While looking at the purchase of a new system last year, I asked about trade-ins on old equipment. NetApps can do this it seems. My question would be - "What happens to all that old hardware?" Judging by the trade in values I would rather follow this course of action then sell it on privatley.

On the point of selling on hardware such as disks, surely you are getting into a legal minefield here Scott. What happens to equipment used to store data suject to non-disclosure agreements? How do you guarentee complete data scrubbing? I think I would feel a little uncomfotable with my system (a development machine) finding its way out onto the open market. Likewise I would be a bit cautious about purchasing equipment that may have been used in a similar role..

Simon

-----Original Message----- From: Pete Ehlke [mailto:pde@ehlke.net] Sent: 18 January 2001 17:21 To: ScottUCE@aol.com Cc: toasters@mathworks.com Subject: Re: Mark Conley's comments on used NetApp systems

ScottUCE@aol.com (ScottUCE@aol.com) said, on [010118 09:11]:

downturns, forcing them to put their systems on the market. If Network Appliance were to interfere with the transfer of their systems' NFS and

CIFS

licenses, the value of their F760 heads would be reduced to that of spare parts kits.

And your profits would be affected in like measure.

Unless and until Network Appliance clarifies its policy on the re-sale of

its

systems, NetApp's end-user and/or leasing company customers -- before they

buy their next box -- should request a modification of their software

license

agreements so as to limit Network Appliance's discretion to forbid

software

license transfer, thus helping to safeguard the value of their investments

in

their NetApp systems.

Have a little honesty, here, Scott. This isn't about the value of my investment in my filers, it's about your ability to profit as a broker of used equipment. You're asking us, the netapp user community, to pressure netapp to guarantee your business model. That's not my job, man.

And anyone- *anyone*- who spends the kind of mone one spends to get a filer without having vetted the sales & licence agreements has fools for both lawyers and purchasing managers.

-Pete