Hi,

Thanks to Joseph Huber for the reply for my previous question regarding the Alpha Workstation booting problem.

I have one more question,

my company planned to go for new alpha machine. We got quote from a reseller they recommended to go with the following configuration,
======
AlphaServer DS10 w/the Following
- 600 mhz processor
- 256 meg. memory
- ba10a-aa drive cage
- kzpac-aa drive controller
- 2ea. 4 gig scsi disk
- cd/floppy
- Base Vms License
- EIP License (which includes NAS & TCP/IP)
- C-compiler 1-concurrent user
- C-compiler media(comes on Layered Products Binaries)
- QA-Mt1AA-H8 8.2 media
- All in one License
- DEC windows/Motif EIP Package
================

Our requirement: for this Alpha DS10 machine is that we want to run one of our old application developed using C and VAX MACRO 32 on DEC VAX. The VAX MACRO 32 and C sources were already ported to run in ALPHA.

These application should be called from another application running in Window OS for reporting purpose.

Please suggest me that the above Alpha configuration is enough or should we have to have any other important package.

Thanks in Advance and you all have good week end.

Archunan Muthiah

Archunan,

Without performance numbers on your application, it is hard to maek solid judgements on the suitability of a configuration.

It is also worth mentioning that the MACRO32 compiler (the utility that takes MACRO-32 code intended for the VAX architecture and compiles it into binary executables for ALPHA or Itanium) is the tool used to produce a large fraction, if not the majority, of OpenVMS code. Newer components are written in higher level lanugages, mostly C, but there is a huge base of MACRO-32 code.

In terms of raw performance, a DS10 can be an extremely powerful machine when compared with a VAX, particularly across several generations.

Tuning can also be a major benefit. I have seen situations where tuning could improve performance by two orders of magnitude (factor of 100x).

I hope that the above is helpful.

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

Hi Bob,

Thanks for your suggestion. I don't think our application (developed using C and Macro 32) will need more system resouces, and more CPU time. From your info about Alpha DS10's power, it looks to me that we are going to get the machine having more than the required configuration.

And regarding MACRO 32 compiler, as you mentioned I spoke to the reseller, hopefully I get it along with MACRO 64 assembler (freeware).

My other concern is that with the above configuration, I want to make sure that Alpha Server can boot and run, and can able to communitate with the Windows OS. Because I have no idea about "
- ba10a-aa drive cage
- kzpac-aa drive controller
- 2ea. 4 gig scsi disk
- cd/floppy ".

Is it easy to do OpenVMS and other products installation ? or can I ask the reseller to give the machine with everything pre-installed ?.

Thanks
Archunan Muthiah

Archunan,

I don't have the hardware reference for the DS10 handy, but my recollection is that it does have a 10/100 Mps Ethernet adapter as standard equipment.

The Macro32 compiler is standard equipment with OpenVMS. Generally, so is the license to use HP's TCP/IP.

I do not consider an OpenVMS install difficult, but moving an existing VAX configuration over to different system requires care. When I do it, my standard comment is that the software installations are the least of the problem.

The challenge, which I have generally achieved, to to move the users and applications to the new system in a way that they are unaware that the change has taken place.

How deep is your understanding of your current operating environment? If you want to respond privately, please feel free to do so.

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

Hi Bob,

I sucessfully installed OVMS 7.2 on Alpha PWS 500au, DECWin working fine, I configured OVMS TCPIP and all TCPIP services are enabled, but my OVMS client application not communicating with Win2K based Server Application. I am reinstalling TCPIP to try again. Probably it will work. Otherwise I will contact you on this.

Also I planned to go for DS10, 466 MHZ, 256 MB, OVMS 8.2 base lic, EIP and C compiler. Thanks for your info. I have worked in various applications on VAX/Alpha/OpenVMS, involved in OpenVMS system internal programmings, having good OS and Database internal knowledge, involved in OVMS/TU64 system Crash Analysis!!!. But I am new to VAX/Alpha hardware and networking related area.

Thanks
Archunan