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DECnet Isn't Dead

Posted by timothy on from the it's-living-with-disco dept.

Ronald Dumsfeld writes "The odds of folks under the age of 25 on Slashdot having heard of DECnet are pretty slim. This article over at Datamation gives some insight into people who've not given up on it. Poke around and find the documentation for the OSI-compliant version, or download the Linux version of the older DECnet IV and bask in the Security Through Obscurity."

4 of 375 comments (clear)

  1. Of course it isn't dead! by CyricZ · · Score: 5, Interesting

    DECnet is often used these days for very mission critical applications. The firm I work for uses DECnet because it is the easiest and most reliable way for us to maintain our VAX and Alpha clusters. Indeed, it is by far the most superior form of networking out there for applications where the uptime must be literally 100%.

    We have had sales reps from various vendors come and suggest moving to a Windows 2003/PC setup (HAHA!) or towards a more UNIX/Linux-based setup. But we will stick with our DECnet-based VAX and Alpha clusters because they are known to work, and they work pretty damn well! But that's because it is amongst the finest of DEC engineering. That's the sort of engineering you just don't find these days.

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    Cyric Zndovzny at your service.
    1. Re:Of course it isn't dead! by CyricZ · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You've obviously never used real computing systems engineered for quality and reliability by true engineering firms like DEC and IBM.

      These systems are like the Roman aqueducts. Sure, they're ancient, but they function to the point of still being very usable today. That is because they were designed to last. I'd trust my 25 year old VAX cluster over any PC-based system or cluster any day.

      --
      Cyric Zndovzny at your service.
  2. Re:TCP/IP license fees? by UseTheSource · · Score: 5, Informative

    The specification, yes... The implementation, no. Last I worked on VMS, there was no "built in" TCP/IP stack. This had to be added on after the fact, usually in the form of a closed-source, proprietary implementation. (i.e. MultiNet).

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    "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer." -Adolf Hitler
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  3. Re:DECnet Isn't Dead? by CyricZ · · Score: 5, Insightful

    That's because it is a Windows box running on an old PC. Indeed, PCs in general cannot be trusted with essential data. That is because PCs are a commodity item designed to be low in cost, and to work just well enough to outlive their warranty.

    Systems from DEC and IBM, from the 1970s, are known to work very well even today. That is because they were engineered for reliability, quality, and extremely long lives (40+ years). That is why they can be trusted with critical data, even decades after they were manufactured, while a seven year old PC is most likely sitting in a closet broken, leaking mercury.

    --
    Cyric Zndovzny at your service.