VAX

VAX is the name (short for 'Virtual Address eXtension') for a family of computers from DEC. They were the successors to the PDP-11 series of minicomputers.

Operating Systems

The following Operating Systems are known to run on the VAX.

• VMS
• Unix/32V
• BSD
• Ultrix
• NetBSD
• OpenBSD
• OracleDB

Diagnostic Software

There are two kinds of diagnostic software for VAX computers:

• MicroVAX Diagnostic Monitor for all MicroVAX computers (except for the MicroVAX I)
• VAX Diagnostic Supervisor for all other VAX models

Simulators

There are 2 well known simulators for the VAX:

• SIMH
• CharonVAX

New Emulator Hardware

• UniBone/QBone

Russian Clones

SMEP minicomputer series

See also

• MicroVAX
• VAXserver
• VAXstation
• VAXcluster
• VAXen
• DEC VAX Systems
• VAX CPUs, Modules, Part Numbers and Firmware
• VAX Software
• H95xx-H96xx Series of DEC Cabinets and Accessories
• List of VAX models with PDP-11 compatibility mode

External links

• VAX - documentation at Bitsavers
• VAX Hardware Handbook Volume 1
• VAX Hardware Handbook Volume 2
• VAX: Computer Systems for Now ... And The Years Ahead - covers the early VAX-11 machines
• Digital VAX Systems - the later heyday of the line
• VAX Systems Summary - covers the last VAXes, just before the Alphas
• Summary of 11/VAX Architecture - an interesting insight into very early (September, 1974) thinking
• Basic Product Strategy - Bell's original strategy document (November,1978) on the VAX
• What Have We Learned from the PDF’-11 - What We Have Learned from VAX and Alpha
• A Retrospective on What We Have Learned From the PDP-11: What Else Did We Need to Know That Could Have Been Useful in the Design of the VAX-11 to Make Alpha Easier?
• JFO (Joe Ossanna) Notes on 32-bit VAX
• VAXarchive - random material
• Processor charts