Other Stromasys Cross-platform
hardware virtualization solutions
Paris, October 11th – 12th, 2011
Stromasys Product Management
Contents
• CHARON open Application Program Interface
(CHAPI)
• CHARON-PDP – a replacement for Digital PDP11 systems
• Examples of products and devices developed
with CHAPI
• FutureVAX
• CHARON-VAX for Integrity
CHARON API (CHAPI) functionality
Using CHAPI
• CHAPI is designed to allow the development of virtual QBUS and
UNIBUS devices that could be attached to CHARON without
changing anything in the CHARON itself.
• Detailed documentation and custom project help is available form
Stromasys
DEC PDP-11 Virtualization – challenge
Sold by DEC between 1970 and 1997
First real time process control computer in the industry sold in large
quantities;
Several operating systems by DEC and others: DOS/BATCH, IAS,
P/OS, CAPS-11, RT-11, RSX-11, RSTS/E, Ultrix-11, ANDOS,
MKDOS, CSIDOS, TRIPOS, MUMPS, Unix V7, BSD, DEMOS
(Soviet Union), Rumor (ABB)
RSX-11: Real time process control OS with preemptive task scheduling
Hardware Components:
• CPU: 16bit, (50/60Hz); RAM: up to 4MB
• Internal busses: Qbus, UNIbus, Massbus
• Storage: MSCP and SCSI devices, disks and tapes (up to 1GB)
• Network: DECNET 10Mbps;
• Asynchronous serial lines: modems/PLCs, 9.6Kbps;
• Synchronous serial lines: 256Kbps
DEC PDP-11 Virtualization – solution
Stromasys Product: CHARON-PDP11 for Windows XP
• Designed for real process control environment (steel and oil manufacturing,
train/air traffic control, etc).
• Complete CPU/Memory mathematical model
• Virtual SCSI/MSCP controllers and disks/tapes; virtual network
• Accurate virtual Qbus/UNIbus implementation with Open CHARON API
(CHAPI):
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Bus request emulation
Bus Device registers and memory space virtualization
Timed registers and memory space read/write
DMA transfer emulation
Supporting PCI-2-Qbus adapters for connecting Qbus hardware
Indistinguishable for real hardware by guest operating system
Managed performance: slowing the virtual system down accordingly
Industry standard hosting hardware (x64 compatible systems)
DRV11-WA Virtualization - challenge
Customer: Hitachi, Tokyo, Japan
Original System: DEC VAX with DRV11-WA
parallel I/O interface to unspecified
process control devices
Software: VAX/VMS with unspecified
process control application
Client was unwilling to disclose process
control devices specifications and software
application details
DRV11-WA Virtualization - solution
• Challenge: DRV11-WA is a Qbus device (cannot be installed in a
modern x64 system); it is a synchronous device (I/O timings and
signal profiles are critical)
• Stromasys Product: CHARON-VAX/XM Plus for Windows emulating
customer’s VAX without DRV11-WA
• Synchronous lines interface for DRV11-WA replacement: PCI
Sensoray Model 621 adapter (TTL Digital I/O, 72 channels)
• Custom development: virtual DRV11-WA software and PCI to Qbus
converter between CHARON-VAX and Sensoray adapter;
• Development process: because of the customer’s decision not to
provide Stromasys with process control details, they provided
Stromasys with sync lines analyzer diagrams after every test run
• Result: solution delivered in 1 calendar year time (approx. 6 FTE
months development time); virtual systems deployed on standard
x64 compatible hardware
IAV1S-xx (DAC/ADC) Virtualization
A request from France
• Original System: PDP-11/93 with about 20 IAV1S-AA,
IAV1S-B adapters (DAC/ADC)
• Software: RSX with car engine gas emission testing
stand process control and diagnostic software
• Hardware replacement: Sensoray 2601, 2604 Ethernet
DAC/ADC
• Custom development: virtual IAV1S-xx mapped to
physical Sensoray adapters
• Stromasys Product: CHARON-PDP for Windows
• Result: developed, tested in house, but had not been
tested yet in production environment
DEC DPV11, DRV11 Virtualization
• Client: unknown military unit, unknown, Sweden
• Original System: PDP-11/94 running RT11 with DPV11
(synchronous serial lines adapter) and DRV11 (parallel
I/O interface)
• Hardware replacement: Sealevel-5102 PCI Sync/Async
Digital I/O adapter; Sensoray 621 adapter
• Challenge: no access to customer site or data; all
information out of the site only transmitted by phone.
• Custom development: virtual DPV11 mapped to physical
Sealevel adapter; DRV11 mapped to Sensoray 621
• Stromasys Product: CHARON-TB for Windows
• Result: accepted by amazed client who didn’t expect
Stromasys to succeed in such conditions
FutureVAX
• FutureVAX 3600 (aka MIKADO) is the solution of choice
when you need to replace MicroVAX systems that
contains Qbus devices that have no modern equivalent
to replace them. FutureVAX 3600 includes a PCI to
Qbus adapter that enables you to preserve your existing
Qbus adapters and the devices attached.
• It is delivered as a combined hardware + software
package, ready to be plugged in
CHARON-VAX for OpenVMS Integrity
The following products:
• CHARON-VAX/3198 version 1.3
• CHARON-VAX/4705 version 1.3
• CHARON-VAX/6610, /6620, and /6630 version 1.3
are available for customers until end of 2011 willing to stay
on Integrity platform running OpenVMS versions 8.3-1H1 and
8.4. It emulates up to 3 VAX CPUs, supports multi instance,
and provides performance up to 170 VUPs