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SCO OpenServer

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SCO OpenServer
NameSCO OpenServer
DeveloperSanta Cruz Operation, SCO Group
Source modelClosed source
Released0 1989
Latest release version6.0.0
Latest release date23 May 2005
Marketing targetBusiness and enterprise servers
Kernel typeMonolithic kernel
UiCUI / GUI (SCO Open Desktop)
LicenseProprietary
PredecessorSCO UNIX / Xenix

SCO OpenServer. It is a line of closed source operating systems originally developed by Santa Cruz Operation (SCO) and later maintained by the SCO Group. Based on SCO UNIX and the earlier Xenix system, it became a prominent platform for small business and departmental server workloads throughout the 1990s. The system was renowned for its reliability on Intel x86 hardware and played a key role in the commercialization of UNIX for PC-based servers.

History

The lineage of the operating system traces directly to Microsoft's Xenix, which Santa Cruz Operation licensed and enhanced throughout the 1980s. Following the development of SCO UNIX System V/386, the company consolidated its product line, launching the first release in 1989 as a unified system for Intel 80386 and Intel 80486 processors. Throughout the 1990s, it competed vigorously with Novell's NetWare and the emerging Microsoft Windows NT in the LAN server market. Major corporate changes began when Santa Cruz Operation sold its UNIX assets and OpenServer development to Caldera Systems in 2001, which later renamed itself the SCO Group.

Features

The system was designed as a robust, multi-user environment with strong file and print serving capabilities, integral TCP/IP networking, and the SCO Open Desktop graphical environment. It featured the X Window System and supported Motif for application development. Core strengths included the Veritas VxFS journaling filesystem for data integrity and advanced system administration tools like the SCOadmin suite. Security features included Trusted Path Mechanism and adherence to C2 security evaluation criteria, making it suitable for secure commercial deployments.

Versions

The initial major release, version 3.0, established the platform's architecture. A significant upgrade arrived with version 5.0 in 1995, which added support for symmetric multiprocessing (SMP), enhanced PCI bus support, and the Common Desktop Environment (CDE). The final major version from the original Santa Cruz Operation was 5.0.7. After the transition to the SCO Group, version 6.0.0 was released in 2005, featuring a modernized Linux kernel-based runtime environment alongside the legacy system core, a strategy known as the SCO OpenServer 6 "Kernel Personality Modules."

Hardware support

It was optimized for the Intel x86 architecture, with drivers for a vast array of ISA, EISA, and PCI hardware from vendors like Adaptec, Intel, and 3Com. Support extended to major RAID controllers from companies such as Mylex and DPT, ensuring reliability for critical storage. While primarily for Intel-based systems, some versions also supported the PowerPC architecture in collaboration with Motorola. The system's hardware compatibility lists were extensive, covering NICs, SCSI host adapters, and VGA graphics cards essential for server and workstation use.

Software ecosystem

A rich ecosystem of business software emerged, including the SCO OpenServer-specific port of the Informix database and the Lotus Domino server. Key vertical applications ran on platforms from IBM, Oracle, and SAP. Development was supported by compilers for C, C++, and COBOL, along with the SCO Visual Tcl rapid application development tool. Many system utilities and the Apache HTTP Server were ported to the platform, and it could run a wide range of UNIX and Linux applications through compatibility layers and emulation.

Market position and legacy

Throughout its peak in the mid-1990s, it dominated the Intel-based UNIX market, with a significant installed base in retail, banking, and healthcare, often running point-of-sale and back-office systems. Its market share declined due to competition from Microsoft Windows 2000, Linux distributions like Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and the FreeBSD operating system. The SCO Group' controversial legal battles with IBM and Novell over alleged copyright infringement further damaged its standing. Today, it remains in limited use for legacy applications, maintained by SCO Group and third-party vendors, representing an important chapter in the history of commercial UNIX on the x86 platform.

Category:Unix variants Category:Santa Cruz Operation Category:Proprietary operating systems Category:1989 software