Editing OpenVMS (section)

{{Short description|Computer operating system}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox OS
| name                   = OpenVMS
| logo                   = Vsi-openvms-logo.svg
| logo size              = 250px
| screenshot             = DECwindows-openvms-v7.3-1.png
| caption                = OpenVMS V7.3-1 running the [[Common Desktop Environment|CDE]]-based DECwindows "New Desktop" GUI
| developer              = VMS Software Inc (VSI)<ref name=VSI.CW2014>{{cite news |newspaper=[[Computerworld]] 
   |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2490683/operating-systems-hp-gives-openvms-new-life.html
   |title=HP gives OpenVMS new life |date=July 31, 2014|author=Patrick Thibodeau |access-date=October 21, 2021}}</ref> (previously [[Digital Equipment Corporation]], [[Compaq]], [[Hewlett-Packard]])
| source_model           = [[Proprietary software|Closed-source]] with [[Open-source software|open-source]] components. Formerly [[source available]]<ref name="wizard-vms-source"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8X3tGlFgo8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/E8X3tGlFgo8| archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Webinar 16: x86 Update|date=October 15, 2021|publisher=VSI|access-date=November 2, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
| kernel_type            = [[Monolithic kernel]] with loadable modules
| supported_platforms    = [[VAX]], [[DEC Alpha|Alpha]], [[Itanium]], [[x86-64]]
| ui                     = [[DIGITAL Command Language|DCL]] [[Command-line interface|CLI]] and [[DECwindows]] [[Graphical user interface|GUI]]
| released = Announced: {{Start date and age|1977|10|25}}<br />V1.0 / {{Start date and age|1978|08}}
| latest_release_version = V9.2-3<!-- If you update this, don't forget to update [[Comparison of operating systems]]-->
| latest_release_date    = {{Start date and age|2024|11|20}}
| marketing_target       = [[Server (computing)|Servers]] (historically [[Minicomputer]]s, [[Workstation]]s)
| programmed_in          = Primarily [[C (programming language)|C]], [[BLISS]], [[VAX MACRO]], [[DIGITAL Command Language|DCL]].<ref>{{cite newsgroup|url=https://groups.google.com/g/comp.os.vms/c/3SWQiRQA1Y4/m/npx29Nm-AwAJ|title=How much of VMS is still in MACRO-32?|author=
Camiel Vanderhoeven|date=May 30, 2021|newsgroup=comp.os.vms|access-date=October 21, 2021}}</ref> Other languages also used.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://h41379.www4.hpe.com/faq/vmsfaq_002.html#vms8|work=The OpenVMS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)|title=2.7 In what language is OpenVMS written?|publisher=[[Hewlett Packard Enterprise]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180810010816/http://h41379.www4.hpe.com/faq/vmsfaq_002.html|archive-date=August 10, 2018}}</ref>
| language               = [[English language|English]], [[Japanese language|Japanese]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vmssoftware.com/products/jvms/|title=Japanese OpenVMS OS (JVMS)|website=VSI|access-date=February 5, 2021|archive-date=February 22, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240222074023/https://vmssoftware.com/products/jvms/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Historical support for [[Chinese language|Chinese]] (both [[Traditional Chinese|Traditional]] and [[Simplified Chinese|Simplified]] characters), [[Korean language|Korean]], [[Thai language|Thai]].<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.dtjcd.vmsresource.org.uk/pdfs/dtj_v05-03_1993.pdf|author=Michael M. T. Yau|title=Supporting the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Languages in the OpenVMS Operating System|journal=Digital Technical Journal|volume=5|issue=3|pages=63–79|year=1993|access-date=October 21, 2021}}</ref>
| updatemodel            = Concurrent upgrades,<br />rolling upgrades
| package_manager        = PCSI and VMSINSTAL
| working_state          = Current
| license                = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]]
| website                = {{URL|https://vmssoftware.com}}
| influenced_by          = [[RSX-11M]]
| influenced             = [[VAXELN]], [[DEC MICA|MICA]], [[Windows NT]]
}}

