VSI OpenVMS Software Product Roadmap Highlights

VMS Software is enabling the OpenVMS ecosystem on industry standard x86 servers to enable customers to deploy applications on industry standard hypervisors, on bare metal servers and in the cloud. VMS Software provides services and support to keep mission critical environments operational and available as well as migration services to seamlessly move customers forward.

OpenVMS V9.0 EAK releases for x86 (x86-64 Limited Early Adopters Kit)

Starting in May, 2020, V9.0 releases have been provided to select ISVs, partners, and customers so they can compile and link x86 applications using cross tools available for IA64. As of December 2020, the latest release was V9.0-F. We will release additional updates during H1 2021 as we continue to provide new features and improvements and introduce more layered and open source products

OpenVMS V9.1 Field Test releases for x86 (x86-64 General Early Adopters Kit)

V9.1 Field Test releases will be available to all VSI ISVs, partners, and customers. While still intended for early adoption testing purposes, V9.1 Field Test releases will provide full OpenVMS operating system functionality and include most layered and open source products. In addition, native build tools will be available to compile and link x86 applications.

OpenVMS Integrity V8.4-2L3

This release introduces support for the 12Gb Smart Array (P441) and consolidates defect repair.

VSI TCP/IP Services V6.0 for Integrity with updated SSH, BIND, and DHCP

OpenVMS V9.2 (Production Release – x86-64)

V9.2 will be the first production release of OpenVMS for x86. In addition to supporting additional platforms, this will be the basis for new security features, and more improvements for OpenVMS on x86.

OpenVMS V9.2-X (Production Releases – x86-64)

Support for additional platforms, features, and enhancements will be provided in releases following V9.2.

VSI OpenVMS Software Rolling Roadmap

2020

OpenVMS V9.0 EAK for x86 (x86-64 Limited Early Adopters Kit)

• Available to select ISVs, Partners, Customers
• OpenVMS as a virtual machine guest – VirtualBox, KVM
• Cross-tools kit – compile/link on I64, run on x86
  • Cross-compilers: C, FORTRAN, COBOL, BLISS, XMACRO, Pascal
  • No x86 native compilers for 9.0
• Selected Layered Products and Open Source Applications
• Frequent updates, starting in May 2020
• Highlights of new features for released 9.0 versions:
  • 9.0 – Initial EAK release; Oracle Virtual Box hypervisor
  • 9.0-A – OpenVMS improvements; updated compilers
  • 9.0-B – FTP and Telnet support; SSM (Saveset Manager) ported to x86
  • 9.0-C – New COBOL cross compiler; KVM hypervisor; FMS ported to x86
  • 9.0-D – SMP, RAM, and XFC support, CSWS (Apache) ported to x86
  • 9.0-E – Updated COBOL and Pascal cross compilers; POSIX Threads Library; DECnet Phase IV
  • 9.0-F – OpenVMS Clusters; Volume Shadowing; Hypersort; TPU editor; zip/unzip ported to x86; updated cross compilers and cross Linker

Applications and Tools

• OpenJDK 8 first release
• Samba 4.6.5 cluster support introduced
• OpenSSL 1.1.1 updates
• OpenLDAP client and server first release
• Python 3.8
• WebUI first release
• IDE Updates

2021 — 1st Half

OpenVMS V9.0 EAK releases for x86 (x86-64 Limited Early Adopters Kit)

• Additional updates during the first half of 2021 will include the following:
  • VMware hypervisor
  • Additional layered and open source products
  • Additional OpenVMS features support on x86

OpenVMS V9.1 EAK for x86 (x86-64 General Early Adopters Kits)

VMS V9.1 for x86 Field Test releases available to all VSI customers – The
first V9.1 Field Test release will be in H1 2021 and will be a complete
OpenVMS operating system. This will be followed by periodic 9.1 updates
to rollout additional products and features:

• Available to all ISVs, Partners & Customers
• Additional Layered Products and Open Source Applications
• BASIC cross compiler
• Native build tools will be added over time – compile/link/run on x86
• Additional compiler – C++ (native)
• HPE DL380 (Intel)
• OpenVMS as a virtual machine guest – VirtualBox, KVM, VMware

Applications and Tools

• SQLRelay Client API (Released)
• Samba 4.10
• PostgreSQL Database
• Python 3.9
• Availability Manager V3.2-1 for Windows 10 and OpenVMS

Shared Stream IO (SSIO) (Non-clustered)

OpenVMS Integrity V8.4-2L3

• Consolidate defect repair
• 12Gb Smart Array (P441)

VSI TCP/IP Services V6.0 for Integrity with updated SSH and BIND

2021 — 2nd Half

OpenVMS V9.2 (Production Release – x86-64)

