1 WELCOME
This document is available both as the VAX Cluster User Guide (part of
the Central Computing Facility User Guide), and to interactive users
through HELP @USERGUIDE. 

The VAX computer system is available to all Fermilab staff and users as
a part of the Fermilab Central Computing Facility. The Cluster is
accessed through class VC on the Fermilab port selector. The Cluster is
presently composed of six VAX processors (two each 8600, 11/785 and
11/780 processors). They share about 3 Gigabytes of permanent user disk
storage, and run the VMS operating system. This system is particularly
well suited to interactive computing, and jobs with large memory
requirements. 

As a rule of thumb, the 8600 will execute programs at a 1/2 to 2/3 the
speed of the Fermilab Cyber 175 processors. The Cyber to VAX speed ratio
may vary substantially from program to program. The relative speed of
the VAX 8600/785/780 processors is about 4:1.5:1

The VAX system serves as Fermilab's gateway to external networks for
file exchange and electronic mail.  The VAX Cluster is node FNAL on the
BITNET and DECnet networks. The NET program provides access to high
speed file transfer and job submission between the various Central
Computing Facility systems. In order to maintain program portability
between these systems, the use of standard (ANSI X3.9-1978) FORTRAN-77
is urged.  Documents to assist in producing portable code are available
from the Computing Department Librarian.
