Feb (02-03) - Walking the walk

February 5, 2003 Editorial

Equipment specials: https://www.argecy.com/Specials.html
Converting to TCP/IP from SNA? Check out this overview for printers: www.argecy.com/Connectivity.html

Remember the advertisement on TV?: Two consultants making broad and sweeping recommendations to the optimistic company president who responds "Great, do it!" To which the consultants say "But we don't "do" we just recommend." At Argecy we have the enviable position of being able to both recommend and "do". We back up our recommendations by actually delivering on our suggestions.

The large quantity of 10BaseT ethernet cards available from the IBM 4317 take-out is getting down to the end. I recommend action for those contemplating ethernet cards for their IBM NP printers (4312, 4317, 4320, 4324, 4332)... The 4312's are a problem because of the dearth of fuser units, and the more general shortage of supply of base machines and features. Even paper trays...Rumor has it that IBM may go back to manufacture another batch of the 10/100 cards. I recently heard the number 4000 pieces bantered about.... The package of 4322-001 printers turned out to be real, but short lived. Although they turned out to be "unused" units, they were absorbed quickly.

I-O Corporation has a refresh of their IPDS DIMM for the HP LaserJet printers.... TroyXCD Wireless division closed its venerable Cablenet facility. Farewell to great products and fine talent.....LRS is still working on their TCP/IP enhancements to their famed VPS product and will soon be making their IPDS over TCP/IP available for beta testing. Many large users will find this a welcomed "missing piece."....Another dealer in our industry has all but folded up their tents. The industry is still in a world of hurt. John Chambers from Cisco said that the last three years are the worst he's ever seen in the IT world. I could have said that 100 times and no one would have quoted me....

The recent debut of an alternative to IBM's aging 3174 line has appeared. The IDG 9074 family is some powerful which may help the switch over to thin clients and/or TCP/IP. It will support multiple LPARS and can replace up to 32) 3174's (up to 8192 devices!)....Compared to IBM's 2074 and the McData alternative, this looks like a winner.

Although this is off topic I note: The technology that runs the NASA systems for the space shuttle is often derided as "legacy code" leftover from the 1970's. I say, thank goodness it doesn't depend on Microsoft Windows. The recent accident which took 7 lives should remind us all how incredibly complex interplays of technology lead to occasional disaster. Next time my systems "crashes", I'll just be grateful that I am alive.....
Does the Mafia control UPS? I heard a rumor and don't doubt that it may be true. No wonder they won't pay their claims.....FYI Hint: Considering self-maintaining your desktop printers? Always have two units in the spare cycle. One for replacment of a failed unit and another to act as spare while you get the first one fixed.

Good supply:
IBM 4320-001's. -- 48 left from that big package
IBM 4324-001's. -- 24ppm and up to 11x17 with IPDS, etc
IBM 4332's.-- There are a few IBM 4332-001 and -004 printers left in inventory now. They will save a FORTUNE in toner costs compared to the current lines offered by Lexmark HP, or IBM. We have recently acquired some of the last new ones!
IBM 4161 Ethernets for 4312, 4317, 4320, 4324, 4332
IBM 4317-001 – still whittling down the huge supply
IBM 6262- all models except the "A" machines (I have one 6262-A22)
IBM 4224-201 - you can add internal ethernet to these and they last forever.
IBM 4230-202, 4i3 - have some new and some used on this current generation gear. (check out the internal ethernet for the 4230 family)
Genicom 3470 – New in box = less than the IBM gets for theirs.
Lexmark Optra 1855’s – over 100 pieces sitting (most with ethernet)
Lexmark Optra E --6ppm desktop lasers are a steal at @ with supplies
Lexmark internal and external print servers.
Lexmark Optra S1255, 1625, 1650, and 1855's are in good supply now, and the Optra T line's are starting to peek through in the secondary markets.

Tighter:
IBM 6400 models, especially higher end machines which can accommodate internal ethernet.
IBM 6262-A models (everyone wants ASCII)
IBM 6252 all models, especially A models.
Lexmark Optra T612, T614, T616. People want to standardize and these are rare.
10/100 Ethernets for IBM NP series