 

Software
Product
Description

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PRODUCT NAME:  COM Version 1.2 for OpenVMS[TM]               70.45.01

DESCRIPTION

COM (Component Object Model) is a technology from Microsoft[R] that
allows developers to create distributed network objects. Digital Equip-
ment Corporation and Microsoft jointly developed the COM specifica-
tion. First released by Microsoft on Windows[R] NT[TM] as NetOLE (Net-
work Object Linking and Embedding) and then renamed DCOM (Distributed
COM), the COM specification now includes network objects. COM for Open-
VMS is an implementation of the Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 code that sup-
ports the COM draft standards.

COM is used to create distributed applications that are made up of reusable
objects. COM locates objects locally or in a network and uses the Re-
mote Procedure Call (RPC) wire protocol to communicate between these
objects across the network.

COM for OpenVMS delivers connectivity and interoperability between Open-
VMS and Windows NT/Windows 2000 systems. With COM for OpenVMS, pro-
grammers write distributed applications that run across a heteroge-
neous environment of systems. COM for OpenVMS V1.2 is based on Microsoft's
COM that shipped with Windows NT 4.0 SP5 and implements on OpenVMS many
Microsoft COM features, including activation, automation, monikers,
Type Libraries, and structured storage.

A developer might implement COM applications on OpenVMS in the fol-
lowing ways:

o  For existing OpenVMS applications and data, a developer can encap-
   sulate an OpenVMS application as a COM object. A Windows COM client
   can then interact with the existing OpenVMS application and data.
   This allows business-critical applications and data to stay on the

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   OpenVMS system while making the OpenVMS data and code accessible
   through a Windows application.

o  Use the Active Template Library (ATL) based on Microsoft's ATL V3.0.
   Using ATL, you can build small, self-contained binaries without re-
   quiring any additional runtime DLLs.

This allows business-critical applications and data to stay on the Open-
VMS system while making the OpenVMS data and code accessible through
a Windows application as follows:

o  For existing COM applications on other operating systems, a devel-
   oper can port COM objects to OpenVMS to take advantage of specific
   OpenVMS features. This allows you to leave other COM objects as-
   sociated with the application unchanged on their current platforms,
   and lets you port only the objects you need to your OpenVMS sys-
   tem. You can then revise the ported code to maximize OpenVMS ben-
   efits and at the same time minimize the change to the overall ap-
   plication.

o  For new OpenVMS applications, a developer can create a COM server
   on OpenVMS. COM client applications on Windows NT/Windows 2000 sys-
   tems, on other OpenVMS systems, or on other COM-enabled operating
   systems can access this OpenVMS COM server.

To implement COM on OpenVMS, Compaq has made the following changes to
the OpenVMS operating system:

o  Added COM APIs to OpenVMS:

Compaq has added a set of Microsoft COM APIs to OpenVMS. These APIs
allow developers to write and debug COM objects on OpenVMS systems.

o  Added an OpenVMS Registry:

COM applications can add, read, change, and delete the OpenVMS Reg-
istry contents. You can view and edit the contents of the OpenVMS Reg-
istry either from OpenVMS (using the REG$CP utility or the $REGISTRY
system service) or from Windows NT (using RegEdt32).

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The OpenVMS Registry also includes IMPORT and EXPORT commands. The EX-
PORT command allows you to save or export all or part of the OpenVMS
Registry database to Windows NT. The IMPORT command allows you to im-
port Windows NT registry keys and values into the OpenVMS Registry.

COM Version 1.2 for OpenVMS supports full NTLM authentication between
OpenVMS and Windows NT/Windows 2000.

COM for OpenVMS provides the user with two options for security: Unau-
thenticated COM and Authenticated COM. These two forms of security are
defined as follows:

o  Unauthenticated COM: The COM process is executed with an OpenVMS
   security identity only; OpenVMS does not authenticate COM requests
   from Windows NT/Windows 2000 clients or process any Windows NT/Windows
   2000 credentials.

o  Authenticated COM: The COM server process can execute in the se-
   curity context of the requesting Windows NT/Windows 2000 client.
   The COM for OpenVMS server process includes Windows NT/Windows 2000
   credentials that OpenVMS can use for OpenVMS Registry access and
   outbound COM requests. Authenticated COM utilites the implementa-
   tion of NTLM security on OpenVMS.

