850128 VAXclusters vs 308x

This internal "Competitive Update" document from January 1985 provides Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) sales staff with a detailed comparison of DEC VAXclusters (specifically VAXclustered 8600s) against IBM's 308X mainframe family. Its primary purpose is to arm DEC personnel with arguments to counter IBM's active campaign to discredit VAXclusters as a viable competitor.

The document highlights several weaknesses of the IBM mainframe environment: its predominantly batch-oriented nature leading to application backlogs, the high conversion costs and incompatibility issues arising from IBM's fragmented operating system ladder during corporate decentralization, and the delayed availability of its proprietary LAN solutions. It also points out the fundamental incompatibility (ASCII vs. EBCDIC) between IBM PCs and mainframes, making interoperability cumbersome.

In contrast, the document positions VAXclusters as a superior, full-range, interactive information processing alternative. Key advantages of VAXclusters are detailed:

• Cost-Effectiveness: A 5-year cost-of-ownership analysis shows VAXclusters are 76% less expensive than IBM mainframes (and 68% less in cumulative costs).
• Lower Support Costs: IBM mainframe software support personnel costs are estimated to be at least five times higher than for VAXclusters.
• Reduced Physical Footprint: VAXclusters require 55% less computer room floorspace.
• Interactive Computing: Offers a modern, interactive computing style versus IBM's older batch architecture, ideal for the growing demand for end-user information access.
• Compatibility & Growth: Provides a compatible, incremental growth path from MicroVAX to VAXclustered 8600s, boasts better compatibility with IBM PCs, and supports industry-standard Ethernet.

The document concludes that VAXclustered 8600s offer a "different and unique" competitive edge, providing a comprehensive, cost-effective, and interactive solution suitable for organizations embracing decentralization, rather than simply being a direct replacement for IBM's traditional mainframe business.