BrochureAvanti™ replaces legacy Digital, Compaq, and HP Alpha hardware with the virtual hardware hosted under 64-bit Microsoft Windows. OpenVMS and Tru64 UNIX applications are fully virtualized with no changes to the legacy applications. Source code is not necessary. Recompiles are not required. Avanti improves the reliability of legacy Alpha installations while reducing their operating costs.
Alpha Virtualization Advantages
- Virtualize OpenVMS, Digital UNIX, and Tru64 UNIX environments
- Quick deployment: Three to five day implementation
- High ROI: Preservation of investment in software & vested employee knowledge
- Professional services: We have been supporting Alpha systems since 1992.
- Power Management: Auto-Idle feature reduces host CPU and power utilization when virtual Alpha is idle.
- Multiple instances supported on a single host
- Modern hardware: Improves reliability, performance & efficiency
- No change in operation or user environments
- Binary compatibility: Application source code not required
- More space: Enlarge existing disks and add more disks
- VM support: VMware & vMotion, Microsoft Hyper-V, Oracle VirtualBox, Apple Boot Camp, etc.
- Lower operating costs with a smaller data center footprint
- Improved integration with Microsoft 64-bit Windows O/S.
Virtual Machines
Hosted on Microsoft Windows, Avanti is fully supported in virtual environments like VMware, Hyper-V, VirtualBox, and others. VMware vMotion is also supported, further improving application reliability.
Turnkey Ports
Migration Specialties offers onsite and remote turnkey porting services. Turnkey services include system configuration, software porting, installation, and testing support. Decades of experience make our porting services fast and efficient.
Porting to Avanti
Porting Alpha applications to Avanti is similar to porting them to new Alpha hardware. The following six steps outline an Avanti port:
- Configure Avanti to match the legacy Alpha hardware.
- Install the base OpenVMS or Tru64 UNIX O/S.
- Backup the legacy Alpha disks to the Avanti system.
- Restore the legacy system disks on the Avanti system.
- Boot the legacy system under Avanti and adjust network parameters.
- Shut down the legacy Alpha hardware.
Avanti Trivia
Avanti creates a virtual Alpha environment that is indistinguishable from a real Alpha. The emulated Alpha environment is so accurate that it can be forced to bug check like a genuine Alpha.
Obtaining a Quote
To obtain an OpenVMS Avanti porting quote, download and run our VMS_INFO.COM procedure. Tru64 UNIX users can run the built in sys_check tool*. E-mail the results to Migration Specialties for review. All customer data is treated as confidential.
*sys_check should be present on a Tru64 UNIX system by default. If not, use one of the following links to obtain a copy.
Tru64 Tip: Running sys_check
Sys_check must be run by the root login (as id 0). Running from non-root will throw various errors and only provide a partial output. Recent version of sys_check will not run at all unless they are run by root.
Use these steps to run sys_check:
# cd /var/tmp
# sys_check -all > sys.html
Depending upon the Alpha system being checked, sys_check may run for up to 40 minutes. Zip the resulting sys.html file and send it to us.
Avanti Products
Avanti products can be purchased directly from Migration Specialties Europe
Avanti™
Avanti is a commercial virtual Alpha solution designed to support demanding Alpha replacements. Avanti can replace low end Alpha hardware outright and high end Alpha hardware where performance is not a critical factor. Avanti can replace systems running OpenVMS 6.2 thru 8.4 and Tru64 UNIX V3.2C thru V5.1B-6/Pk8. See the Avanti SPD and Pricing Guide for additional information.
AvantiFlex™
AvantiFlex is a custom configurable version of Avanti. Customers that do not require the full power of Avanti, but need some of its advanced features, can customize their Avanti configuration with just the components they require at a reduced cost. The number of license units purchased determine the features available under AvantiFlex. Like Avanti, AvantiFlex supports OpenVMS and Tru64 UNIX systems. See the Avanti SPD and Pricing Guide for additional information.
AvantiFlex License Unit Utilization
An AvantiFlex base package includes one CPU supporting the EV4, EV5, and EV6 instruction sets, 128MB memory, one narrow SCSI controller, two NICs, two virtual serial ports, and 10 license units. Thus, a customer could immediately create one of the following configurations using the base package:
- Virtual Alpha configured with 512MB of memory.
- Virtual Alpha configured with two Narrow SCSI controllers.
- Virtual Alpha configured with 3 NICs.
- Virtual Alpha configured with 2 physical serial ports.
To add additional Avanti features, additional license units are required. Here are two sample AvantiFlex configurations and the additional license units required to create them. Remember, AvantiFlex already includes 10 license units in the base package.
Avanti Backup Key
Available for Avanti & AvantiFlex. Provides 30 days (720 hours) of runtime support for Avanti installations. Should the primary Avanti key become unavailable for any reason, the Backup Key can be used to keep an Avanti system running until a replacement key is obtained. The Backup Key can also be used for testing and DR exercises. Customers with an active support contract are entitled to a refresh of the Backup Key to 720 hours once per year. See the Virtual Alpha Pricing Guide for additional details.
Avanti Annual Software Support
Annual support contract covering 24 hour response, 8 - 5 CET, M - F, telephone, and e-mail support services and product updates. Netherlands holidays excluded.
