VS Models

This is a view across the VS model line, organized by CP (Central Processor) Type, or family. Processor Models within CP Type are in ascending Model number order. Note that neither the release dates of the Models nor the years in which the CP types were first incorporated into Models are necessarily in ascending order.

If this page looks like garbage, your browser doesn’t support TABLEs, so click here for the text version of this page.

This chart is an overview of the high-capacity VS CPU generations in terms of Wang’s FAST benchmark rating system. Blue signifies large cabinet models, orange signifies small cabinet models, and red signifies the new generation of VS, released in 2005 and marking a radical departure from earlier legacy hardware. Not shown are small VS5000/6000 models with ratings below that of the VS300, and older models that are no longer directly upgradable without changing out the system cabinet. For details on all models, see the table below.

Related stuff:

  • Would you like to determine just which processor you have in your VS? See my VSBENCH2 shareware program (free) in the VS Shareware page.
  • There is also a VS family portrait of some of the more popular VS cabinets.

Now here is the table of VS Models:

VS System Characteristics
CP = Central Processor Type
FAST = relative CP performance rating
CP Bus Width (bits) VS Year FAST Users* Comments
Sys Mem I/O
CP3 16 16 16 80 1977 100 4-32 First VS, in use through 1980’s
CP4 32 64 16 85 1983 400 80 Short single-bus VS100
90 1980 400 ? Single-bus VS100
100 1979 400 128 Dual I/O bus architecture
CP5 16 16 16 5 1986 100 16  
15 1984 100 16  
25 1984 100 16  
45 1984 100 16  
CP7 16 32 16 6 1986 300 16  
6E 1987 300 16
65 1986 300 30-48 Good, popular workhorse
75E 1987 300 64  
CP8 64 64 32 150 1987 750  
300 1985 750 The first big VS of the mid-1980’s
Many are still in use today
7010 1987 450 Many 7000’s of all types are in use today
7030 1987 750  
7110 1987 450  
7120 1987 560  
7150 1987 750  
7310 1985 750  
8220 1987 560  
8230
8430		 1987 750  
CP9 32 32 16/32 5430 1988 390 8 Introduced at a starting price of $8,800 and featuring SCSI disks, the VS5000 systems quickly became popular the world over. Perhaps the largest-selling VS.
5440 1988 390 16
5450 1988 450 32
5460 1988 520 64
CP9E 32 32 16/32 6110 1991 390 16-64 Successor to VS5000
6120 1991 520 16-256
CP10 32/64 128 32 10050 1988 900 100+ Large-format machine for big jobs. Lots of I/O capacity and connectivity. Originally designed to accomodate multiple CPUs. Note the system and memory bus widths. Was upgradable to VS12550.
10075 1988 1200 125+
10100 1988 1460 150+
CP11 32 32 16/32 6230 1993 1150 16-256 Like a VS12000 in a VS6000 cabinet. The T (Turbo) is a killer machine!
6230T 1994 2025 256
CP12 64 64 32 7060
7160		 1989 900 100+  
7170 1989 1200 125+  
7180 1989 1500 150+  
7360
7360A		 1989 900 100+  
7370
7370A		 1989 1200 125+  
7380
7380A		 1989 1500 150+  
8260 1989 900 100+  
8280 1989 1500 150+  
8460 19?? 900 100+  
8470 19?? 1200 125+  
8480 19?? 1500 150+  
9460 1992 900 125+ 128mb supported
9480 1992 1500 175+ 128mb supported
CP14 64 64 32 12450 1993 1950 200+ Upgradable to VS16000
12550 1992 2409 300+ Board upgrade from VS10000
12650 1993 2475 300+ Upgradable to VS16000
CP15 32 32 16/32 6760 2000 2950 150+ Released May, 2000
CP18 CPU chipset on VS6000 CPU board
Up to 128 MB of memory
6780 2000 4250 200+ Released May, 2000
CP18 CPU chipset on VS6000 CPU board
Up to 128 MB of memory
CP16 64 64 32 16750 1996 2475 300+ VS16000 series unveiled Oct 18, 1995
VS16750 replaces VS12650
Up to 512mb RAM
1-hr field upgrade from large VS models
16850 1996 3700 500+ The new star performer
1st delivered on schedule, Q2 1996
Up to 512mb RAM
1-hr field upgrade from large VS models
CP18 ? ? ? 18950 1999 6300 1000+ Released Mar 1999
Up to 2gb RAM
1-hr field upgrade from large VS models
Can be
set to:

