CHARON-VAX Components for Linux
The CHARON-VAX MicroVAX emulator is available for the Linux operating system in custom configurations. This version of the CHARON-VAX product is intended for system integrators and the replacement of embedded VAX systems. The specific implementation can range from a simple MicroVAX II emulator with a single disk controller to a complex system interfacing with special peripherals or applications on the Linux host.
CHARON-VAX is designed to accomodate the integration of new, custom components and can be applied as a building brick in the partial migration of embedded industrial and process control applications. Stromasys will work with you to provide a design specification based on the product to be replaced, and build a matching CHARON-VAX implementation for it. The ususal design goal is to retain complex VAX application code but to replace (custom build) MicroVAX hardware with a new industry standard platform.
The CHARON-VAX emulator is not constrained to a specific VAX operating system or application. Your existing VAX software (operating system, layered software and applications) is directly executed by CHARON-VAX in its existing binary form.
Standard hardware components
The CHARON-VAX component library currently contains the following elements:
- MicroVAX CPUs: MicroVAX II, MicroVAX II Plus (accelerated version), MicroVAX 3500/3600
- MicroVAX II (16 MB) and MicroVAX 3500/3600 (64 MB) memory management, system clocks and ROM emulation
- Disk controllers: MSCP generic, RQZX1, RQDX1, RQDX2, RQDX3, QDA50; connection to physical SCSI drives
- Tape controllers: TMSCP generic, TQK50, TQK70; connection to physical SCSI drives
- CD ROM: RRD45 (mapped to host drive); direct boot from CD supported. Floppy drive: RX23/33 drive support, mapped to the host floppy drive(s).
- Ethernet adapters: DEQNA, DELQA, DESQA
- Serial line adapters: CXY08, CXB16, CXA16, DHQ11, DHV11
- VAX console port and terminal emulator
- IEQ11 IEEE488 controller.
- Support for Qbus peripherals via a PCI adapter