CHARON Hardware Emulation: Preserve Legacy Systems on Modern Infrastructure

Transform aging legacy hardware risks into modern infrastructure advantages with CHARON emulation technology. As a Stromasys Authorized Partner, IDEA Systems provides comprehensive CHARON solutions that preserve your critical applications while eliminating hardware dependencies.

The Legacy Hardware Challenge

Critical Risks Facing Your Organization

Hardware Failure Scenarios

• Legacy servers approaching or exceeding 15-20 year operational life
• Component failures with no replacement parts available from manufacturers
• Vendor end-of-life announcements leaving systems unsupported
• Single points of failure threatening business continuity

Operational Constraints

• Increasing maintenance costs and extended repair times
• Physical space requirements and excessive power consumption
• Limited backup and disaster recovery capabilities
• Difficulty finding technical expertise for legacy platforms

Business Impact

• Production downtime costs averaging thousands per hour
• Inability to scale applications to meet growing demand
• Integration challenges with modern business systems
• Compliance risks with outdated security capabilities

What is CHARON Technology?

CHARON (Computer Hardware Replication And Rehosting ON x86) is sophisticated emulation software that creates precise software replicas of legacy hardware systems. Your existing operating systems and applications run completely unchanged on modern x86-64 hardware.

How CHARON Works

Hardware Abstraction Layer

• Software-based emulation of original CPU instruction sets
• Precise replication of system buses, memory management, and I/O operations
• Faithful reproduction of timing characteristics and hardware behaviors
• Complete transparency to operating systems and applications

Seamless Application Preservation

• Applications run without any code modifications
• Operating systems boot and function identically
• User interfaces and functionality remain unchanged
• Data formats and file systems preserved exactly

Modern Infrastructure Integration

• Deployment on standard x86-64 servers or cloud platforms
• Integration with modern backup and monitoring systems
• High availability and clustering capabilities
• Virtual machine portability and management

Supported Legacy Platforms

CHARON-SSP (SPARC Systems)

Emulated Hardware Architectures:

• sun4m platforms (SPARCstation, SPARCserver series)
• sun4u platforms (Ultra SPARC, Enterprise series)
• sun4v platforms (T-series, M-series servers)

Supported Operating Systems:

• Solaris 2.6 through Solaris 11.4
• SunOS 4.x (most versions)
• Legacy UNIX variants and custom applications

Typical Use Cases:

• Manufacturing control systems
• Financial trading platforms
• Scientific computing applications
• Custom database systems

CHARON-AXP (Alpha/AXP Systems)

Emulated Hardware Platforms:

• Digital Equipment Corporation Alpha processors
• AlphaServer and AlphaStation systems
• VAX-to-Alpha migration environments

Supported Operating Systems:

• OpenVMS/Alpha (all major versions)
• Digital UNIX / Tru64 UNIX
• OSF/1 operating environments

Typical Applications:

• OpenVMS-based business systems
• Financial trading and banking platforms
• Engineering and scientific applications
• Legacy database systems (RDB, DBMS)

CHARON-VAX (VAX Systems)

Emulated VAX Hardware:

• MicroVAX and VAXstation systems
• VAX 4000 and VAX 6000 series
• VAXserver configurations

Supported Environments:

• OpenVMS/VAX (all versions)
• Legacy VMS applications and utilities
• VAX-specific development environments

Common Applications:

• Manufacturing execution systems (MES)
• Laboratory information management systems (LIMS)
• Legacy business applications
• Custom VAX/VMS databases

CHARON-PDP (PDP-11 Systems)

Emulated PDP Hardware:

• PDP-11 processor families
• Various memory and I/O configurations
• Custom peripheral device support

Operating System Support:

• RSX-11M and RSX-11M-PLUS
• RT-11 real-time systems
• RSTS/E multi-user environments

Application Areas:

• Industrial control systems
• Real-time data acquisition
• Legacy scientific instruments
• Process control applications

CHARON-PAR (HP Systems)

Emulated HP Hardware:

• HP3000 systems running MPE/iX
• HP9000 systems running HP-UX
• Various PA-RISC configurations

Business Applications:

• ERP and business management systems
• Manufacturing resource planning (MRP)
• Financial and accounting systems
• Custom HP3000/HP9000 applications

Benefits of CHARON Migration

Immediate Advantages

Risk Elimination

• Remove dependency on aging, failure-prone hardware
• Eliminate concerns about parts availability and vendor support
• Reduce single points of failure through modern redundancy
• Ensure business continuity with reliable infrastructure

Performance Improvements

• Significantly faster processing on modern x86-64 hardware
• Better memory management and I/O performance
• Reduced system response times and improved user experience
• Scalability options not available on legacy platforms

Cost Reduction

• Lower power consumption (typically 70-80% reduction)
• Reduced data center space requirements
• Elimination of expensive legacy hardware maintenance contracts
• Simplified IT infrastructure management

Long-term Strategic Benefits

Modern Infrastructure Integration

• Compatibility with standard virtualization platforms (VMware, Hyper-V)
• Cloud deployment capabilities (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
• Integration with modern backup and disaster recovery systems
• Support for containerization and DevOps practices

Enhanced Security

• Modern server security features and encryption
• Regular security updates and patch management
• Improved access controls and audit capabilities
• Compliance with current security standards

Business Agility

• Faster provisioning of development and test environments
• Simplified disaster recovery and business continuity planning
• Better integration capabilities with modern business systems
• Future-proofing against technology obsolescence

Our CHARON Services

Assessment and Planning

Comprehensive System Analysis

• Complete inventory of legacy hardware and software
• Application dependency mapping and analysis
• Performance baseline establishment
• Migration complexity assessment and planning

Migration Strategy Development

• