It’s always a tough decision for a company that’s doing very well with its own proprietary operating system to implement Unix on its hardware, but Stratus Computer Inc, Marlboro, Massachusetts, has observed the way the wind is blowing, and, as reported, has at last confirmed our stories at the start of the year that it was working on a multi-processor, fault-tolerant version Unix for its XA2000 continuous processing system. Stratus looks to Unix to expand its presence in the telecommunications industry and in government, where there is a strong demand for both Unix and fault tolerant computers. Stratus revealed that the Unix development team, based in Saratoga, California, was chartered late in 1987, and is enhancing Unix to make it suitable for on line transaction processing applications. Development work is currently based on Unix V.3, and will incorporate kernel code developed by its European reseller, Olivetti, which markets Stratus systems as part of its LSX range. Features will include multi-processor support, automatic system diagnosis, on-line maintenance, on-line service through Stratus’ remote service network, fast power failure recovery, and disk mirroring. The resulting product will be complient with Posix and AT&T’s System V Interface Definition, it said; Open Software Foundation Unix will be implemented later.
