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Please see previous comment on support for x86 Hardware appliance (both software and hardware support).
IBM announced the withdrawal of the x86 HMC appliance in April 2018. Updates supporting new Power firmware will be available for these HMCs through Q1 2020, and hardware/software defect fixes will be provided through Q2 2021, as per IBM's HMC support policy.
I think, the time range for migration to Power-HMC (that cannot manage itself) combined with vHMC (to manage the Power-HMC) is too short (BM Europe Withdrawal Announcement ZG18-0045 April 24, 2018: "Major update support for x86-based (7042) HMC hardware appliances will end in 2018").
The CAAC has reviewed this requirement and recommends that IBM view this as a high priority requirement that is important to be addressed. Although this is not a technical issue, it is a significant marketing issue. There is too short of an End of Life for x86 CR8 and CR9 HMCs as it pertains to Version 9 of the HMC software. Do not tempt clients to stay on older hardware due to the extra expense of needing a new HMC to go to POWER9.
Getting rid of x86 is not a bad idea, but it is being done too quickly -- too short of a lifespan on the CR9. If I took out a lease on an HMC for 3 years in mid-2017, I should get the full value with new HMC releases (Version 9) for 3 years.
Background: The COMMON Americas Advisory Council (CAAC) members have a broad range of experience in working with small and medium-sized IBM i customers. CAAC has a key role in working with IBM i development to help assess the value and impact of individual RFEs on the broader IBM i community, and has therefore reviewed your RFE.
For more information about CAAC, see www.common.org/caac
For more details about CAAC's role with RFEs, see http://www.ibmsystemsmag.com/Blogs/i-Can/May-2017/COMMON-Americas-Advisory-Council-%28CAAC%29-and-RFEs/
Nancy Uthke-Schmucki - CAAC Program Manager
Right and we're cool with dropping SALES of the thing. But from the link you provide:
"Major update support for x86-based (7042) HMC hardware appliances will end in 2018. From 2019, HMC updates will only support Power®-based (7063) HMC appliances. However, software fix support for existing in-support releases for the x86-based HMC appliance will remain unchanged. See the IBM POWER® code matrix website for the lifecycle of releases for the hardware appliance."
So a customer who has a 7042 machine recently purchased will need to acquire a NEW HMC in order to upgrade their HMC!! Given IBM now requires HMC Code updates in order to apply firmware to POWER8, and presumably POWER9, servers this puts the customer in a position of requiring a new HMC to do a firmware update to their server.
This is untenable given the HMC is still under warranty.
This service withdrawal is simply too accelerated.
Does the previous comment address your question/concern?
Hi,
With the announce of x86 appliance withdrawal, the ability to purchase newer x86 appliances or new release support in 2019 is what is being withdrawn. Software fix support for existing in-support releases for the x86-based HMC appliance will remain unchanged. Please see the RFA at https://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/ShowDoc.wss?docURL=/common/ssi/rep_ca/5/877/ENUSZG18-0045/index.html&request_locale=en for details.
Thanks.