'''OpenVMS''', often referred to as just '''VMS''',<ref name="vms-20-years">{{cite web|url=https://h50146.www5.hpe.com/products/software/oe/openvms/history/vaxvms20/pdf/vmsbook.pdf|date=October 1997|title=OpenVMS at 20 Nothing stops it|publisher=Digital Equipment Corporation|access-date=February 12, 2021}}</ref> is a [[multi-user]], [[multiprocessing]] and [[virtual memory]]-based [[operating system]]. It is designed to support [[time-sharing]], [[batch processing]], [[transaction processing]] and [[workstation]] applications.<ref name="vms-8.4-spd">{{cite web
 | url = https://vmssoftware.com/docs/VSI_OVMS_SPDQS_OS_V842L1I_UPD1.pdf
 | title = Software Product Description and QuickSpecs - VSI OpenVMS Version 8.4-2L1 for Integrity servers
 | publisher = VMS Software Inc.
 | date = July 2019
 | access-date = January 2, 2021
}}</ref> Customers using OpenVMS include banks and financial services, hospitals and healthcare, telecommunications operators, network information services, and industrial manufacturers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vmssoftware.com/docs/VMS_Software_Inc.-April_2019_Update_7am_Session.pdf|date=April 2019|access-date=May 4, 2021|title=VSI Business & New Products Update – April 9, 2019|publisher=VSI}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.informationweek.com/vms-operating-system-is-30-years-old-customers-believe-it-can-last-forever/d/d-id/1061051?|title=VMS Operating System Is 30 Years Old; Customers Believe It Can Last Forever |magazine=InformationWeek |date=November 1, 2007|author=Charles Babcock|access-date=February 19, 2021}}</ref> During the 1990s and 2000s, there were approximately half a million VMS systems in operation worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2567299/openvms-survives-and-thrives.html|title=OpenVMS survives and thrives|author=Drew Robb|date=November 1, 2004 |publisher=computerworld.com|access-date=December 31, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.computerworld.co.nz/article/516907/digital_tries_salvage_openvms/|title=Digital tries to salvage OpenVMS|author=Tao Ai Lei|date=May 30, 1998|access-date=December 31, 2020|publisher=computerworld.co.nz|archive-date=September 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925185832/https://www2.computerworld.co.nz/article/516907/digital_tries_salvage_openvms/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060217141711/http://h71000.www7.hp.com/openvms/20th/vms20/vms20.ppt|archive-date=February 17, 2006|url=http://h71000.www7.hp.com/openvms/20th/vms20/vms20.ppt|date=October 1997|access-date=February 12, 2021|title=OpenVMS: 20 Years of Renewal|author=Jesse Lipcon|publisher=Digital Equipment Corporation}}</ref>

It was first announced by [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] (DEC) as '''VAX/VMS''' (''Virtual Address eXtension/Virtual Memory System''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/vax/handbook/VAX_Hardware_Handbook_1979.pdf|title=VAX-11/780 Hardware Handbook|date=1979|access-date=October 17, 2022|publisher=[[Digital Equipment Corporation]]}}</ref>) alongside the [[VAX-11/780]] minicomputer in 1977.<ref name=RIP.CW1977>{{cite news
   |newspaper=[[Computerworld]]
   |author=Patrick Thibodeau
   |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/1535041/openvms-r-i-p-1977-2020-2.html
   |title=OpenVMS, R.I.P. 1977-2020?
   |date=June 11, 2013
   |access-date=April 27, 2024
   }}</ref><ref>{{cite book
      |title=Chronology of Tech History  |page=104 |url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=130025307X
      |isbn=978-1300253075  |author=Tom Merritt  |date=2012|publisher=Lulu.com }}</ref><ref name=OLD780>{{cite web
|title=VAX 11/780 - OLD-COMPUTERS.COM : HISTORY / detailed info
|url=https://www.old-computers.com/history/detail.asp?n=20&t=3
|access-date=April 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926164342/https://www.old-computers.com/history/detail.asp?n=20&t=3|archive-date=September 26, 2023|url-status=dead}}</ref> OpenVMS has subsequently been [[ported]] to run on [[DEC Alpha]] systems, the [[Itanium]]-based [[HPE Integrity Servers]],<ref>{{cite web
   |url=https://vmssoftware.com/products/supported-platforms/
   |title=Supported Platforms  |website=VSI}}</ref> and select [[x86-64]] hardware and [[hypervisor]]s.<ref name="9.0 Rollout"/> Since 2014, OpenVMS is developed and supported by VMS Software Inc. (VSI).<ref name=NotPressRelease>{{Cite web  |title=HP hands off OpenVMS development to VSI
   |url = https://www.techtimes.com/articles/11907/20140801/openvms-gets-a-new-leash-on-life.htm
   |website=Tech Times  |date=August 1, 2014 |access-date=April 27, 2024}}</ref><ref name="vms-software-named-exclusive-developer">{{Cite press release
|title = VMS Software, Inc. Named Exclusive Developer of Future Versions of OpenVMS Operating System
|url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140731006118/en/VMS-Software-Named-Exclusive-Developer-Future-Versions
|access-date=October 27, 2017}}</ref> OpenVMS offers [[high availability]] through [[computer cluster|clustering]]—the ability to distribute the system over multiple physical machines.<ref name=cluster-docs/> This allows clustered applications and data to remain continuously available while operating system software and hardware maintenance and upgrades are performed,<ref name="Cluster Uptime">{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229042903/http://www.openvms.org/stories.php?story=03%2F11%2F28%2F7758863|archive-date=February 29, 2012|url=http://www.openvms.org/stories.php?story=03/11/28/7758863|title=Cluster Uptime|date=November 28, 2003|access-date=December 20, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> or if part of the cluster is destroyed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://availabilitydigest.com/public_articles/0407/commerzbank.pdf|title=Commerzbank Survives 9/11 with OpenVMS Clusters|date=July 2009|access-date=April 27, 2024}}</ref> VMS cluster uptimes of 17 years have been reported.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vmssoftware.com/docs/w1_Feb2018_Update.pdf|title=February 2018 Business & Technical Update|access-date=May 4, 2021|date=February 2018|publisher=VSI}}</ref>