• HPE DL380 (Intel) server
• OpenVMS as a virtual machine guest – VirtualBox, KVM, VMware
• Full Production Release
• New Security Feature – Entropy Engine
• OpenJDK for x86
• Native compilers with LLVM backend code generator:
  • BLISS, XMACRO, Pascal, BASIC, COBOL, FORTRAN, C, C++

VSI TCP/IP Services ENHANCEMENTS AND BUGFIXES

• DHCP
• GateD

2022

OpenVMS V9.2-1 for x86

• Additional hypervisors – OpenVMS as a guest for Microsoft Hyper-V (researching)
• Cloud Platforms – Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (researching, customer input requested)
• Dell 2 socket servers

FIPS 140-2 features on V9.2 or later and V8.4-2L3

VSI TCP/IP Services enhancements and bugfixes

• PTP (Precision Time Protocol)

Additional Server Platforms based on customer demand

2023

OpenVMS V9.2-2 for x86

• Additional hypervisor and cloud platform support driven by customer requirements
• Additional bare metal server support driven by customer demand
• Cluster security features

VSI expects to release new operating systems on a yearly basis after 2023, with release content determined by customer requirements and industry trends.

OpenVMS x86 Server/IO Roadmap

Prior VSI OpenVMS Releases

VSI OpenVMS Support Roadmap

VSI OpenVMS Integrity & x86 Support Roadmap

VSI OpenVMS Alpha & VAX Support Roadmap

• 24 Month notice will be provided before support is ended

Comments

February 2021

Dear VMS Nation,

Here is the latest update to the VMS Software roadmap. As we get closer to the OpenVMS V9.2 for x86 production release, we are putting our full focus on the x86 roadmap deliverables. With this in mind, we have made the following changes to the roadmap:

Server support – will include OpenVMS running natively on the HPE DL380 2 socket server (bare metal) and OpenVMS as a guest virtual machine instance on Type 1 and Type 2 hypervisors – VirtualBox, KVM, and VMware (ESXi, Workstation Player, and Fusion).

GFS2 File System – we are pausing development on this project in order to fully focus on enabling the OpenVMS on x86 ecosystem – operating system, layered products, Open Source applications, and development tools. We will revisit the GFS2 File System project after the V9.2 ×86 release.

We have also received customer feedback that with the release of V9.2 in 2021, customers are starting detailed planning on migration from Alpha/Integrity to x86 and are looking for VMS Software to provide updates on the x86 project. We will be holding a series of webcasts starting mid-February where we will provide more frequent updates on our progress on the operating system, applications, and build tools. We expect to continue these webcasts on a bi-monthly frequency up through the delivery of OpenVMS V9.2 on x86. Stay tuned to the VMS Software website for the x86 Webcast Update schedule.

September 2020

Dear VMS Nation,

VSI is announcing two roadmap changes. After analysis of customer requirements and feedback and in order to more effectively focus engineering resources, VSI will no longer offer OpenVMS V9.2 on Alpha and IA64. OpenVMS V9.2 will support x86 only.

Please note that this announcement does not mean that Alpha and IA64 customers will not receive new functionality on those server platforms. VSI will continue to update the VSI OpenVMS V8.4-X base with new features, such as the recently announced OpenJDK 8, Samba, Apache, OpenSSL, CRTL improvements, and more. The new open source GFS2 file system will be enabled on IA64 and Alpha (subject to customer demand).

Note that mixed architecture clusters with VSI OpenVMS V9.2 for x86 and earlier OpenVMS releases of IA64 and Alpha will be supported.

VSI will deliver one more complete release on IA64 to consolidate defect repair and enable the P441 12Gb Smart Array IO card on i6 platforms. This release will be called OpenVMS V8.4-2L3 and is expected to be available Q4 2020. VSI will then periodically deliver Update Kits with defect repair and new functionality that can be applied to OpenVMS V8.4-2L3 for IA64.

As VSI develops OpenVMS on x86, we have adopted a delivery model which provides improvements in the operating system and associated software components to customers and partners as soon as they are ready. This means that for the Early Adopter Kit releases (V9.0 and V9.1), we expect to release new updates on a monthly or bi-monthly basis with functional and stability improvements along with expanded customer participation. It is our intent that this delivery model will improve predictability of delivery and proper feature prioritization by tightening the feedback loop between VSI and our customers and partners.

The second roadmap change is a shift in the TCP/IP network stack strategy. Our focus has been on developing VSI TCPIP, based on the Process Software Multinet code base, as a replacement for VSI TCPIP Services for OpenVMS. However, VSI has decided to change direction and is planning new releases of VSI TCPIP Services for OpenVMS for Alpha, Integrity, and x86 to allow customers to maintain their current network configuration if they choose to. These new releases will consolidate existing ECO kits and will provide updated cryptography in SSH, SFTP, and SCP. VSI will provide schedule details on new VSI TCPIP Services releases as our plans solidify.

Customers who are interested in the features offered by the Multinet TCPIP network stack should contact Process Software directly.

Click here for state of the x86 port updates.

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