[Info-vax] Time to turn DECUServe into a mixed VMScluster?

[Mark Berryman]

On 5/31/23 1:34 PM, Arne Vajhøj wrote:
> On 5/31/2023 7:41 AM, MG wrote:
>> As an almost daily user of the EISNER:: node of DECUServe,
>> I began to wonder: Couldn't DECUServe serve as a cost-
>> effective method for VSI to demonstrate both OpenVMS for
>> x86-64 and its cross-architecture clustering capabilities
>> to a wider audience?  Since VSI operates this physical
>> hardware and adding a modestly configured x86-64 virtual
>> machine would probably not add too much to the existing
>> operating and maintenance costs of DECUServe.
>>
>> It could thereby also save a lot of potentially interested
>> users the time and effort of having to apply for a suitable
>> evaluation license and having to prepare, install and
>> configure a (virtual) system, especially those who are
>> entirely new and unfamiliar to OpenVMS and simply wish to
>> have an end-user experience.
>>
>> It's been long since a capable public access VMScluster
>> system has been available (especially since "Deathrow"
>> shut down, already quite some years ago).
> 
> The totally new to VMS just wanting to try a few DCL commands
> probably do not care what architecture they are running on - most
> likely they will not even know. VMS is VMS.
> 
> But setting up a mixed mode cluster would be a pretty cool
> demo.
> 
> And why not go all out? VAX + Alpha + Itanium + x86-64!!
> 
> Send a news flash to all IT magazines in the world and get
> a bit of press.

I have a running Alpha/Itanium/X86_64 cluster (which makes it trivially 
easy to use the cross tools (when necessary) for x86 builds).  I could 
add a simh VAX if that is really necessary.

What, exactly, would you like to see?

Mark Berryman