Technical data

Summary of OpenVMS Version 7.3 New Features
Table 1–1 (Cont.) Summary of OpenVMS VAX and OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.3 Software
Features
Programming Features
RMS locking enhancements RMS includes the following enhancements for OpenVMS Version 7.3:
• Global buffer read-mode bucket locking (Alpha)—Improves
RMS application performance on OpenVMS Alpha systems by
minimizing locking for shared access to global buffers. Does not
require changes to existing applications.
• No query record locking (Alpha)—Improves RMS application
performance on OpenVMS Alpha systems by allowing applications
to read records without locking them. Avoids the processing
associated with record locking calls to the lock manager. Can be
enabled on a per-record read operation or at the file level. Includes
the new /QUERY_LOCK qualifier and values to the SET RMS_
DEFAULT command to disable query record locking at the process
level.
• Record Locking options to control deadlock detection—Allow RMS
to directly control deadlock detection. Options correspond to
existing lock request flags used by the distributed lock manager
(through $ENQ system service calls).
OpenVMS Registry The OpenVMS Registry includes the ability to specify the number of
seconds that the $REGISTRY service will wait for a response from the
Registry Server.
System Dump Analyzer (SDA)
commands, parameters, and
qualifiers (Alpha)
New Alpha SDA commands, parameters, and qualifiers expand the
functionality of the System Dump Analysis tool.
System Dump Analyzer (SDA)
commands for the Spinlock
Tracing utility (Alpha)
The new SDA Spinlock Tracing utility has commands for gathering and
analyzing spinlock performance data. The SDA Spinlock Tracing utility
was introduced in OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2-1H1.
System services Several system services have been added and updated for Version 7.3.
TCP/IP files for Alpha and VAX
SDA
TCP/IP files contain the global symbols and locations within the
Executive Image for the Alpha and VAX SDA READ command.
Visual Threads Version 2.1
(Alpha)
The Visual Threads diagnostic tool helps you analyze and refine
your multithreaded applications. You can use it to debug potential
thread-related problems and to pinpoint bottlenecks and performance
problems.
Visual Threads Version 2.1 contains functionality and enhancements to
help you find application problems before they occur.
Associated Products Features
Availability Manager Version 1.4 OpenVMS Version 7.3 contains Availability Manager Version 1.4. Soon
after the release of OpenVMS Version 7.3, Availability Manager Version
2.0 will become available, which includes several new features and
enhancements.
Compaq Advanced Server V7.3
for OpenVMS (Alpha)
Compaq Advanced Server V7.3 contains new functionality and
enhancements.
Compaq BASIC for OpenVMS
Alpha enhancements
Compaq BASIC now supports the IEEE floating-point data types.
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1–8 Summary of OpenVMS Version 7.3 New Features