Do you think all of the vendors that once offered VMS-related products and services have deserted the operating system? Think again. Several companies continue to build applications or design services for the workhorse operating system.
Nemonix Engineering Inc. in Holliston, Mass., has built a thriving VAX support business. It manufacturers replacement CPU cards, for example, and replacement parts that give VAX systems access to newer technology such as Fast Ethernet or Ultra Wide SCSI. The Logical Company in Cottage Grove, Ore., also makes replacement VAX parts.
Executive Software International Inc. in Burbank, Calif., has four products available for the platform, including its flagship Diskeeper defragmenter. What isn't so well known is that the company was originally devoted solely to OpenVMS and began offering Windows-based tools only in the mid-'90s. It reports thriving sales in its VMS segment.
- Software Resources International SA in Switzerland offers Charon-VAX, a VAX emulator that makes old OpenVMS applications think they're running on a VAX. Emulation software is available on Windows and Alpha platforms.
HP also lists dozens of OpenVMS to Itanium partners on its Web site. Here are a few of those partners and the products they're porting to Itanium:
- BEA Systems Inc.: Various application server products
- Brooks Automation Inc.: PROMIS MES (management execution system).
- Computer Associates International Inc.: Dozens of CA products are available on OpenVMS. Unicenter and Ingres database product lines are first in line to be ported to Itanium.
- BMC Software Inc.: Various storage related products
- Ergonomic Solutions: Wireless text-messaging delivery products