I am a long time reader but newly registered member of the OpenVMS Hobbyist forums. I would just like to say I find a lot of the information here very useful!
I was recently given a project to migrate data on our VAX cluster from DEC RDB v6.1 -04 (Multiversion) to any recent database. The exact OpenVMS OS version is OpenVMS VAX v 6.2. The data migrated has to be usable; we may need to query against it or print reports. Got to love federal safety data requirements, eh?
As I've been doing research, I've come up with 3 viable solutions for this project.
1. Import data into MS Access or MS SQL. I tried the Oracle RDB driver, but it does not work. Any ideas?
2. CHARON-VAX emulator. I could do this quickly, but the sustainability factor is very slim. Few people here are motivated to use OpenVMS, let alone learn the operating system.
3. Dump raw data from the database using RMU commands and giggle maniacly at the government official who is trying to make sense of it.
I will give you a bit more information. We have 2 VAX machines that are in a server cluster. We are afraid these older machines might fail as they have been running for 15 years straight!
There is data in an RDB database that we are required to maintain for atleast 7 years. We want to move that data to an MSSQL server.
I mostly posted this on here to see which method everyone would use. I have virtually NO budget to do this. So, its just me and a laptop/desktop running Windows XP and the 2 VAX machines. I have a Windows Server 2003 as well.
From what you say, this is a larger project than what was initially thought. The issues I see are the machines were just forgotten and left to run without any updates. Several years later, they want the data off them in a new database (MSSQL).
malmberg August 04 2022 No more VAX hobbyist licenses. Community licenses for Alpha/IA64/X86_64 VMS Software Inc. Commercial VMS software licenses for VAX available from HPE.
ozboomer July 20 2022 Just re-visiting.. No more hobbyist licenses? Is that from vmssoftware.com, no 'community' licenses?
valdirfranco July 01 2022 No more hobbyist license...sad
mister_wavey February 12 2022 I recall that the disks failed on the public access VMS systems that included Fafner
parwezw January 03 2022 Anyone know what happened to FAFNER.DYNDS.ORG? I had a hobbyist account here but can longer access the site.
gtackett October 27 2021 Make that DECdfs _2.1A_ for Vax
gtackett October 27 2021 I'm looking for DECdfs V2.4A kit for VAX. Asking here just in case anyone is still listening.
MarkRLV September 17 2021 At one time, didn't this web site have a job board? I would love to use my legacy skills one last time in my career.
malmberg January 18 2021 New Hobbyist PAKs for VAX/VMS are no longer available according to reports. Only commercial licenses are reported to be for sale from HPE
dfilip January 16 2021 Can someone please point me to hobbyist license pak? I'm looking for VAX/VMS 7.1, DECnet Phase IV, and UCX/TCPIP ... have the 7.1 media, need the license paks ... thanks!
