CHARON™-AXP/SMA PLUS for Windows
Product version: 2.1.20
Description
CHARON-AXP/SMA PLUS (Small and Medium Alpha) is a member of the CHARON cross-platform hardware virtualization product-family by Stromasys. CHARON-AXP creates the virtual replica of the original AlphaServer hardware interface inside a standard computer system. It will run the Alpha operating systems OpenVMS and Tru64 UNIX including the layered products and application software in their existing, binary form. It quickly moves your Alpha software and data to a general purpose computer.
CHARON-AXP/SMA PLUS for Windows is designed to replace the following Alpha computer systems by its virtual equivalent running on a Windows XP/2003 host platform:
− AlphaStation 500 & 600
− AlphaStation XP900 & XP1000
− Digital Personal Workstation (DPW)
− AlphaServer 800
− AlphaServer 1200
− DMCC & Flexor (OEM-systems)
Most of the original Alpha-hardware is virtualized, allowing the OpenVMS or Tru64 operating system and all software that is running in that environment to remain working as always. No changes to the original software (operating system, layered products or applications), its procedures or handling have to be applied.
Network
CHARON-AXP virtualizes the Ethernet controllers as included in the original AlphaServer hardware that is replaced (DE435, DE450 and DE500). Any protocol that ran on these controllers (DECnet, TCP/IP, LAT) will run over this virtualized link.
Storage
CHARON-AXP/SMA PLUS provides support for Alpha storage devices: disk, tape and generic SCSI via virtual KZPBA SCSI adapters. CHARON-AXP/SMA PLUS allows connecting Alpha SCSI devices to logical disks or tapes that appear as container files in the host operating system, connections to Windows physical devices and direct SCSI addressing. In the latter case the nature of the connected device is not important; the Alpha Operating system already included the drivers for these devices.
The storage support is based on SCSI, however CHARON-AXP/SMA PLUS includes a special OpenVMS driver that allows to present OpenVMS with other device types: IDE (DQA), FibreChannel (DGA), DSSI (DIA), RAIDarray (DRA) and MSCP (DUA), next to SCSI (DKA/MKA/GKA).
The nature of the storage technology on the host computer is hidden the Alpha Operating system, allowing to store (e.g.) SCSI or IDE disk on a FibreChannel SAN.
Performance
When run on a HP Proliant with multi-core 3 GHz processor CHARON-AXP/SMA PLUS provides better performance than the Alpha hardware it replaces.
Host system requirements
CHARON-AXP is designed to run on Windows 2003 x64, which is supported by AMD and Intel processor systems.
CHARON-AXP/SMA PLUS virtualizes a single CPU Alpha system and therefore claims one of the CPU's on the host system for that task. Additional CPU capacity is required for I/O handling and other virtualization support tasks. CHARON-AXP/SMA licensing allows combining multiple licenses on one multi-core host system, when the rule of reserving 1 support CPU for every 3 virtual Alpha CPU’s is observed.
Product license key
The CHARON USB-type license key is permanently connected to the host system running CHARON-AXP. It preserves the customer specific license parameters, allows remote electronic updates and enables rapid change of host systems as the CHARON executable itself can be installed on multiple systems.
The MTBF of the key is more than 100 years. For mission critical applications a backup key containing 720 hours execution time can be ordered to meet any disaster recovery plan that requires replacement hardware.
Documentation
• User manual, on the installation CD and on the web.
• Release notes, on the installation CD and the web:
Additional utilities
Taskbar menu: Manage the active virtual Alpha’s
MKdisk: Create empty VAX disk images
SCSIcheck: Locate CHARON names for disks, tapes, CD’s
floppy disks and other SCSI devices
I/O bypass driver: Flexible device definition and more efficient I/O (OpenVMS only)
Idle: Suspends host CPU usage when the operating system is idle (energy save mode). Valid for OpenVMS only.
User environment
After installation the system will behave like the Alpha it replaces and should be treated like that Alpha. Operating procedures will be the same and we advise not to treat it as a Windows system, despite the fact it runs on a Windows kernel. The product documentation includes an advisory for switching off unused Windows services and the Windows kernel can be disconnected from the network after installation.
| Virtualized Alpha System | AlphaStation 500, 600 and DPW AlphaStation XP900 & XP1000 AlphaServer 800, 1200 DMCC & Flexor (OEM-systems) |
|---|---|
| Earliest OpenVMS Version | 6.2-1h3 |
| Earliest Tru64 Version | 3.2C |
| Max virtual Memory in Base license | 4 GB |
| Additional 4 GB extra memory option | Yes |
| SCSI subsystem | KZPBA adapter (can also replace KZPAA, KZPSA, KZPAC, KZPSC, PZPCM) |
| FibreChannel support | OpenVMS only 1) |
| MSCP support | OpenVMS only 1) |
| IDE support | OpenVMS only 1) |
| DSSI support | OpenVMS only 1) |
| RAID array support | OpenVMS only 1) |
| Ethernet adapter | DE425, DE450, DE500 Utilizing the line speed of the host adapter (max 1 GB) |
| Serial Lines Adapter | PBXDA (max 8) |
| COM port support | Yes |
| Max number of adapters supported | 20 (any combination) |
| Disk support | Logical files in Windows directory, Windows physical disks, SCSI device address |
| Tape support | Logical files in Windows directory, Windows physical disks, SCSI device address, USB tape device support |
| Generic SCSI device (type unknown) | Yes |
| Clustering support | Yes |
1) Requires a special driver, offering the right device name, which is available for OpenVMS only
Ordering Information:
| CHARON-AXP/SMA PLUS | Individual license |
|---|---|
| Unlimited run time license | CHAXP-807IP-WI |
| Initial one year licenses | CHAXP-807IB-WI |
| License extension (one year) | CHAXP-807IE-WI |
| 720 hour disaster recovery license | CHAXP-807IK-WI |
| GOLD-support (9x5) | CHAXP-807IT-WI |
| Platinum support (24-7) | CHAXP-807IU-WI |
| Additional 4 GB memory option | CHAXP-04GB-WI |
For Download:
CHARON-AXP / SMA PLUS Software Product Description (PDF)
CHARON-AXP / SMA PLUS Product Data Sheet (PDF)
