[Info-vax] VSI software

[Hans Bachner]

Phillip Helbig (undress to reply) schrieb am 05.08.2020 um 07:53:
> In article <houaskFpnp5U1 at mid.individual.net>, Hans Bachner
> <hans at bachner.priv.at> writes:
> 
>>> Can I cluster VSI VMS with versions of VMS from DEC/Compaq/HP?  If so,
>>> which ones?
>>
>> Yes, clustering Alpha and Integrity 8.4[-*] from VSI and HP works. Don't
>> know off my head how far you can go back with HP versions - I believe
>> 8.3 and even 7.3-2 should work as well, but you want to check with VSI
>> documentation. In any case, you need an LMF patch for VSI OpenVMS.
> 
> Hopefully that's true.  Other responses have indicated that it is NOT
> possible.  That's why I asked.  :-|
> 
>> Things will change when 9.x comes into the play. Changes to/improvements
>> of cluster communication (at least) will require special patches for
>> 8.4, which will exist for VSI versions of OpenVMS only. In other words,
>> OpenVMS V9.x on any platform can no longer cluster with HP[E] versions.
> 
> So I could have a mixed HPE/VSI Alpha cluster, then after it is all VSI
> have a mixed Alpha/x86 cluster?

To the best of my knowledge this is VSI's plan.

>>> How does one get the software onto the system?  CDs delivered by mail is
>>> probably too oldschool.  Download an image?
>>
>> Yes. Burn the image to a DVD or provide it with Infoserver software on a
>> VMS system to boot/install over the network.
> 
> In the past, I've had a bootable image on a hard disk.  Is there any
> reason that won't work, i.e. it has to be a DVD?

No. You can mount the ISO on a VMS system with the LD driver and BACKUP 
/IMAGE the contents to a hard disk. I assume this is what Jan-Erik did 
in his environment.

>> Again, this may be other options with V9. The first versions of V9.0
>> were/are distributed as a VM image. Just unpack this image and start the
>> VM, no installation needed/possible.
> 
> I'll wait for bare metal.  :-|

your choice :-)

>> Basically right. IIRC the VSI OpenVMS Alpha documentation (Release
>> Notes?) contains a chapter on setting up LMF properly in a mixed
>> producer cluster (= requiring licenses with different producer fields),
>> including some special handling of licenses in this case.
> 
> OK, good to know, if a mixed HP(E)/VSI cluster is possible.

Have a look at the documentation Camiel pointed you to.

Hans.