VMS Software, Inc. Announces a New TCP/IP Networking Stack for its O/S
VMS Software, Inc. (VSI) is pleased to introduce our new networking stack, VSI TCP/IP for OpenVMS Version 10.6, which is based on Process Software’s MultiNet for OpenVMS product. Owned and built by VMS Software, this new networking stack is supported on VSI OpenVMS Integrity Version 8.4-2L1. VSI Engineering plans to release new versions of the VSI TCP/IP stack approximately every 6-9 months with continued improvements to product quality and additional feature content.
VSI TCP/IP for OpenVMS Version 10.6 includes the following features:
- VSI TCP/IP for OpenVMS is a standalone product, installable and supported on VMS Software’s OpenVMS Integrity V8.4-2L1 operating system.
- VSI TCP/IP for OpenVMS product usage is enabled by the VSI OpenVMS Integrity BOE or HA-OE license; no additional license is required.
- VSI TCP/IP for OpenVMS has been engineered to co-exist on an HPE Integrity server system disk that contains other network stacks.
- When other network stacks are present on the system disk, VSI TCP/IP for OpenVMS software allows you to select the stack you prefer, switch to your chosen stack, and then switch back again, if desired. The command procedure SYS$MANAGER:IP$SET_STACK allows you to switch between VSI TCP/IP, TCP/IP Services, MultiNet, or TCPware without having to modify your system startup procedure each time. It does not install or remove any product on your system.
- VSI TCP/IP’s SSH provides modern ciphers through the inclusion of the Suite B-compliant implementation of the Secure Shell Transport Layer Protocol and the Secure Shell Authentication Protocol.
- Users who are familiar with the MultiNet for OpenVMS networking stack will be able to set up and configure VSI TCP/IP for OpenVMS using tools that look and feel like those provided by MultiNet. VSI TCP/IP for OpenVMS Version 10.6 Enhancements
In Version 10.6, VMS Software has enhanced VSI TCP/IP for OpenVMS in the following ways:
- IP$EXAMPLES contain updated programs that demonstrate aspects of network programming that users might find helpful.
- If you are a MultiNet user, you can import and convert your existing MultiNet configuration files to be used by VSI TCP/IP. Conversion can be done during or after installation of VSI TCP/IP and all instances of MultiNet configuration files will be copied and converted for use. When you start VSI TCP/IP after conversion, your networking environment will be the same as when you were running MultiNet. Refer to the VSI TCP/IP for OpenVMS Version 10.6 Installation, Upgrade, and Quick Start Guide for additional details.
- SNMP supports interrogation of MIBs. Please refer to the VSI TCP/IP for OpenVMS Version 10.6 Release Notes for a list of MIBs that are supported. Support for additional MIBs will be added in a future release of VSI TCP/IP.
- SSH supports the following new key exchange (KEX) algorithms:
- diffie-hellman-group14-sha256
- diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1
- diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256
SSH Port Forwarding and OpenVMS Captive Users
SSH implements a user group, known internally by SSH, which designates the users of captive accounts. This group, IP$SSH_CAPTIVE_USERS, gives the system administrator a method by which to specify captive users in various aspects of SSH configuration without requiring definition and management of OpenVMS rights identifiers. Additionally, the supplied SSH configuration template, SSHD2_CONFIG.TEMPLATE, disables port forwarding for captive users by default. To enable the SSH port forwarding feature for captive users, remove the line “DenyTcpForwardingForGroups” from the SSHD2_CONFIG.CONF, which can be found in SYS$SPECIFIC:[IP.CONFIG.SSH2].
VSI TCP/IP for OpenVMS V10.6 has been updated to BIND 9 version 9.11.8 which contains CVE fixes. Additional information on the contents of BIND 9.11.8 may be found here.
One aspect of release planning is identification of obsolete features and services that are no longer used by modern TCP/IP stacks. To that end, in VSI TCP/IP for OpenVMS V10.6 we have removed or deprecated a number of commands and services.
Please refer to the VSI TCP/IP for OpenVMS Version 10.6 Release Notes for descriptions of these items which include:
- Interfaces no longer supported
- Commands no longer supported
- Commands and services not present
Please refer to the VSI TCP/IP for OpenVMS Version 10.6 Release Notes, as well as other VSI TCP/IP documents, for more information about enhancements and other features of VSI TCP/IP for OpenVMS V10.6.
The Release Notes are included in the kit download. The kit will be made available and announced to VMS Software direct customers and customers who purchased through VMS Software Authorized Resellers.
For more information, please contact info@vmssoftware.com or phone +1 978 451 0110.
