31 ms·

Who's using VMS these days? (not a dig, I'm wondering)

icedchai 6y ago
VMS is / was popular in the transaction processing industry: financials, lottery, casino, etc. However, most of the folks I know working in that industry moved on to other platforms over a decade ago. I have an AlphaStation as part of my retro collection. It has OpenVMS on it, but hasn't been booted in a while.
3nf 6y ago
A university I worked at migrated from independent VMS systems (student, finance, HR) to an ERP system. To make that implementation easier, they only converted the most recent few years of data. Last I heard they had some sort of virtual machines emulating Alpha hardware still running those legacy systems. My current employer (also higher ed.) is hosting somebody's ES40. Some people in higher ed. really, really liked VMS and the Alpha/Itanium platforms.
aba_cz 6y ago
I haven't worked there for a few years, but I'm 99% sure that German stock exchange in Frankfurt (https://www.deutsche-boerse.com/dbg-en https://www.deutsche-boerse.com/dbg-en) is still operating their clearing operations (central counterparty) and some others on OpenVMS/Itanium servers from HP
capableweb 6y ago
If you're dealing with anything Apple you're probably running macOS VMs on Apple hardware. At least for things like build servers, signing and such (CI/CD) when the projects start growing.
- rsecora 6y ago
  Parent comment ask about the OS descendant from VAX/VMS, that is being ported to x86. The subject of this thread. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenVMS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenVMS
  - capableweb 6y ago
    Right, I mistook the subject at large and misread VMS as VMs. Thanks!
rsecora 6y ago
Some satellite broadcasting platforms still use VMS for mixing the data carrousel with the mpeg transport streams. One of those services, millions use it everyday without knowing it.
- Sylamore 6y ago
  https://www.freepatentsonline.com/8533767.html https://www.freepatentsonline.com/8533767.html Several pieces described in that patent still run on VMS in 2021
EthicalHacker03 6y ago
IKEA does. Their home grown ERP system run (ran?) on OpenVMS at each store [1]. [1] https://docplayer.net/48457150-I303-physical-to-virtual-servers-from-a-technical-and-practical-perspective-presentation-by.html https://docplayer.net/48457150-I303-physical-to-virtual-serv...
meddlepal 6y ago
If you squint you could argue Windows NT is basically a cousin of VMS considering its origins and principle architect.
- crashdelta 6y ago
  That's a great point... I never got an opportunity to meet Cutler but I always looked out for him on campus.
fredsmith42 6y ago
Some hospital labs. The systems are scheduled to be replaced within a couple of years.

VMS is / was popular in the transaction processing industry: financials, lottery, casino, etc. However, most of the folks I know working in that industry moved on to other platforms over a decade ago. I have an AlphaStation as part of my retro collection. It has OpenVMS on it, but hasn't been booted in a while.

3nf 6y ago

A university I worked at migrated from independent VMS systems (student, finance, HR) to an ERP system. To make that implementation easier, they only converted the most recent few years of data. Last I heard they had some sort of virtual machines emulating Alpha hardware still running those legacy systems. My current employer (also higher ed.) is hosting somebody's ES40. Some people in higher ed. really, really liked VMS and the Alpha/Itanium platforms.

aba_cz 6y ago

I haven't worked there for a few years, but I'm 99% sure that German stock exchange in Frankfurt (https://www.deutsche-boerse.com/dbg-en https://www.deutsche-boerse.com/dbg-en) is still operating their clearing operations (central counterparty) and some others on OpenVMS/Itanium servers from HP

capableweb 6y ago

If you're dealing with anything Apple you're probably running macOS VMs on Apple hardware. At least for things like build servers, signing and such (CI/CD) when the projects start growing.

rsecora 6y ago
Parent comment ask about the OS descendant from VAX/VMS, that is being ported to x86. The subject of this thread. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenVMS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenVMS
- capableweb 6y ago
  Right, I mistook the subject at large and misread VMS as VMs. Thanks!

rsecora 6y ago

Some satellite broadcasting platforms still use VMS for mixing the data carrousel with the mpeg transport streams. One of those services, millions use it everyday without knowing it.

Sylamore 6y ago
https://www.freepatentsonline.com/8533767.html https://www.freepatentsonline.com/8533767.html Several pieces described in that patent still run on VMS in 2021

EthicalHacker03 6y ago

IKEA does. Their home grown ERP system run (ran?) on OpenVMS at each store [1]. [1] https://docplayer.net/48457150-I303-physical-to-virtual-servers-from-a-technical-and-practical-perspective-presentation-by.html https://docplayer.net/48457150-I303-physical-to-virtual-serv...

meddlepal 6y ago

If you squint you could argue Windows NT is basically a cousin of VMS considering its origins and principle architect.

crashdelta 6y ago
That's a great point... I never got an opportunity to meet Cutler but I always looked out for him on campus.

fredsmith42 6y ago

Some hospital labs. The systems are scheduled to be replaced within a couple of years.