HP to axe Tru64 Unix?

Hewlett Packard's (HP's) proposed acquisition of Compaq has caused the companies' Unix customers to question the future of business critical operating systems in the planned 'rationalisation'.

Fears centre on the fact that a combined HP/Compaq would have considerable overlap between its current operating environments which include Tru64 (formally DEC Unix), Compaq NonStop Himalaya, HP-UX, OpenVMS, SCO and Linux.

Alistair King, a member of the European executive committee of Digital Equipment user group DECUS, told vnunet.com that he expected to see the main HP-UX and Tru64 operating systems merged.

"The biggest worry for users is that this uncertainty will damage levels of support over the next year," he said. "But it probably won't. The question is where they will they make savings?"

"It seems unlikely that they will carry on in parallel with two separate Unix variants," he added. "My guess is that they will take the best bits of both HP-UX and Tru64 and re-badge the merged product as HP-UX, as this is leading in terms of market share."

King believes that Compaq's high-end operating systems will not be affected by the proposed acquisition. "I think the very proprietary bits of both companies will survive. So VMS will survive and Himalaya will survive. These are niche markets that are still very strong and very profitable", he said.

A spokesman for Compaq UK's AlphaServer team agreed with King's speculation, but said that nothing had yet been announced officially.

"Unix is one clear area of synergy between the two companies. There is a possibility for greater value by meshing together and converging HP-UX and Tru64," he said. "OpenVMS will continue to roll out on its existing wave. The same is true for Himalaya."

King stressed that it would be vital for a merged HP/Compaq to develop migration paths for its installed base of Unix customers.

"We have to ask ourselves whether there will be any provision to allow a natural transition to whatever system emerges. The answer is almost certainly that there will be, as there is no point in taking over a company unless you keep the customers happy," he said.