main differences between the two generations lie in additional memory and fibre optic support. Comparex says that the EX 31 and EX 42 are no longer in new production, but Hitachi Data Systems denies suggestions that supplies of these will dry up during the coming year.
