There will be no versions of Windows 2000 supported on Alpha beyond NT 4 service pack 6 due later this year, 32-bit or 64-bit. Compaq says that means more resources for Tru64 Unix, OpenVMS and Linux aspirations. The company denies it’s part of strategy ultimately leading to the demise of Alpha. The processor still remains a vital component of Compaq’s NonStop Ebusiness strategy for the enterprise. It points to its commitment to spend $100m marketing AlphaServer and claims there is strong market interest in Linux running on Alpha, which it expects to drive volume Alpha sales. It says process shrinks and new EV7 and EV8 cuts of Alpha are still underway.
Compaq told newsletter Shannon Knows Compaq that AlphaServer users running Windows NT can upgrade through service pack 6 and will be supported through the beginning of 2001. Compaq suggests that customers pursue trade-in and migration options – going from NT to Tru64, OpenVMS or Linux rather than the other way round as DEC had been promoting. The same options apply to AlphaStation workstation users.
Compaq says the Raid Array 8000 and Enterprise Storage Array 12000 product lines will support 32-bit NT on AlphaServers in Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FCAL) configurations through service pack 6. Beta FCAL drivers are available now. Production versions for AlphaServers with NT are due in October, 1999. It says it is working with ISVs to migrate software licenses Oracle, SAP and other applications. Less than 2% of AlphaServer business is NT.
