VAX 6000

The VAX 6000 series was a line of mid-range to high-end minicomputers and multi-user computer systems manufactured by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in the late 1980s. These machines represented a key step in DEC's strategy to offer VAX architecture across a broader spectrum of computing needs, from personal workstations to large data centers.

The VAX 6000 family consisted of several models, distinguished primarily by the number of CPUs, amount of memory, and I/O capabilities. These systems offered a significant performance boost over earlier VAX models, leveraging advancements in microprocessor technology and system architecture. They were targeted at applications such as scientific computing, engineering design, database management, and general-purpose business applications.

Key features of the VAX 6000 architecture included:

• VAX Architecture: The VAX 6000 series implemented the VAX instruction set architecture, ensuring compatibility with a vast library of existing VAX software. This was a significant advantage for customers upgrading from older VAX systems.
• Multiprocessing: Certain models within the VAX 6000 family supported symmetric multiprocessing (SMP), allowing multiple CPUs to work concurrently on a single task, significantly improving performance for computationally intensive applications.
• Clustering: The VAX 6000 systems could be configured in VAXclusters, a technology that allowed multiple VAX systems to be interconnected and share resources, providing high availability and scalability.
• Memory Capacity: The VAX 6000 machines offered large memory capacities for their time, enabling them to handle large datasets and complex applications.
• Operating Systems: The VAX 6000 systems primarily ran the VMS (Virtual Memory System) operating system, DEC's flagship operating system known for its stability, security, and robust features. Ultrix, DEC's version of UNIX, was also supported.

The VAX 6000 series played an important role in DEC's product lineup and helped maintain DEC's position in the competitive computer market of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Although these systems are now obsolete, they represent a significant chapter in the history of computer technology and the evolution of the VAX architecture.