[Info-vax] VAX VMS going forward (VAXELN)

[Arne Vajhøj]

On 7/26/2020 4:08 PM, johnwallace4 at yahoo.co.uk wrote:
> On Sunday, 26 July 2020 20:14:41 UTC+1, David Wade  wrote:
>> On 26/07/2020 19:32, Arne Vajhøj wrote:
>>> On 7/26/2020 2:16 PM, Jan-Erik Söderholm wrote:
>>>> Den 2020-07-24 kl. 23:07, skrev Jan-Erik Söderholm:
>>>>> Den 2020-07-22 kl. 16:35, skrev Jan-Erik Söderholm:
>>>>>> And what say the sites still using/running VAXELN? A major kitchen
>>>>>> applience manufacturer in Sweden had multiple VAXELN system for
>>>>>> their assembly lines up to at least 3-4 years ago. Not sure of
>>>>>> the actual status today...
>>>>>
>>>>> Just got a reply back. That site has 11 VAXELN systems in production.
>>>>> Don't know if it is still VAX hardware or if they run on emulation...
>>>>
>>>> These 11 VAXELN systems seems to be mostly VAX 4000-500. No emulators.
>>>> Running assembly lines in a factory...
>>>
>>> There 4000-500's must be 25+ years old.
>>>
>>> I would consider relying on so old HW to be a business risk.
 >>
>> Depends on the stock of spares, and skill level. Trouble is many
>> businesses have a spares that they never test and don't understand that
>> things on shelves deteriorate.
>>
>> The big problem with an update is that in a factory setting it might be
>> harder to get the same level of reliability over time.
> 
> And depending on what the factory does, the cost of migration and
> recertification on a new platform (hardware and/or software) might
> exceed the "business risk" of running on obsolete (but potentially
> tried tested proven and certified) hardware and software and
> processes.
> 
> Especially if the system is dependent on VAXELN, which DEC HQ in
> its infinitesimal wisdom decided could be replaced by a variant of
> VxWorks using Tru64/Alpha host and a tiny subset of Alpha or Motorola
> targets. It would be a "re-architect the application from the ground
> up" job. Can you imagine the customer response? I don't need to.

If this is just some nice to have functionality then
it is OK.

But if it is business critical then no CIO and CEO
should allow it.

Obviously should <> will.

But imagine this conversation:

CEO: our production line is down - when will it be up again?
CIO: the problem is not in our code but in the platform.
CEO: so get the vendor to fix it.
CIO: they dropped support 10 years ago.
CEO: then what can we do?
CIO: not really anything.
CEO: so we should liquidate the company?
CIO: yes.

Arne