[Info-vax] What does VMS get used for, these days?

[Robert Carleton]

On Thursday, November 3, 2022 at 7:20:10 AM UTC-5, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
> On 11/2/22 20:12, Arne Vajhøj wrote: 
> > On 11/2/2022 4:06 PM, IanD wrote: 
> >> The IBM Mainframes are seeing expansion where I work 
> > 
> > IBM mainframe sales has been falling for decades. Not dramatically but 
> > consistently. Or to be more correct: a consistent downwards trend 
> > with lots of cycles correlating to model releases. 
> > 
> > But different companies chose different strategies. Some companies 
> > move off their mainframe(s). Some reduce usage of their mainframe(s). 
> > Some keep usage of their mainframe(s). It does not surprise me that 
> > some increase usage of their mainframe(s). 
> > 
> >> Security is seen as paramount and being able to wrap up whole 
> >> applications under a single framework in terms of security is seen as 
> >> a huge advantage 
> >> 
> >> We are seeing certain applications being moved off other platforms 
> >> and back onto the Mainframes, especially anything pertaining to data 
> >> transfers and external interface exposure 
> >> 
> >> I can't see VMS competing in this space, IBM really has done a good 
> >> sales job on the security side even down to enabling security aspects 
> >> on their CPU's that will offload certain operations to hardware for 
> >> increased protections in flight (good sales pitch no doubt) 
> > 
> > IBM has done a way better job with z/OS than HP/HPE did with VMS. 
> > 
> >> I would have thought VMS could leverage it's historical reputation in 
> >> security to give it an advantage against Linux at least, but I'm not 
> >> convinced it has done enough to ensure it's up to date in the modern 
> >> security landscape and it really needs to make sure it has it's ducks 
> >> all in a row and then some because any failure in the security arena 
> >> could/would end VMS chances of making a comeback 
> > 
> > VMS definitely has some catching up to do. 
> >
> Personally, I would really like to see VMS catch up in the security 
> sphere and go after the government market (specifically DOD who have 
> a very strong need for secure systems). A conversation with DISA 
> would go a long way in accomplishing that. But I have no expectation 
> that it would ever happen. 
> 
> bill

Part of that would be there being SRG/STIGs being available for OpenVMS. I wasn't able to find any. That will complicate the authorization of new OpenVMS systems in DoD circles.