For information about development, registry, and authentication in COM
for OpenVMS, see the Documentation Section that follows.

HARDWARE SUPPORT

You can run COM for OpenVMS on any Alpha[TM] CPU, as documented in the
Compaq OpenVMS Operating System for Alpha and VAX Software Product De-
scription (SPD 25.01.xx). The minimum memory requirement for running
COM for OpenVMS is 96 MB; however 128MB or higher is recommended.







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SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

COM for OpenVMS runs on OpenVMS Alpha systems only. The following soft-
ware is required:

o  For OpenVMS systems:

   -  Compaq OpenVMS Version 7.2-1 or higher

   -  Compaq Advanced Server Version 7.3 or higher for OpenVMS (not
      required for Unauthenticated COM)

   -  Compaq C++ Version 6.0 or higher (for COM for OpenVMS applica-
      tion development)

   -  Compaq DECwindows Motif[R] (installed but not started)

   -  TCP/IP software supported by OpenVMS DCE. See the Compaq Open-
      VMS DCE Software Product Description (SPD 43.05.xx) for details.

o  For developing distributed applications that will run across Open-
   VMS and Windows NT/Windows 2000, the following software is required
   for interoperation with Windows NT/Windows 2000 systems:

   -  Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 5 (SP5) or higher installed or
      Windows 2000.

   -  Microsoft Visual C++[R] (for Windows NT client development and
      information on MIDL compiler). See the Microsoft website for ver-
      sion requirements (www.microsoft.com).

   -  TCP/IP (needed for OpenVMS connectivity)

OPTIONAL SOFTWARE

None.




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GROWTH CONSIDERATIONS

The minimum hardware and software requirements for any future version
of this product may be different than the requirements for the cur-
rent version.

DISTRIBUTION MEDIA

COM for OpenVMS development and run-time support is distributed on the
Compaq OpenVMS e-Business Infrastructure Package CD which accompanies
the OpenVMS operating system. See the Compaq OpenVMS e-Business In-
frastructure Package Software Product Description (SPD 80.58.XX) for
more information.

ORDERING INFORMATION

COM for OpenVMS is orderable as follows:

Every Alpha system on which you want to develop COM applications will
require COM Version 1.2 for OpenVMS.

The run-time support for COM for OpenVMS is licensed with the Open-
VMS operating system.

The binaries for COM for OpenVMS (both developer and run-time) are in-
cluded with the Compaq OpenVMS e-Business Infrastructure Package which
accompanies the Operating System.

DOCUMENTATION

The OpenVMS Connectivity Developer Guide documents how to use COM for
OpenVMS, the OpenVMS Registry, and OpenVMS Events. The guide is avail-
able on the OpenVMS CD-ROM in PostScript[R], PDF, and HTML formats.







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SOFTWARE PRODUCT SERVICES

A variety of service options are available from Compaq. For more in-
formation, contact your local Compaq office.

SOFTWARE WARRANTY

This software is provided by Compaq with a 90-day conformance warranty
in accordance with the Compaq warranty terms applicable to the license
purchase.

This information is valid at the time of release. Contact your local
Compaq office for the most up-to-date information.

Copyright 2002 Compaq Information Technologies Group, L.P.

COMPAQ, the Compaq logo, Alpha, OpenVMS, VAX, and VMS are trademarks
of Compaq Information Technologies Group, L. P. in the U.S. and/or other
countries. NT, Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows 2000 are trademarks
of Microsoft Corporation. ActiveX, Microsoft, Visual C++, Win32, Win-
dows, and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corpora-
tion. Motif is a registered trademark of The Open Group, Inc. PostScript
is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated. Wind/U is a
registered trademark of Bristol Technology, Inc. All other product names
mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.

Confidential computer software. Valid license from Compaq or autho-
rized sublicensor required for possession, use or copying. Consistent
with FAR 12.211 and 12.212, Commercial Computer Software, Computer Soft-
ware Documentation, and Technical Data for Commercial Items are li-
censed to the U.S. Government under vendor's standard commercial li-
cense.

Compaq shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omis-
sions contained herein. The information in this document is provided
"as is" without warranty of any kind and is subject to change with-
out notice. The warranties for Compaq products are set forth in the
express limited warranty statements accompanying such products. Noth-
ing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty.

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