Single Certification

For SCO® UnixWare® and SCO OpenServer® 6

OpenServer 6 brings even tighter compatibility between the two operating systems because it will be possible to certify a solution on the specified releases of UnixWare or OpenServer and be assured that the solution (application software or device driver) will run unchanged on both platforms.

Introduction

For many years, SCO has been, and remains, the number one provider of UNIX® on Intel® platforms. SCO has dominated this market because of its unwavering commitment to building reliability, stability and value into both UnixWare and SCO OpenServer.

SCO’s flagship UNIX platforms, OpenServer and UnixWare, are both based on the System V technology originally developed at AT&T Bell Laboratories. It’s not surprising then that UnixWare and SCO OpenServer share similarities in features and architecture.

Since SCO acquired the UnixWare intellectual property and business from Novell in 1995, additional steps have been taken to bring the two platforms closer together. For example, in 1998, the UnixWare/OpenServer Developer Kit (UDK) was released which gave developers tools to write a single application that could be compiled to run on both UnixWare and OpenServer. There are some limitations because of the differences between features in UnixWare and OpenServer.

In the same timeframe, OpenServer tools and utilities and the Application Compatibility Package (ACP) were added to UnixWare 7 to enable native OpenServer binary applications to run on UnixWare 7. (Native OpenServer binaries are those developed using the OpenServer development environment, not the UDK.)

More recently, the OpenServer Kernel Personality (OKP) was added to UnixWare which provides a full SCO OpenServer environment on UnixWare 7.1.3 and 7.1.4. OKP brings a much higher level of compatibility for UnixWare to run OpenServer applications, including applications that are available only for Xenix, but there are still some limitations due to the differences in features in each OS.

Openserver 6 Is An Important Milestone

SCO OpenServer 6 (code named Legend) is based on SVR5, the same proven technology in UnixWare 7 and contains many SVR5 features that improve performance and scalability, including a multi-threaded, pre-emptible kernel and terabyte file size. In addition, OpenServer security, reliability and usability attributes have been enhanced. By using the same kernel in both platforms, limitations attributable to the difference in features between the operating systems are diminished.

Independent Hardware Vendors (IHVs), Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), and Vertical Solution Providers (VSPs) that certify to UnixWare 7.1.x will benefit since they will be able to sell the same binary solution to the larger, combined UnixWare and OpenServer 6 markets. End-users will benefit because a larger pool of applications will be available.

Essential Guidance

SCO is committed to the convergence of the two operating systems to give ISVs, VSPs and IHVs a larger potential market to sell into.

	SCO’s plan to converge the technology preserves the investment developers have made in applications and device drivers. Existing binary UnixWare 7.1.x applications will run on UnixWare 7.1.4 and later releases and existing binary OpenServer applications will run on OpenServer 6. In addition, applications certified to UnixWare 7.1.x or later will also run on OpenServer 6.
	However, OpenServer 6 will contain features beyond what is currently available in UnixWare 7.1.4. Therefore, while UnixWare 7.1.x certified applications will run on OpenServer 6, OpenServer 6 certified applications will not be supported on UnixWare until Maintenance Pack 3 for Release 7.1.4 ships in November 2005.

The following guidance is offered to help ISVs, VSPs and IHVs determine the proper course of action, based on their individual situation.

If a new application is being developed, it can be developed on UnixWare 7.1.4 or OpenServer 6. If it is certified to UnixWare 7.1.4, it will run on OpenServer 6. If it is certified to OpenServer 6, SCO’s position is that it will run on UnixWare 7.1.4 with Maintenance Pack 3 (scheduled to ship in November 2005.)

Single certification will require applications to adhere to the soon-to-be-published single certification guidelines which will list the system-specific behavior to be followed and/or avoided.

Device drivers represent a unique situation. IHVs that develop device drivers have had the limitation that OpenServer and UnixWare use different device drivers unless they are written to the Universal Driver Interface (UDI). Beginning with OpenServer 6, UnixWare and OpenServer will use the same device drivers.

OpenServer 5.0.7 device drivers will not work on either OpenServer 6 or UnixWare (unless they are UDI drivers), but native UnixWare device drivers and UDI drivers will work on OpenServer 6 and later releases (as well as UnixWare). New device drivers can be developed either to the native UnixWare or OpenServer API or using the UDI interface. SCO recommends using the native APIs.

Summary

UnixWare 7.1.4 and OpenServer 6 are key milestones towards SCO’s goal to converge the operating system technology, while preserving the distinct OpenServer and UnixWare personalities. OpenServer 6 will bring certified UnixWare 7.1.x applications to OpenServer customers and Maintenance Pack 3 for UnixWare 7.1.4 will bring certified native OpenServer 6 applications to UnixWare customers.

The benefit of a single certification is to give ISVs, IHVs and VSPs a larger market to sell to, and give customers a wider choice of applications. SCO is committed to converge the two platforms, deliver state-of-the-art technology and maintain application capability. SCO will make this a smooth, evolutionary transition for partners and customers, not a revolution.

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