Troubleshooting gets independent

HP 3000 configuration expert moves on to serve third party suppliers

HP’s North American 3000 distributor has released some of its hardware expertise, sending HP 3000 certified configuration expert Chris Gauthier into the independent marketplace through an early November layoff. While this downsizing at Client Systems put a seasoned pro like Gauthier out of a job, he’s taken a path that continues to make his services available to 3000 buyers and owners: ramping up an independent consulting and help desk business.

Gauthier’s GCG Data will be providing hardware troubleshooting and configuration expertise to the third-party support community which has been growing larger during the 3000’s transition. Gauthier, trained by HP in 3000 error resolution and hardware configuration while working in the HP distribution channel for seven years, will be on call to resolve problems of clients using third party hardware support firms like Terix Computer.

“Between me and my hopeful hires, we’ll offer quite a bit of knowledge that isn’t yet available in the broker world,” Gauthier said.

GCG will be pursuing staff that have already been trained in the 3000’s hardware nuances by HP, since Gauthier can’t pass on the technical nuances that he learned to others in the 3000 community.

“It’s kind of like a law firm, in that respect,” he said of his company. “You can’t teach this stuff. But I can sure hire the people who already know it, and I know who these people are. As they filter out into the workforce, I will be grabbing them.”

Gauthier’s been deep inside HP’s factory level while working for North American 3000 distributors. He said he even trained an engineer two years ago at HP’s Roseville, Calif. HP 3000 factory. Gauthier taught configuration and troubleshooting processes and updated the Roseville site with the latest version of software that automates the MPE loading and test processes. GCG will be using software that Gauthier created to help streamline the new GCG support business.

He stressed that what he learned under HP’s nondisclosure agreements “won’t be used in the GCG business. “All of that is strictly integration and loading, while my goal with GCG is hardware support. That much I can take to the field.”

Often-cryptic HP error codes during aborts, for example, provide enough information to engineers like Gauthier who’ve been supporting 3000 owners and resellers for years at the distributor level. He wants to make GCG’s experience in troubleshooting HP 3000s available to a wide array of hardware providers. Releasing his experience to independent support companies helps give customers an alternative to HP’s support, which plans to close its 3000 group in four years.

“This isn’t non-disclosure information,” he said of the knowledge that gets 3000s running after hardware troubles. “But it’s definitely expert-level, and not everybody has that factory expertise.”