[Info-vax] OpenVMS versus Windows/GE Telemetry Control Systems.

[Keith Parris]

On 1/10/2013 9:08 PM, cyberunlimited at gmail.com wrote:
> I work for a large Water Utility. Our SCADA Telemetry Control System
 > uses Alpha Servers.
 > Management wants to scrap OpenVMS and go with a SCADA System by GE
> called iFix that runs on Windows.

How about moving the existing application to an Alpha emulator running 
under Windows on a PC server hardware base? That way you get the 
inexpensive hardware of standard PCs but the option to keep the 
reliability and features of VMS, like Volume Shadowing and so forth.

Another way to save on costs would be to migrate the Alpha application 
to Itanium. HW and SW and maintenance are all less expensive than Alpha.

> I'm told that HP can't be trusted to continue with OpenVMS

Martin Fink committed in 2011 to more than a decade of support for 
OpenVMS: 
http://h30507.www3.hp.com/t5/Mission-Critical-Computing-Blog/HP-puts-customers-first-and-remains-committed-to-Integrity/ba-p/89983

> and they may discontinue the Itanium Machines.

Testimony by Kirk Skaugen of Intel says HP has a contract to receive 
Itanium chips from Intel through 2022, with an option to renew.

HP's present Project Odyssey direction commits to continue producing 
Itanium systems. Poulson (Itanium 9500) systems just shipped, and VMS 
support is in the works.

 > Also, it's too hard to find VMS Experts in the work force.

Not according to all my un- or under-employed friends who are VMS experts.

> Also, I'm told that the industry is moving from OpenVMS to Windows everywhere.

If I were forced off of VMS and given a choice, I think I'd rather be 
forced to Linux than Windows. Neither would be fun, though, if you need 
reliability.