What is Open VMS?
The term Open VMS can be expanded as Open Virtual Memory System, which is a successor to the VMS Operating System (VAX-11/VMS,VAX/VMS), manufactured by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) since 1977, for its series of VAX-11 minicomputers and its family of desktop computers (DEC- Alpha). Open VMS incorporates a comprehensive user interface with graphics support and made with the influencing concept of virtual memory to leverage multi-user, batch- processing and time sharing features.
Open VMS was originally pronounced as VMS, but it was changed to Open VMS when it was revised to work for all ranges of DEC- Alpha workstations. The term “Open” demotes the new added support for UNIX-like interfaces from the Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX), which involves standard C functions that can be ported to any POSIX- based system. Open VMS also enriching many features that are now standard on high-end operating system like:
• Integrated networking
• Layered databases like relational databases
• Integrated database features as record management services (RMS)
• Symmetrical, asymmetrical, and non-uniform memory access (NUMA) multiprocessing
• Clustering
• Distributed file system
• Shell command language
• Hardware partitioning for multiprocessors
• High level of security
• A standardized interoperability technique for calls between different programming languages