CP8
CP10
CP12
CP14
CP16
CP18

 This is the New VS
Does not use legacy VS hardware
Performance is now determined by license file and is no longer related to CP Type		 221101 2005 600 64+ Released May 2005, updated 2006 to use Dell 1950
Uses Dell PowerEdge 1950 1U rackmount hardware, Linux
Up to 32 GB of physical memory (up to 2GB for VS OS use)
Up to 500 GB of fault-tolerant internal RAID storage
Unlimited external RAID / Fiber Channel / Enterprise storage

Maximum internal storage configurable up to:
116 x 4.2 GB virtual VS volumes
54 x 9.0 GB virtual VS volumes
30 x 16.0 GB virtual VS volumes
14 x 34.3 GB virtual VS volumes
or combinations of the above sizes up to a total of about 490 GB
221201 2005 1200 125+
221301 2005 2200 250+
221401 2005 4000 500+
221601 2005 7300 1000+
221801 2005 12600 1000+
Can be
set to:

CP8
CP10
CP12
CP14
CP16
CP18

 This is the New VS
Does not use legacy VS hardware
Performance is now determined by license file and is no longer related to CP Type		 222101 2005 600 64+ Released May 2005, updated 2006 to use Dell 2950
Uses Dell PowerEdge 2950 2U rackmount hardware, Linux
Up to 32 GB of physical memory (up to 2GB for VS OS use)
Up to 3000 GB (3.0 TB) of fault-tolerant internal RAID storage
Unlimited external RAID / Fiber Channel / Enterprise storage

Maximum internal storage configurable up to:
625 x 4.2 GB virtual VS volumes2
291 x 9.0 GB virtual VS volumes
164 x 16.0 GB virtual VS volumes
76 x 34.3 GB virtual VS volumes
or combinations of the above sizes up to a total of about 2625 GB
222201 2005 1200 125+
222301 2005 2200 250+
222401 2005 4000 500+
222601 2005 7300 1000+
222801 2005 12600 1000+
Can be
set to:

CP8
CP10
CP12
CP14
CP16
CP18

 This is the New VS
Does not use legacy VS hardware
Performance is now determined by license file and is no longer related to CP Type		 224101 2005 600 64+ Released May 2005, updated 2006 to use Dell 2900
Uses Dell PowerEdge 2900 tower or 5U rackmount hardware, Linux
Up to 48 GB of physical memory (up to 2GB for VS OS use)
Up to 4000 GB (4.0 TB) of fault-tolerant internal RAID storage
Unlimited external RAID / Fiber Channel / Enterprise storage

Maximum internal storage configurable up to:
833 x 4.2 GB virtual VS volumes2
388 x 9.0 GB virtual VS volumes
218 x 16.0 GB virtual VS volumes
102 x 34.3 GB virtual VS volumes
or combinations of the above sizes up to a total of about 3500 GB
224201 2005 1200 125+
224301 2005 2200 250+
224401 2005 4000 500+
224601 2005 7300 1000+
224801 2005 12600 1000+

1 VS22000 is now the official designation for the first and second generations of the New VS.

2 The 15-slot large-format virtual VS is presently limited to a maximum of 14 SCSI IOCs totalling 392 devices (the 70V68EW can configure at least twice the 14 devices the 70V68 can configure). This will likely change in the not distant future as new virtual cabinet definitions are added to DEVLIST and GENEDIT. The New VS has no inherent limit on the numbers or types of IOCs it can map to Physical Device Addresses known to the VS OS. Note, though, that having as many as 14 SCSI IOCs in the present 15-slot virtual VS would be extreme, as it would leave room for only one virtual Universal Serial IOC and no room for virtual RSF or 802.3 IOCs.

The file I/O speeds of the New VS models are so much greater than those of legacy VS models that at all performance levels

FAST ratings are official Wang numbers from published literature. FAST ratings of New VS models are by actual test using the same internal evaluation software that has been used for years to determine the FAST ratings of new models of VS.

* Numbers of users supported are my own estimates, based on Wang’s released information where it has been available to me. User capacity was commonly used in marketing early models. I have only partial data on such figures. During the evolution of the VS line and of application environments, user capacity came to mean less and less. Programs steadily increased in complexity, requiring more code and data space in memory, placing greater burdens on system memory used to account for application program and file activity, reducing the number of users a given model could support.

At the same time, though, Shared Subroutine Libraries (SSLs) and other developments made more efficient use of memory, and caching controllers and faster disk and tape technology eased I/O bottlenecks. Add to that the shift from direct-connect native VS terminals to various kinds of PC terminal emulation connected via LANs, async and TCP/IP, and most rules relating CPU speed, memory, cabinet size, I/O slots and backpanel space to a rough number of users went out the window. One site’s 48-user system might be another site’s 150-user system.

