If you have been around HPE NonStop and before it Tandem Computers you know all about Summits, RUGs / TUGs and SIGs. It is all part of the history and heritage of NonStop and as such is a reminder of not only where we have come from, but just as importantly, a testament to how committed the NonStop user community is to education, networking and advocacy. Enthusiasm of this community and indeed its very passion is about all things NonStop – mission critical computing is as important consideration today as it has ever been and there is still no alternative to NonStop when it comes to deployment of systems that are “permanently available” as NonStop can be.
As a community we have to be extremely grateful for the passion that exists among NonStop users and vendors operating at a regional level as this is the real essence of the NonStop community today. The essence and indeed the substance is that these are the unheralded heroes of NonStop even as they are the face of the community within their respective regions. There will always be a need for HPE big-tent events and there are now a number to choose from, be that the big HPE Discover showcase events or HPE’s NonStop Technical Boot Camp.
You will read in this issue a lot about TBC and its organizers and the community is certainly appreciative of having an opportunity to learn about the HPE’s future plans for NonStop. Tributary System writes: “…it’s important to recognize all those that plan, facilitate, and in a sense “operate” the event. A few folks come immediately to mind, Stacie Neall, Kathy Wood, Kelly Luna, Karen Copeland and Kristi Elizondo just to name a few. Without the dedication of these folks, plus all the others that volunteer their time and effort for what really is a huge undertaking, Bootcamp just wouldn’t run as smoothly as it does, or perhaps it wouldn’t happen at all.”
These focused events though aren’t user events. Any pretense that these events are anything other than HPE events would be a misunderstanding of their purpose. Every major vendor has a responsibility to communicate to its users the vision, strategy, product roadmaps and potential areas for R&D, but it is this major vendor that drives the programs.
The regional events are very much user created and user run – HPE definitely supports them and helps make them informative and inviting, but the program is being driven by the NonStop community reps. Why do I feel it is important? I think there is a very distinct flavor to these regional events. Whenever an end user comes to talk to the NonStop community about their company and its use of NonStop and whichever vendor’s products – solution or middleware – that presentation is given an unopposed time slot, never competing with either primary vendor’s or NonStop community vendors’ presentations.
I believe it is not only a reflection of the respect being shown to those who come to share their experiences, but also it represents the enthusiasm of the community to learn more about the positive experiences as well as any problems (so they can be understood and overcome). For many, it is simply the only opportunity they have to hear directly from their peers.
Talking with some of the attendees of the big tent events of late certainly brought the topic of the need of the unopposed user presentations home – so as the 2018 comes to an end let us say thank you to those within our community who dedicated significant resources including their time and their companies’ money to support regional user gatherings – the RUGs!
Happy Holidays to all and I hope you will find this last 2018 issue of the NonStop Insider informative and satisfying!
If you would like to see a question included in the next issue of the NonStop Insider or you have any comments you would like to see published, don’t hesitate to send an email to me, at:
Editor@nonstopinsider.com
Thank you,
Margo Holen
Managing Editor