[Info-vax] OpenVMS Hobbyist Notification

[Arne Vajhøj]

On 3/9/2020 2:20 AM, Dave Froble wrote:
> On 3/8/2020 8:56 PM, Arne Vajhøj wrote:
>> On 3/8/2020 7:38 PM, Dave Froble wrote:
>>>                                  But to declare that using VMs is sort
>>> of automatic is premature and just a prejudiced wild ass guess.
>>
>> Anything related to the future has some uncertainty.
>>
>> But it is way more than a wild guess.
>>
>> Because other platforms has had the capability for many years. And
>> other platforms has adopted the technology.
> 
> Wasn't one of the drivers for VMs the one app one system in non-VMS 
> land?  That is not so significant for VMS users.

There are more tradition in the VMS world for running multiple
apps on same system than on *nix/Win.

But most companies run more OS than just VMS and would
benefit from virtualization.

And even VMS can benefit from having an extra test system.

>> Most with more than 1 server are using virtualization.
> 
> Ok, maybe I'm an aberration.  Not one of our customers is using more 
> than one system to run the company operations.  PCs on the desktop for 
> office automation and user interface, yes.  But actually running the 
> company's business, no.

I don't know your customers.

But I would expect many such companies using VMS to have:
* the VMS system running core app
* a Windows system as AD and file & print server
* a Linux system for web

And if they buy a 16 core 128 GB server then they could run:
* one VM with VMS using 2 cores and 16 GB
* one VM with Windows using 2 cores and 16 GB
* one VM with Linux using 2 cores and 16 GB
* one VM for a new test system with VMS using 2 cores and 16 GB
and still have 8 cores and 64 GB left to allocate to systems
needing more resources.

After VMS x86-64 hit the streets!  :-)

Of course there are still some cases where VM may
not work.

Special hardware.

Insane license policies - like if a company wanting to charge
by total cores in the physical server instead of cores
allocated to the VM where the system actually runs.

>> (75% of companies over 50 employees use virtualization)
>>
>> https://www.vmware.com/company/why-choose-vmware.html
>>
>> (100% of Forune 500 companies use virtualization)
>>
>> Why shoudld VMS be different from all other OS??
> 
> Well, for one thing, it is.

:-)

> Don't misunderstand, since looking at VMs, I really like some of the 
> things that they can do.  And yes, in some organizations with people 
> dedicated to such, developing the expertise to manage the VMs can be 
> helpful.  But if an organization doesn't have that manpower, then having 
> to have it is an additional cost, and organizations don't like 
> additional cost.
>
> There are non-fortune 500 entities out there ....

There is definitely going to be a learning curve for the
old school VMS system manager.

But for the young 0-10 years since college crowd, then they
will know about VM's if they are in a sys admin role.

So I am not expecting VMS to achieve 90% virtualization level
the day after VMS x86-64 ships. It will be a slow process
taking years. But I believe VMS will eventually end up in state
similar to other OS.

Arne