OpenVMS Cluster Software

This document is a Software Product Description (SPD) for the OpenVMS Cluster Software (Versions 6.2–1H3 and 7.1). It outlines a highly integrated computing environment that distributes resources across multiple Alpha and VAX CPUs, allowing them to share processing, mass storage, and management under a single security domain.

Key features include:

• High Availability: Resources are shared cluster-wide, enabling applications to withstand individual CPU shutdowns or failures.
• Coordinated Access: Synchronized access to shared disks, tapes, batch queues, and print queues across multiple systems.
• Flexibility: Supports various interconnects, including CI, DSSI, SCSI, Ethernet, FDDI, and Memory Channel (Version 7.1).
• Management: Includes the dynamic "Show Cluster" utility and optional DECamds availability management tool for real-time monitoring.
• Compatibility: Allows for mixed-architecture clusters (VAX and Alpha) and staged upgrades by supporting coexistence of multiple OpenVMS versions.
• Configuration: Defines rules for interconnects, cabling, failover capabilities, and satellite booting, supporting up to 96 CPUs in a single cluster.

The document also provides ordering information, hardware support tables, configuration recommendations, and licensing details via Digital Equipment Corporation's License Management Facility.