OpenVMS survives and thrives

The 'legacy' operating system maintains a substantial base in large organizations

By Drew Robb

November 1, 2004 12:00 PM ET

Recommended

Computerworld - OpenVMS was supposed to have died a slow and unheralded death sometime during the 1990s. Labeled passe by analysts and "legacy" by Windows and Unix enthusiasts in the wake of the distributed computing boom of the '90s, it hardly merits a mention in the computer press. Yet the operating system has stubbornly refused to go away.
Digital Equipment Corp. developed the Virtual Memory System in 1977 for VAX hardware as a multiuser, multitasking operating system. (Digital was eventually absorbed by Compaq Computer Corp., which merged with Hewlett-Packard Co. in 2001.) OpenVMS is a later version that runs on VAX and Alpha and will soon be available on HP Integrity servers, part of the company's 64-bit Itanium line.
One of the perceived drawbacks contributing to the aura of doom around OpenVMS was the operating system's tie to expensive proprietary hardware -- first VAX, then Alpha. But now that Integrity servers -- which also support HP-UX, Linux and Windows -- run OpenVMS, its users will benefit from the same manufacturing economies of scale that users of those other operating systems do.
Even now, however, annual OpenVMS-related hardware, software and services earn in excess of $2 billion annually for HP, and more than 400,000 VMS systems are still operating worldwide, according to a source at the company. Those numbers are backed up by Ken Farmer at OpenVMS.org, an independent Web site dedicated to OpenVMS users. He estimates that there are 10 million users worldwide and hundreds of thousands of installations of OpenVMS.


Daniel Sanchez Reina, IT manager at Sony Corp.'s Barcelona Center for Distribution

"There were about 456,000 VMS systems almost a decade ago, and after a slight yearly decline for a few years, the operating system is now staging a revival," says high-performance computing guru Terry Shannon, a 22-year VMS veteran in Amarillo, Texas, who wrote the original VMS user guide. "Some of the folks who drank the Windows Kool-Aid and dumped VMS for Windows are now coming back."
When the Chips Are Down
OpenVMS/Alpha systems are commonly used by financial services, health care, manufacturing and aerospace companies, as well as utilities and state lotteries and other government agencies. HP says that 50% of major telecommunications providers and 80% of chip manufacturers use OpenVMS. Users say that they've stuck with OpenVMS because the operating system has provided all of the features they've needed, along with tested stability.
"We chose VMS due to reliability, availability, solid performance, the fact that it's mature and proven, and the stability of both the hardware and software," says

Recommend Digg Twitter ShareThis

Email Print Send Feedback Reprints

Jump to comments

Operating Systems

Additional Resources

Xerox

Win a color printer!

By using solid ink technology only from Xerox, you could save up to 65% by printing color for the cost of black and white. Enter for a chance to WIN a PhaserTM 8860 network color printer!

Microsoft

Upgrade to Internet Explorer 8 today.

Save time and mitigate security risk. Deploy it now.

Sybase

NEXT-GENERATION MOBILITY PLATFORMS

In this white paper, IDC analyzes the role of next-generation mobile enterprise platforms as organizations seek a more strategic deployment of mobile solutions.

Learn the important issues you must consider before starting your next mobility initiative. Get your mobility white paper from IDC now, compliments of Sybase.

White Papers & Webcasts

Chiquita selects Workday's fresh approach to Human Capital Management
A fresh approach to meet IT and HR objectives.

Strategies for Driving Down IT Support Costs with Lite ITIL Practices
View this now!

The ROI of Software-As-A-Service
A Total Economic Impact™ Analysis Uncovers Long-Term Value In SaaS

Data Protection is not an insurance policy -you cannot buy-back lost data
Find out why you need to maintain access to critical information to run your business and remain competitive.

Revolutionizing Enterprise Application Deployment
How SaaS and the Next Generation of Technology Can Change the Game.

ITIL in Tough Economic Times
Are you looking for new inspiration to move forward with ITIL in these tough economic times?

The Continuous Innovation Advantage of Software-As-A-Service
The next generation ERP systems have arrived. Download Now!

Top to Bottom Performance Management Excellence at the City of Chicago
Register for this webcast now!

Smooth Transition: Preparing for IFRS
Download this White Paper Now!

IT Governance Podcast: IT Provider Forecasts $10 Million in Savings
In this podcast, learn how OTS was able to prioritize, then deliver, on the mission-critical demands and, in the process, project $10 million...

All White Papers | All Webcasts