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The upgrade of VXCERN is towards a scaleable configuration of machines, at as small a cost as possible. Experience with the CORE Project indicates that UNIX/RISC workstation clusters can successfuly replace traditional mainframes. The availability both of Alpha RISC workstations running VMS, and of VAX workstations offering unprecedented CPU power, means that VMS workstation clusters are now also a cost-attractive alternative to the VAX mainframe.
Based on this premise, a new VXCERN configuration will provide the user community with a decent service, and in the future will allow us to cheaply and easily add (or withdraw) CPU and storage capacity as the popularity and requirements for VMS dictate. The plan is for a CORE-like Cluster of VAX and Alpha workstations, equipped with SCSI disk arrays, and clustered across a DEChub 900 attached to the main GIGAswitch.