  considerations of an OpenVMS downgrade? 
 The Question is:
 
Can I take a image backup from an Alpha 2100 with 6.2.1h3 and restore it over
the top of an existing Alpha 4100 with 7.1?  If so, can you list some
complications, i.e. license, hardware support, etc.   Thank you for your
support.
 
 
 The Answer is:
 
  The Wizard would encourage you to continue to operate on OpenVMS
  Alpha V7.1.
 
  Yes, you can take a BACKUP/IMAGE and restore it pretty much anywhere.
 
  Downgrading the operating system and changing the hardware underneath
  gets rather interesting, however.
 
  You may find that controllers or other I/O widgets or software you have
  installed in your AlphaServer 4100 series system are not supported by
  OpenVMS Alpha V6.2-1H3 -- without a list of the hardware and software,
  the Wizard cannot state the requirements with any certainty.  Various
  software considerations could include software dependent on the 64-bit
  addressing capabilities of V7.1, and any device drivers that are coded
  for the OpenVMS Alpha V7.1 internals.
 
  You may also find you need/want to downgrade your system firmware to
  match the older OpenVMS Alpha release.
 
  You will need to root out any incompatible device-specific references.
  These can include but are not limited to your DECnet and IP databases,
  your local command procedures and tools, your local logical names, in
  application databases, etc.  This work can be anything from a easily
  fixed and generally minor inconvenience, to a major project.
 
  You will need to remove any unauthorized license PAKs, and re-register
  the correct license PAKs for the AlphaServer 4100 series system.
 
  You will want to consider software support contracts, as well, as any
  standard contracts may not cover the older release -- you may need to
  add a "prior version support" contract.
 
  This is certainly not a complete list of the considerations involved in
  an operating system downgrade.
