Flat Screens, Light Bulbs and IBM, Oh My……

For me personally, EBUG (European BASE24 User Group) is quite a significant event for two reasons. Firstly it’s EMEA’s premier gathering for anyone with an interest in BASE24 and other related ACI products. And secondly, because it marks my first year of involvement/employment in the HP NonStop field – the 2009 EBUG in Prague last year was my first day on the job!

The big talking point from last year was ACI’s announcement that BASE24 ‘classic’ would be phased out within a couple of years and its new collaboration with IBM. It’s safe to say that this announcement wasn’t greeted with the warmth that ACI had expected.

A year later, we’re in Madrid, Spain, and there was far less controversy. ACI had obviously taken its customer’s feedback on board and stances have changed and relaxed. Deadlines for BASE24’s ‘sun-setting’ have been extended and it’s now talked about as the end of ‘support’ for BASE24 classic, as opposed to the product itself. It’s no huge surprise that ACI was still keen for as many of its customers as possible to migrate to BASE24-eps, pointing out that over 20 customers have now made the switch.

From what I gather, the IBM situation hasn’t seen the exodus from HP NonStop that certain parties might have been hoping for – I may be wrong, but I don’t know of any HP NonStop users who have jumped ship to IBM.  In fact, I dare say that ACI/IBM bringing hardware to the fore has actually resulted in a few NonStop Blade upgrades for existing HP customers. I can only see that as a good thing.  But don’t go thinking that IBM has admitted defeat, would there have been a ‘stand of the show’ award, IBM would have won it with ease...

In the XYPRO booth there were less plasma TVs and halogen light bulbs, but that didn’t mean there was any less activity.  Many thanks to all those who dropped by for a chat, to pick up product info and to enter their business card to win an HP Netbook.  The drawing was held at the gala evening meal and was won by Attila Biro of Comparex, so congratulations to him!
Overall it was another successful EBUG event and we look forward to next year’s, which we hear will be taking place in Germany.
XYPRO’s next few European events are a one day BITUG SIG on 19th May in London and a much larger Viking NonStop User Group (VNUG) annual meeting in Stockholm during the last week the month.  If you’re going to either, we look forward to saying hi and perhaps sharing a beer or two in the bar...

Dan Lewis
European Marketing Manager