The following illustrates the possible system configurations and their effect on performance: o CPU1 and CPU2 with VVIEF support: Efficent for program development, but can be 3-5 times slower than the scalar performance. Cost-effective for parallel applications that do not use vector processing. o CPU1 - CPU2 with Vector processor: Efficent vector performance: As soon as a processor issues its first vector instruction, VMS schedules it only for vector- present(VP) CPU2. If the process is executing on CPU1, VMS swaps out and gives it to CPU2. If CPU2 is not free, the process waits for it to become free: VMS does not use VVIEF on this system. o CPU1 and CPU2: Fatal to vector programs. They will fail when the first vector instruction issues and neither VVIEF nor any other vector processors are present. o CPU1 and CPU2 with Vector processors: Most efficent parallel-vector performance and cost-effective. o CPU1 and CPU2 - CPU3 and CPU4 with Vector processors: Efficent parallel-vector performance.
1 – VVIEF on VAX Multiprocessors
If no vector-present CPU is available, OpenVMS executes vector instructions using the VAX Vector Instruction Emulator Facility (VVIEF), which is much slower than scalar execution. NOTE VVIEF must be enabled on the OpenVMS system; it is disabled by default. To enable VVIEF, the system manager must execute the command file SYS$UPDATE:VVIEF$INSTAL.COM. For more information, refer to your OpenVMS documentation set.