Re: Informix vs. Oracle: The Support chapter

See coments below. Milen. ====================================================== Database: Informix OnLine 5.0.2.UC6 OS : SCO OpenServer Enterprise System Release 3.0 E-mail : dbadmin@svilosa.bis.bg ====================================================== On Tue, 26 Aug 1997, Nils Myklebust wrote: } dbadmin@svilosa.bis.bg (Milen Metodiev) wrote: } } :Hi! } : } :I'm from Bulgaria. The Informix version of our product is OnLine 5.0.2. } :When we purchased Informix product we purchased Informix support contract } :too. But when it finnished and we asked for another contract we was } :surprised when we saw it. They sent us a contract which is saying that we } :will receive new versions of our Informix product for free. There was no } :any point about any kind of support. So we didn't sign the contract again. } : } :Two weeks ago, however, when I had a meeting with the company, which } :is called itself INFORMIX Autorized Technology Center, } } Sounds like a third party representative of Informix, not Informix } themselves? Maybe. I don't know. Here are local people who call themself "INFORMIX Autorized Technology Center". On the contract they offer us everywhere is mentioned "INFORMIX". Not any third party. I think INFORMIX people better know their structure of support scheme. And I would like to say that people worked for this company for its support team are good guys, but contracts their company offers are terrible. This is my oppinion. } : they show } :me the two most expensive contracts. One - the old one. The second } :one they said me is a new tipe of contract - the most expensive. } :It include in itself the older contract plus developers support. } :For examle, ***maybe*** we'll have a chance that they'll answer us } :if we ask them any questions about Informix bugs. No immediate onsite } :support at all, which is just what we need. } } May be they are allowed by Informix to write up their own contracts. Maybe. I asked them for the original INFORMIX contract written in english. And they said they haven't it know! } :And there is a point in this contract which is highly unacetable for us: } : "INFORMIX doesn't support any product for which the new version is } : existing. Maximum period for upgrade is six months." } } But they do support it in the sense that you get help with any } problems you may have. If you find a defect in the software they may } however require that you move to a newer version to have that defect } fixed. They do not supply interrim releases or patches (the } letter/digit combination at the end of the version number) for older } versions. They generally stop supplying these a year after general } availability of a product. At that time you need a later version. We only want that they explain to us why the server shutdown. And we'll try to avoid the reasons for this. If they correct the problem - fine. We don't want that they correct every problem. We call them no more than two or three times in year while the server problems are much more. } :They said us that INFORMIX doesn't support version 5 at all, while they } :do it, but from next year - maybe NO MORE. } } Informix does support version 5. The latest version is 5.08 I think. Thanks. We had informed that last was 5.03. We will ask about 5.08. } It's of course on limited maintenance which basically mean they will } only fix sever problems. You can however both buy the product and get } any support contract on it. They have no stated plan to stop this that } I know about. } } :So, if we want to use the adventages of the contract we must install the } :last version of our Informix product and pay defaults for the time we } :didn't sign the contract. } } You should possibly get a later version than 5.02, but you shouldn't } be in any major trouble for not going above 5.x. } } :We don't want to buy a new versions of Informix products, because we } :are developing a big project. And we have no time to study the bugs of } :the new versions. And the situation will be such, untill there will be no } :guarantee that when Informix server shutdown there will be somebody who } :will be able to help us and explain us what happened. } } Informix is able to do this. If their representative isn't I would ask } Informix directly what is happening. May be they are doing a bad } effort at selling you something new. } } :I will be thankfull to anybody who will be able to send me a copy of } :the main points in the Informix support contract. } } Check out the Informix web site at } http://www.informix.com/informix/services/ilink/plc/plc.htm } You need a password to this, so you may have a problem if you have no } contract. You should however be able to go to your supplier and look } at it with them. It contains all the information you need about } products and lifecycles. At the time when we had a full support contract purchased, we asked for our contract number to organize access to Inofrmix Internet servieces, but they didn't said it us. And I didn't understand the reason. :( Now all is in the past. Can you send me a copy of this file? Certainly, if no any laws will be violated. It's a pity that this isn't a public information. There is Techinfo Area username and password asked. } :And does Inoformix } :oblige its representatives (in a little countries like our) anything? } } I don't know. They should. But as you say it's a small country and } market, so may be they haven't followed them up closely enough. } } :What are the Informix prices (per cents of the products' cost) usually? } } I am not sure right now. } } } Nils.Myklebust@idg.no } NM Data AS, P.O.Box 9090 Gronland, N-0133 Oslo, Norway } My opinions are those of my company } The Informix FAQ is at http://www.iiug.org } Regards, Milen P.S. This email must be treated as my own private oppinion.