VM/CMS (PSUVM) Information and Instructions for Migrating to Other Systems

As announced in fall 1998, the Center for Academic Computing will be terminating the VM/CMS (PSUVM) system on June 30, 2000. Because of year 2000 compliance problems, you should plan to be off the system before December 31, 1999. This will ensure that you are not trying to use programs that may no longer function correctly due to date dependencies. If you must have access to VM/CMS after November 30, 1999, you must complete and return a VM/CMS Access Continuation Form by November 15, 1999. Below are URLs of announcements about changes in VM/CMS service, the continuation form, and instructions for migrating to other systems.

• VM/CMS Account Information at http://cac.psu.edu/accounts/psuvm.html

• VM/CMS Service Update (from the CAC Senior Director) at http://cac.psu.edu/news/archive/psuvm.html - VM/CMS to be Discontinued (Fall 1998)

• VM/CMS to be Discontinued at http://cac.psu.edu/vmcms/annvm2.html (Second notice, March 1999)

• VM/CMS Access Continuation Form (downloadable PDF file) at http://cac.psu.edu/vmcms/annvm2fm.pdf If this form is not received by November 15, 1999, the CAC will assume that you do not need access to VM/CMS (PSUVM) after November 30, 1999.

Business Databases CRSP and Compustat data are now accessible from Windows and UNIX machines through the DFS shared file system. Fortran and SAS code will be made available to read the data.

ICPSR will continue to be imported by FTP. We can put the data on DFS or on a CD, zip disk or jazz disk.

Census data will be imported and stored in DFS as needed.

Files

See Moving Files From PSUVM to Your Macintosh or Windows Computer at http://cac.psu.edu/vmcms/movefiles.html for instructions.

Fortran

The Numerically Intensive Computing (NIC) Group (http://cac.psu.edu/beatnic) has been managing a large Unix supercomputer, an IBM SP, since the early 1990's. Additionally, the Unix Group (http://cac.psu.edu/unix_group) has been managing a Unix workstation lab in 316 Hammond and in 216 Osmond. Fortran applications may also be run on Windows and NT PC's, PC's running Linux, and Apple PC's. These are the alternatives to PSUVM for computing and running Fortran applications which have existed for many years at the CAC.

For long-running and CPU-intensive (requiring more than 30 minutes of CPU time under VS Fortran on PSUVM) applications or applications requiring vectorization and/or parallelization, we recommend porting your existing PSUVM Fortran application to our Unix machines. For more information, please contact the Numerically Intensive Computing Group by sending e-mail to beatnic@cac.psu.edu.

For instructions on using a PC alternative to PSUVM for Fortran applications, please see "Converting PSUVM Fortran Applications" at http://ftp.cac.psu.edu/pub/ger/fortran/FortranPSUVM.html. For additional information, see Fortran resources and Fortran 77/90/95 Compilers for Windows 9x/NT at http://www.personal.psu.edu/hdk/fortran.html .

Printing Alternatives

With the removal of the WILLARD line printer on June 1, 1999, the only remaining CAC-supported printing available on VM/CMS in the Willard Building (until July 1, 2000) will be on the HP Postscript page printer called PSWB1. See Willard Printing in VM/CMS at http://cac.psu.edu/vmcms/willard.html for instructions.

Statistical Packages

SAS and SPSS

SAS and SPSS can be purchased from the Microcomputer Order Center (see http://moc.cac.psu.edu) for Macintosh and Windows 95/98/NT Workstation. Unix and Windows NT Server versions of SAS also may be licensed to Penn State departments through the CAC's Institutional Licensing and Software Distribution (ILSD) program (see http://www.sas.psu.edu/ilsd.shtml).

SAS software is also available in CAC Windows NT labs on campus, and remotely from the Unix SAS servers armstrong.cac.psu.edu (Solaris) and splogin.cac.psu.edu (AIX). SPSS software is also available in the CAC Windows NT labs, and will be installed for use from armstrong.cac.psu.edu this fall.

To use the Unix SAS servers, it is necessary to obtain a Unix account in addition to your Access Account (see http://www.sas.psu.edu/faq/faq-0.01.shtml for details). For information on various methods of connecting to the Unix SAS servers, please see "Additional Unix and SAS Resources" at http://www.sas.psu.edu/seminars/intro01.html .

Raw data (i.e. plain text) and SAS & SPSS program files can be moved from PSUVM using the ASCII FTP transfer method. However, SAS and SPSS system files must be converted to a moveable format on PSUVM first, before transferring them. See the article, "Moving Files From PSUVM to Your Macintosh or Windows Computer" at http://cac.psu.edu/vmcms/movefiles.html and "Migrating SAS from VM" at http://www.sas.psu.edu/seminars/vm2elsewhere.html . Transport or portable files must be created from SAS and SPSS system files on VM. SAS transport files must then be FTP'd in binary mode, and SPSS files in ASCII mode. EXECs are available on VM that create transport and portable files (PORTSAS and PORTSPSS). It is critical that the system files be handled before VM is discontinued, as these files must be processed on VM to make them transportable.

Other Statistical Programs: LIMDEP is available on the CAC Solaris (Unix) server, armstrong.cac.psu.edu (see
http://cac.psu.edu/beatnic/biostat). Other programs like Biomed may be purchased for the PC. Departments can purchase other statistical programs such as SPLUS or SAS to run on Unix or NT servers through the ILSD program (see http://www.sas.psu.edu/ilsd.shtml).

Tapes

The CAC has purchased a 3490E tape drive that can read the various tape cartridges currently used on PSUVM. A 9-track tape drive has also been purchased that will read 1600 and 6250 bpi 9-track tapes. This drive cannot read 800 bpi tapes, but we haven't been able to read this style tape for several years. Both of these tape drives are attached to Unix systems at the CAC and procedures are being developed to provide access to data stored on tape.

DFS

DFS (Distributed File System) is a world-wide shared secure filesystem that provides private and/or shared file storage on central servers, and the same files can be accessed from any networked Windows NT or Unix (Solaris, Irix, HPUX, AIX, etc.) computer at Penn State. It is an enhanced replacement for the functionality of the PSUVM mainframe filesystem.

DFS is currently available on CAC Unix lab machines, and is site-licensed for Penn State departments and affiliated individuals. The Windows NT client can be downloaded from http://www.work.psu.edu/access/dce. Those wishing to access DFS from their Unix machines, however, should contact beatnic@cac.psu.edu or root@cac.psu.edu . Initial user allocation is 50MB of personal space. DFS also enables access to public software installed and maintained by the CAC, and facilitates use of the National Computing Grid, Internet2 applications, and collaboration with colleagues at remote campuses and other universities.

Assistance

If you need assistance, please contact the CAC Help Desk by stopping by 215 Computer Building, by sending e-mail to helpdesk@psu.edu, or by calling (814) 863-2494. If you have questions about your VM/CMS account, contact the Computer Accounts Office at accounts@psu.edu or (814) 865-4772.