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SINTRAN III - Operating System

Version K

  • ND 210174 SINTRAN III/VSE-100
  • ND 210575 SINTRAN III/VSX-100
  • ND 210576 SINTRAN III/VSX-500

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SINTRAN III - OPERATING SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION

SINTRAN III is a family of general purpose, multi-function, disk-based operating systems for the whole series of Norsk Data computers, the ND-100 and the ND-500 range.

Under SINTRAN III, the virtual memory, the multi-programming and the resource-sharing capabilities of the ND-100 and the ND-500 series of computers are fully exploited.

SINTRAN III allows concurrent execution of many different user and system programs, in a multilingual environment.

Several modes of operation are supported: interactive timesharing, real-time priority-controlled processes, online transaction processing, local and remote batch jobs.

SINTRAN III is delivered in binary form on floppy diskettes, ready for use on the hardware configuration. The VSE-100 version is generated by ND to suit the customer's special software requirement.

SINTRAN III is available in three versions:

  • SINTRAN III/VSE-100: Operating system for all ND-100 CPUs, including the ND-100/CX, utilizing 4 page-index tables, with up to 32 Mb of memory.
  • SINTRAN III/VSX-100: Operating system for ND-100/CX, utilizing 16 page-index tables for extended system-resident area, with up to 32 Mb of memory.
  • SINTRAN III/VSX-500: Operating system for ND-500/CX, also utilizing 16 page-index tables, allowing up to 128 Mb of memory.

The VSE/K version supports up to 128 terminals, and the VSX/K version up to 256 directly and 90 remotely connected terminals via the COSMOS data network's remote terminal facility.

The VSX/K version adapts itself to the current hardware, automatically taking advantage of added resources such as memory, disk storage, and various types of communication interfaces. An easy-to-use configuration program can be used to define and redefine new configurations.

All user programs and operational procedures are fully compatible with all versions of the operating system.

FEATURES

  • Simultaneous timesharing, real-time, local and remote batch, file transfer, and terminal access through an integrated communication network
  • Reentrant subsystems and real-time segments for better utilization of memory capacity
  • Online program development, using full-screen source editors, a common set of utilities and libraries, and interactive symbolic debugging facilities
  • Easy-to-learn command language, automatic prompting for missing parameters, and typing correction facilities
  • All commands, programs, and file names may be referred to by user’s own abbreviations
  • File Management System for common information storage, with full security and backup facilities
  • Interchangeable, self-contained disk directories; can be moved to other SINTRAN III installations without modifications
  • Open Architecture Networking System (COSMOS). Comprehensive multinode file transfer, program and terminal access through an integrated communication network
  • Resource sharing - all peripherals available for all users, from both terminals and programs
  • Printer spooling, with forms control, operator message display, and queue manipulation commands
  • Collection of accounting information and usage reports on files which can be accessed by installation-written programs
  • Virtual storage system with dynamic memory allocation, of up to 2 x 128Kb address space for each ND-100 task, and up to 2 x 4Gb for each ND-500 domain
  • Hardware-controlled user/system protection, protecting users and system operation from interference
  • Power-fail detection, with automatic restart
  • Full range of terminals, printers, disks, floppy disks, magnetic tape stations, and a variety of special peripherals.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Operating Modes

The SINTRAN III system allows programs to be executed in three different modes, depending upon application requirements.

Real-time processing is primarily used in applications where data is gathered during a physical process, and must be handled so rapidly that the results influence the same process; or when programs need more explicit control of resources, priorities, timings, dates, etc.

Programs may be scheduled for execution in one of the following ways:

  • Operator commands
  • Program calls
  • Time of day, down to seconds
  • After a specific period of time
  • External events

Up to 255 priority levels may be assigned to RT-programs, ensuring that critical tasks receive the necessary attention from the operating system. Priorities can be set by:

  • Operator command
  • Program call (from another or same program)
  • Program compilation
  • Program loading and segment building

The real-time processing environment is used for a variety of application types, where explicit control of priority among tasks is required, for example in:

  • Data acquisition
  • Data communication
  • Online transaction processing

Real-time programs can choose memory allocation to be either DEMAND or NON-DEMAND, as needed. A sophisticated segment administration allows RT-programs to share segments with other RT-programs, either as subroutine libraries, or as data areas to exchange information.

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SINTRAN III - OPERATING SYSTEM

The Real-time environment is protected, to avoid unauthorized access to vital system operations.

Timesharing operation allows a large number of users to access the computer simultaneously from interactive terminals. By assigning specific time slices each user gets an equal share of available processor time.

Timesharing facilities may be used for online program development, information retrieval, word processing, office support, computer aided instruction, and many other applications where the user needs to access the system directly.

Online program development allows programmers to edit source files using full-screen editors, compile the programs with appropriate language compilers, build executable images, and test new programs directly from the terminal without interfering with other users. In this way the time and cost of implementing application systems are greatly reduced.

Batch-processing is made available to SINTRAN III timesharing users by submitting jobs to local or remote processing. Real-time and timesharing jobs will execute independently of any batch jobs.

Batch-processing under SINTRAN III includes multiple local batch queues; and remote batch emulator packages for mainframe computers from Control Data, Honeywell Bull, IBM, and Univac, using synchronous communication facilities.

Command Line Processor

The simplicity of the command processor makes the system very easy to use.

