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Table of Contents
excludeTable of Contents

General Description

VAX and PDP11 HP Alpha Hardware Virtualization allows users of HP VAX and PDP11 Alpha (Previously known as DIGITAL VAX and PDP11Alpha) computers to move application software and user data to a modern Intel or AMD based x86 x64 compatible platform without having to make changes to software and data. VAX and PDP11 HP Alpha Hardware Virtualization is a software solution that replaces VAX and PDP11 HP Alpha hardware. 

This approach is best understood when the VAX and PDP11 HP Alpha Hardware Virtualization Software is viewed as a special interface between the old VAX and PDP11 HP Alpha software and a new hardware platform.  Basically, the CHARON software presents a VAX and PDP11 HP Alpha hardware interface to the original VAX and PDP11 HP Alpha software, so that the existing software cannot detect a difference. This means no changes have to be made to the existing software. User programs and data can be copied to a new modern industry standard server (64-bit or 32-bit Intel or AMD) and continue to run for many more years.

The VAX and PDP11 HP Alpha virtualization software is designed to replace single and multi-CPU VAX and PDP11 HP Alpha computer systems, including:

  • PDP11/93
  • PDP11/94
  • MicroVAX II
  • MicroVAX 3600, 3900
  • MicroVAX 3100 models 96 and 98
  • VAXserver 3600, 3900
  • VAX 4000 models 106, 108, 700, and 705
  • VAXstation 4000 model 90
  • VAX 6310
  • VAX 6610, 6620, 6630, 6640, 6650 and 6660AlphaServer 400
  • AlphaServer 800
  • AlphaServer 1000
  • AlphaServer 1000A
  • AlphaServer 1200
  • AlphaServer 2000
  • AlphaServer 2100
  • AlphaServer 4000
  • AlphaServer 4100
  • AlphaServer DS10
  • AlphaServer DS15
  • AlphaServer DS20
  • AlphaServer DS25
  • AlphaServer ES40
  • AlphaServer ES45
  • AlphaServer GS80
  • AlphaServer GS160
  • AlphaServer GS320

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The principles of

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HP Alpha Hardware Virtualization

Virtualized hardware 

CHARON-VAX and CHARON-PDP virtualize various VAX and PDP11 HP Alpha architectures and meet or exceed the performance level of these VAX and PDP11 HP Alpha systems when run on the recommended hardware platform. Our VAX and PDP11 HP Alpha emulator product is currently available in the following variants:

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The following table explains which hardware boards CHARON virtualizes:

Subsystem

Covered VAX and PDP11 HP Alpha hardware

Serial Lines Controllers

UART, QUART, CXA16, CXB16, CXY08, DHQ11, DHV11, DZV11,
DZQ11, DL11, DLV11, DZ11, DHW42-AA, DHW42-BA, DHW42-CA

XMI Disks/Tapes Controllers

KDM70

BI Disks Controllers KDB50
QBUS Disks ControllersRQDX3
QBUS/UNIBUS Tapes ControllersTQK50, TUK50

SCSI Controllers

NCR53C94

DSSI SubsystemSHAC, HSD50
CI SubsystemCIXCD, HSJ50
Network ControllersDEQNA, DESQA, DELQA, DEUNA, DELUA, DEMNA, DEBNI, PMADAA 

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The Virtualization Software presents standard VAX and PDP11 HP Alpha devices to the VAX and PDP11 HP Alpha operating system, allowing the OS to function as though it were still running on a VAX and PDP11 HP Alpha computer. For example, virtual disk container files in a directory or physical devices of the host Windows platform are presented by the Virtualization Software to the VAX and PDP11 HP Alpha OS as emulated SCSI disks attached to a SCSI adapter.

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