Advances in connectivity technology mean that systems that used to sprout hundreds of coax cables from backpanel connectors fed by five or ten I/O controllers in the VS cabinet might now have only a few such cables. The same hundreds of users might now be connected to the VS through a few gateway PCs with LAN connections, and the gateways might even be SCSI devices. The capacity of a VS used to depend on how many controllers could fit inside the box and how much room it had for backpanel connections. Now, though, those factors have largely vanished, leaving CPU speed, main memory complement and the type of application software as the most important factors.

Programs and the CPU and memory loads they impose have a large effect on the number of users a system can support. Today there are still systems running old, compact COBOL programs that require very little code and data space and could sustain very large user populations for any given VS model. It’s possible that the largest VS models could run 500-1000 such users. Newer application environments, however, especially those taking advantage of modern databases, consume considerably more system resources than older programs. Modern environments thus require greater system resources to sustain the same number of users as older environments because they place greater demands on the processor, on memory, and on I/O subsystems. This is true of all systems, not just VS systems, and is the reason hardware platform vendors strive to make use of multiprocessor architectures and ever faster processors.

Several series of late model VS were designed to accomodate multiple processors and the VS OS was enhanced to coordinate the actions of multiple processors, but the marketplace showed little interest and that direction of VS evolution was abandoned.

The New VS always employs dual host platform processors. Generally it runs just one instance of the VS OS, but can run VS/VM, which in turn can run multiple instances of the VS OS.

Note on VS model designations

Starting with the VS5000, Wang adopted new model naming conventions. One of the results was possibly different designations for the box, the processor as configured in a box, and the model as it would be selected in GENEDIT for configuring the OS. The table above has been ordered by CP Type, then by Processor Model. Model designations not appearing in the foregoing table are most likely ones that describe processor/cabinet configurations or OS license scope. The following table may help clarify VS5000/6000 model designations:

VS5000/6000 Cabinet, Processor and GENEDIT Designations
Cabinet Size CPU System referred to as configured in GENEDIT as
5300 5-slot 5430 VS5330 5430
5440 VS5340 5440
5450 VS5350 5450
5460 VS5360 5460
5600 10-slot 5430 VS5630 5430
5440 VS5640 5440
5450 VS5650 5450
5460 VS5660 5460
6005 5-slot 6110 VS6110 6016, 6032, 6064
6120 VS6120 6016, 6032, 6064, 6096, 6128, 6192, 6256
6230 VS6230 6016, 6032, 6064, 6096, 6128, 6192, 6256
6230T VS6230T 6256 (usually)
6760 VS6760 6256 (usually)
6780 VS6780 6256 (usually)
6010 10-slot 6110 VS6110 6016, 6032, 6064
6120 VS6120 6016, 6032, 6064, 6096, 6128, 6192, 6256
6230 VS6230 6016, 6032, 6064, 6096, 6128, 6192, 6256
6230T VS6230T 6256 (usually)
6760 VS6760 6256 (usually)
6780 VS6780 6256 (usually)

While it is possible to find a 6230 or 6230T in a 5-slot cabinet, it is not the norm. Both are sold in 10-slot cabinets and upgrades normally include a replacement 10-slot cabinet. While the 6230T could be keyed for any of the license levels, it is normally sold with a 256-user license. The same is probably true for the newer VS6760 and 6780 released on May 30, 2000.

5-slot cabinets may be expanded to 10 slots by the use of a 5-slot expansion cabinet. 10-slot cabinets may be expanded to 20 slots by the use of a 10-slot expansion cabinet. Expanded VS5000/6000’s are “joined at the hip” by crossover cables that extend the motherboard backplane into the expansion cabinet. The crossover cables should be removed before moving such paired cabinets.

Note about New VS (VS22000) model designations

The New VS is completely new hardware, distinct from all previous VS models. It uses off-the-shelf Dell PowerEdge and other standard server hardware, fast dual processors, RAID and robust remote management.