Users do not have to remember all the parameters of a command, since the operating system will simply ask for any missing parameters. For example: if the user gives the command LIST-FILES, the command processor will ask the user to specify the name(s) and where the information should be printed out (on the terminal, the line-printer or onto a file).

User Environment

A combined menu and command-driven user interface is also available. This is particularly useful when one wishes to make the computer easier to use for the end users.

The User Environment presents a set of menus, containing various applications, and offers easy ways of selecting tasks. Extensive help-screens accompany all menus, and may be activated by a single keystroke. An installation may change or extend the menu system to meet special requirements.

As data security has become increasingly important, the User Environment includes facilities to control access to the computer within defined hours and days, allowing only a predefined set of tasks, or defining terminals to accept login only from certain selected users.

FILE SYSTEM

The File System (FS) allows different types of mass storage devices such as disk and magnetic tapes, floppy disks and other types of peripheral units, to be handled in a uniform manner. Users may access files and peripheral units by using selected names, both from their terminals and from programs. This gives a high degree of device-independence.

File-sharing capabilities allow data and programs to be simultaneously used by different users. On the other hand, the protection capabilities give the system manager the means of avoiding unauthorized and unintended use of common resources. Users can define other users as friends, and give special access rights to files or programs.

The system manager can give users storage capacity for files on one or more directories; any user may have from 256 to 4096 files under each user name. The user can set access rights on files for Read, Write, Append, Delete, Common, or No access, for three categories of users: The owner of the files, defined friends, and public users.

Files on mass storage devices can be allocated with dynamic or fixed size, and accessed in sequential or direct mode, to suit the requirements of the application.

The FS provides functions for online backup, copying of whole disk directories or an individual user's files to backup disks, floppy diskettes, or magnetic tapes; as well as retrieval of earlier file versions or older copies.

Each directory, residing on a fixed or removable disk pack or on a floppy diskette, contains information on the files that are present on it, along with the file protection information assigned to the individual files. File directories may be easily entered and released, and may be exchanged with other installations, without modification.

The FS includes the Spooling System, allowing users to simultaneously output data from their program to common printing devices. Buffering onto disk and physically printing are automatically handled. The users' own data files may also be printed by the Spooling System, with specification of the number of copies desired. Utility commands to show status of the spooling queues, delete or move entries in the queues, restart and backspace printing of spooling files, and to start and stop the Spooling System, are included.

VIRTUAL MEMORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

The SINTRAN III operating system supports the advanced virtual memory systems in both the ND-100 and the ND-500 CPU. Multiple concurrent processes, each with its private logical address space, are fully protected from other programs or operating system tasks.

The logical address space of any task is independent of the physical memory available. Dividing memory in pages of 2 Kb, the operating system automatically allocates memory to active tasks using both segmentation and paging schemas.

  • For the ND-100: The logical address space of the ND-100 CPU gives any user task access to 64 Kw, 16 bits (128 Kb) of memory. However, in the "alternative addressing" mode, tasks may operate with an extended 128 Kw (256 Kb) memory area, with 64Kw (128 Kb) for instructions and 64Kw (128 Kb) for data.
  • For the ND-500: The 32-bit addressing capability of the ND-500 CPU allows programs with a very large logical address space. Full 32-bit addressability allows separation between instruction area and data area, allowing programs with as much as 4 Gb (gigabytes) of address space and 4 Gb of data space.

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SINTRAN III - OPERATING SYSTEM

Managing the physical memory

Mapping the virtual memory to the physical memory is done by dividing it up in a number of "pages", each 2Kb in size. Reference to any page not yet in memory interrupts the operating system, which automatically retrieves such pages from the disk storage.

The operating system automatically takes advantage of additional physical memory, thereby increasing the number of active pages, and reducing the need for writing pages back to the disk storage.

DISTRIBUTED DATA PROCESSING

COSMOS is ND's open architecture networking system, which enables users to communicate with other ND-computers in a network. Local and Wide Area Networks (LANs and WANs) may be combined and are handled transparently.

The system allows many users or programs to use the same communication facilities in a simple, yet efficient manner. The system may be used for:

  • Direct data transfer between programs in different computers.
  • Terminal connection to the timesharing facilities in another system.
  • Remote file access, using files and peripheral units in other systems as if they were locally connected.
  • Remote loading of programs to ND-100 Satellite and ND-100 Compact computers.
  • Remote spooling, allowing printers to be shared between several computers.

All buffering, queueing, transmission control, etc., is fully automatic, allowing the programmers to treat the communication lines as any other sequential I/O device.

In case of terminal connection, the procedures are the same as if the terminals were connected directly to another system. In addition, the terminal user may alternate easily between the local and remote resources.

HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS

SINTRAN III operates on ND computers with a variety of peripherals and mass storage devices.

The minimum hardware configuration required is:

  • one ND-100 standard, ND-100/CX or ND-110/CX CPU
  • main memory of 256Kb (for the ND-100 part)
  • disk unit with controller
  • floppy disk
  • console terminal

DOCUMENTATION

Document Code
SINTRAN III System Supervisor ND-30.003 EN
SINTRAN III Real Time Loader ND-60.051 EN
SINTRAN III Introduction ND-60.125 EN
SINTRAN III Reference Manual ND-60.128 EN
SINTRAN III Timesharing/Batch Guide ND-60.132 EN
SINTRAN III Real Time Guide ND-60.133 EN
SINTRAN III Utilities Manual ND-60.151 EN
SINTRAN III Release Info. K-version ND-60.230 EN