Digital PDP-11 Replacement

Replacing a legacy PDP-11 system with an emulation solution is like upgrading hardware in place. You benefit from modern hardware while retaining important legacy applications intact. Migration Specialties offers Strobe Data Osprey real-time emulation solutions to replace PDP-11 QBUS and UNIBUS systems.

PDP-11 Virtualization Advantages

• Quick deployment. Three to five day implementations are common.
• Modern hardware, improving reliability, performance, & energy efficiency.
• Improved integrations with current operating environments such as Microsoft Windows.
• Lower operating costs with a smaller data center foot print.
• Binary compatibility means no software migration or re-engineering. Application source code is not needed.
• Preservation of investments in software applications & continued leveraging of vested employee knowledge.
• Negligible user retraining.

Reviver & Cobra Solutions

Some of our competitors rebadge the Osprey as the Reviver-11 or Cobra-11. It's the same product sourced from the same supplier. We offer superior pricing and delivery services.

PDP-11 Emulation via Hardware

Our hardware-based PDP-11 emulation solution utilizes the Strobe Data Osprey co-processor and a standard Windows-based server. The co-processor is inserted into a PCI slot in the server and allows a PDP-11 environment to be run as a 32-bit Windows application. Firmware on the co-processor determines the emulated PDP-11 model. Osprey co-processors are available in 1X, 2X, 3X, and 4X processor speeds. The base 1X unit offers equivalent or better performance over a comparable PDP-11.

The emulated PDP-11 recognizes native PDP-11 binary instructions, permitting the execution of existing PDP-11 applications without translation or recompilation. The emulator runs as a virtual PDP-11 under Windows Server or Windows XP. The original O/S and application binaries copied from the PDP-11 are executed within the emulated environment just as they would be on the legacy PDP-11. No recompilation, translation, or user retraining is required.

The virtual PDP-11 runs as a single application within the Windows environment. While it is possible to run other Windows applications concurrently, this is not recommended. Doing so introduces the risk of timing and communications errors. It is best to dedicate a server constructed from quality components for each PDP-11 replacement.

The Osprey co-processor supports specialized QBUS and UNIBUS cards. It is available in a custom chassis containing the Windows server, co-processor, and a QBUS or UNIBUS backplane. UNIBUS or QBUS cards moved from the PDP-11 system to the emulated system retain their functionality. The Osprey co-processor can also be connected directly to an existing QBUS or UNIBUS backplane via a Firewire adapter. However, most clients elect to replace the entire physical PDP-11 system when moving an emulator, as this solution confers space, power consumption, and reliability benefits.

Hardware-based PDP-11 emulation has an advantage over software-based emulation in terms of peripheral support. Hardware-based PDP-11 emulation has a better success rate in supporting installations with unusual and custom peripheral devices.

PDP-11 Porting

Transferring your PDP-11 applications to an emulator is much like transferring them to a new PDP-11. The emulated PDP-11 is first configured to look like the physical PDP-11 it is replacing. The O/S, software applications, and data are then transferred to the emulated system. Once setup is completed, the emulator is booted under Windows and a virtual PDP-11 environment is created, indistinguishable in operation from the physical PDP-11 it has replaced. The virtual PDP-11 environment is so accurate it will respond to system faults and program bugs in the same manner as the original PDP-11.

The PDP-11 emulator makes use of server peripherals to emulate equivalent PDP-11 components. PDP-11 disk and tape drives are emulated as container files on the server disk drives or can be mapped as physical SCSI devices; the server NIC emulates the PDP-11 Ethernet adapter; and so on.

Turnkey Solutions

PDP-11's were available in a wide range of configurations and were often customized. Configuring a PDP-11 emulator and porting the O/S and applications takes knowledge and experience. We offer turnkey installation as part of our PDP-11 replacement solutions. Turnkey services include system construction, software porting, and onsite installation. More information is available on our Emulator Services page.

Obtaining a Quote

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