VS22000 Cabinet, Processor and GENEDIT Designations
Cabinet Size Virtual
CPU		 System referred to as configured in GENEDIT as
22100 1U rackmount 22110 VS22110 300, 7xxx, 8xxx, 9xxx, 10xxx, 12xxx, 16xxx, 18xxx
22120 VS22120 300, 7xxx, 8xxx, 9xxx, 10xxx, 12xxx, 16xxx, 18xxx
22130 VS22130 300, 7xxx, 8xxx, 9xxx, 10xxx, 12xxx, 16xxx, 18xxx
22140 VS22140 300, 7xxx, 8xxx, 9xxx, 10xxx, 12xxx, 16xxx, 18xxx
22160 VS22160 300, 7xxx, 8xxx, 9xxx, 10xxx, 12xxx, 16xxx, 18xxx
22180 VS22180 300, 7xxx, 8xxx, 9xxx, 10xxx, 12xxx, 16xxx, 18xxx
22200 2U rackmount 22210 VS22210 300, 7xxx, 8xxx, 9xxx, 10xxx, 12xxx, 16xxx, 18xxx
22220 VS22220 300, 7xxx, 8xxx, 9xxx, 10xxx, 12xxx, 16xxx, 18xxx
22230 VS22230 300, 7xxx, 8xxx, 9xxx, 10xxx, 12xxx, 16xxx, 18xxx
22240 VS22240 300, 7xxx, 8xxx, 9xxx, 10xxx, 12xxx, 16xxx, 18xxx
22260 VS22260 300, 7xxx, 8xxx, 9xxx, 10xxx, 12xxx, 16xxx, 18xxx
22280 VS22280 300, 7xxx, 8xxx, 9xxx, 10xxx, 12xxx, 16xxx, 18xxx
22400 Tower
or
5U rackmount		 22410 VS22410 300, 7xxx, 8xxx, 9xxx, 10xxx, 12xxx, 16xxx, 18xxx
22420 VS22420 300, 7xxx, 8xxx, 9xxx, 10xxx, 12xxx, 16xxx, 18xxx
22430 VS22430 300, 7xxx, 8xxx, 9xxx, 10xxx, 12xxx, 16xxx, 18xxx
22440 VS22440 300, 7xxx, 8xxx, 9xxx, 10xxx, 12xxx, 16xxx, 18xxx
22460 VS22460 300, 7xxx, 8xxx, 9xxx, 10xxx, 12xxx, 16xxx, 18xxx
22480 VS22480 300, 7xxx, 8xxx, 9xxx, 10xxx, 12xxx, 16xxx, 18xxx

Note on the FAST measure of processor performance

The “FAST” measure is a special Wang expert system benchmark of relative CPU performance over a broad range of tests and simulated application types. It cannot be used to estimate relative system performance or relative performance of a given application, since systems have different I/O capacities and throughput, and applications may employ machine instructions differently than the test programs.

What Wang means in its disclaimer (which I have paraphrased above) is that you shouldn’t bet the farm on FAST ratings when systems may differ in other key regards. Switching to a system with a processor twice as fast as the one you have doesn’t say anything about disk access times or throughput, or disk drive and controller caching, for example. If your backup system has a faster processor but slower disks it may not perform any better than your primary system — it may even perform worse. Plugging in a processor twice as fast as the one you have will not necessarily make your overnight jobs run twice as fast, because they may well be disk-bound and not processor-bound. Given the same disk subsystem and the same processing requirements a faster processor will usually speed things up considerably, but its most telling effect will be under load, with a good mix of tasks.

Note on the requirement to have an OS license

Wang stresses the fact that the OS license is non-transferrable. Anyone who acquires a VS must obtain an OS license from Wang. Awwwww! All unbundled software is separately licensed. Awwwww! Many people wish Wang had “gotten with the program” of transferrable software licensing a long time ago, but Wang thinks otherwise. The good side of complying with this requirement is that it puts you in a position to get the current OS with all the normally bundled utilities and microcode up to current rev levels and in sync with each other.

If I could change one single thing about Wang’s software policies, it would be unbundled software, not non-transferrable licensing. Wang has had its lunch eaten by IBM and others who bundle large amounts of software functionality with the OS, making things a lot easier for harried Operations and IS managers who just hate to keep going back to upper management with requests for more $10,000 software options. The fewer obstacles there are to using a system well, the better a system will be used and the happier the customer will be. That’s what makes for successful systems over the long run… satisfied customers, repeat sales, upgrade sales and maintenance revenues.

Note about licensing and support for the New VS (VS22000)

In the past, one-time license fees severable from support resulted in many VS sites discontinuing support and drifting away from the VS mainstream. All too often such systems, not updated for years, came to be blamed for poor or erratic performance.

The VS22000 brings a new approach to licensing and support to the VS world: License and support are inseparable. Both are bundled in a recurring fee, which drops significantly after the initial three-year period. You can’t get the VS22000 without support. If you don’t use the support, shame on you.