On January 30, 2001 an announcement dealing with 3466-C00 server upgrade to
4.1 came to my desktop. You can check out the announcement at:

 _ 101020 IBM 3466 Network Storage Manager Software Upgrade Feature for
          Models C00 and C10 (7.4KB)
          http://isource.ibm.com/cgi-bin/goto?it=usa_annred&on=101-020

I believe I need this upgrade to provide Windows 2000 support as well as
shared 3494 library support. So, I contact my IBM business partner and find
that the $0 upgrade will cost me $27,225.00. Not liking this reply, I
contact IBM at 1-800-IBM-CALL, as announced, and find that I MUST go through
the IBM business partner that provided this solution. (The same one that
wishes to bill me $27,225.00 for this free upgrade.)

Do I sense a gun at my head? I have a valid IBM maintenance agreement,
payable monthly, and find that to upgrade my software base, I must pay an
IBM business partner a substantial sum? What am I missing? Has anyone else
run into this concept? Is this the downside of the 3466?

Feeling a substantial budget drain,
John G. Talafous              IS Technical Principal
The Timken Company            Global Software Support
P.O. Box 6927                 Data Management
1835 Dueber Ave. S.W.         Phone: (330)-471-3390
Canton, Ohio USA  44706-0927  Fax  : (330)-471-4034
talafous AT timken DOT com           http://www.timken.com