The following hardware is available:
Diana is the main OpenVMS instance. Originally, it was installed on a genuine Digital Personal Work Station (Alpha based), 256b Mb internal memory and running at 600Mhz; internally it held a 9G disk fow the page and swap files, and externally it is connected, via shared SCSI over HSZ50, to two BA356 shelves, packed with 32 Gb disks.
A few years ago, I switched this system for a DS10, with a AXP 67 processor, running at 667 Mhz and 512 Mb internal memory. Storage hasn’t changed at all – just a swap of the main system…
VMS has been updated to 8.4 and latest patched (June 2014), this machine does all the services that are required:
Name services (DNS)
This is the only system that can be reached directly from the internet – except when you’re blocked by the router, either by a non-mapped port (all but the needed are blocked) or your IP address: I have locked out complete networks because of attempted abuse. And even then, you can only access what the service allowed you to.
Helena is my main workplace in the attic. It’s a desktop system based on an ASUS P9X79 motherboard, processor is an Intel Pentium processor @ 3.6 Ghz, with 8Gb internal memory, running Windows 8.1 Professional. System disk is a SSD of 120 Gb, previous datadisks of 250 and 500 GB and some external disks of 1 Tb or bigger.
Aphrodite and other older Desktop PC’s are stand-by for specific tasks – most of them running either XP or Windows 7 – professional in most cases.
Import and Export
For priniting, I have a HP laserjet 2100Tn on the network, and a Canon Ip4300 inkjet connected to Helena; for importing images I use a Canon 5200 flatbed scanner, and a camera on Helena (low-cost) and the built-in in Europa.
Connections
All connections are over Fiber: Internet, TV and Voice. My provider offesr a FritzBox router – they require it to be used, officially) but that lacks a number of facilities I require: logging of all traffic and extensive firewall facilities – offered by a Draytek VG2920 router, theough that has some other problems with IPv6 in combination with the configuration of the ISP. But these can be overcome.
The router allows traffic, originating inside the LAN without severe restrictions in protocol, bandwidth and number of connections, but if needed, any can be throttled. Wifi access however, is blocked except for knwon systems: it requires authentication.< br/>
Traffic that has its origin outside the LAN is restricted severely: Only those ports that are actually needed have been opened, and all pass traffic to Diana – none of the other systems can be accessed from the outside world, because there is no mapping onto them.
When a site is notoriously misbehaving (sending lots of spam, trying to relay over the mailserver, break-in attempts into the web- and FTP sites) can be blocked in the firewall – and there are quite some subnects I do deny access in the router, so there is no way that they can access the LAN.