[Info-vax] VMS and the Internet of Things (IoT)

[David Froble]

Simon Clubley wrote:
> I've seen a number of posts recently about VMS and it's possible role
> in an Internet of Things (IoT) environment.
> 
> However, it appears to me that people are talking at cross-purposes
> when talking about the IoT because the term itself is so vaguely
> defined and as such people appear to have their own differing and
> unstated assumptions about what the IoT actually is.
> 
> As such, it might be a good idea if people state what they mean by
> the IoT and how they see the role that VMS has in it, because right
> now I am not seeing a major role for VMS.
> 
> Here's my initial pass at defining what I think the IoT is all about
> when I hear that phrase and why I think the above about VMS:
> 
> I think of the IoT as being a three level architecture with sensors
> on devices at the lowest level, some kind of coordinator or
> controller within the facility at the medium level, and remote
> servers (if needed) at the highest level.
> 
> At the lowest level, the sensors on devices level, there's absolutely
> no role for VMS at all. Most of these are going to be Cortex-M0/M4
> level CPUs if even that as in some cases these might just be small
> 8-bit devices or even dumb sensors wired directly into the facility
> controller.
> 
> The medium level facility controller is where things may start to get
> more interesting but I don't see a role for VMS here either even if
> you ignore that fact that VMS will not currently run on the
> architectures typically in use here.
> 
> This facility controller is going to be a small low power box which
> can probably be wall mounted; think something the size of a Beaglebone
> Black or a Raspberry Pi with a box and little LCD/touch panel wrapped
> around it.
> 
> It's unlikely to be some desktop sized PC box with fans going and
> consuming greater than a couple of hundred watts. Something like the
> Cortex-A8 may even be overkill for many of these controllers. Regardless,
> this is RTOS or embedded Linux territory where you can quickly put
> together a BSP for the specific SBC in use (assuming one doesn't
> already exist).
> 
> Only at the highest level, the remote server level, can I begin to see
> a viable role for VMS. However, I am not seeing what VMS would bring
> to the table here over the other existing options (and please don't
> say security).
> 
> Security on the IoT devices is a joke and is a joke in ways that
> changing the remote server operating system will have very little
> effect on. Some of the security issues appear to be occuring because
> of the mindset which is sometimes present when writing the software
> for these devices.
> 
> So that's my take on the IoT. What's yours and where do you see a
> possible place for VMS within the IoT world ?
> 
> Simon.
> 

As usual, I know nothing ...

:-)

My first questions are, what are the purposes of having this computerization in 
regular household appliances and such?  If it's to monitor the devices and be 
helpful, yes, that can be a good thing.  Then the question becomes, for whom is 
it helpful?  If it is for the likes of Google to track what I'm doing, screw 
that idea.  If it's for some central system in my home to track some data, such 
as the temperature in my freezer and refrigerator, that can be a good thing, 
warning me if I got or might soon have problems.  Also doing things such as 
controlling lights, and other things remotely.  Cameras to see if the MaCaws are 
behaving.  (Yeah, right, as if that will ever happen.)

The information could help with remote diagnostics before a repairman makes a 
service call.  As an example, I got a new refrigerator last year.  Wasn't 
keeping things from going bad.  So I placed a service call, under the warranty. 
  Service guy comes out, checks the info, says it's working.  Then looks and 
says "I've seen this before, you're blocking the path from the freezer, cold air 
cannot get in".  Well, duh, dumb Dave strikes again.  Then he says "I don't know 
why the manufacturers don't strongly suggest keeping the top shelf more open".

So, two points.  First, me being able to monitor the problem would have saved 
throwing out lots of Milk and such.  And second, the service call could have 
cost much less if an on-site visit wasn't required.

So, yeah, lots of potential.

And yeah, lots of questions.

However, I'm not sure the question of how VMS fits into all this is relevant. 
The real question is what applications will be useful.  If some run on VMS, and 
VMS is available for the minimal HW, sure, it could be used.  In the past VMS 
was targeted at some process control and such.  Not so much, or at all, more 
recently.  Sort of hard to beat the cost of free *ix that isn't going to need 
any support contracts.  VMS would need to be free for such use.  I don't see 
that helping VMS all that much, but, what do I know?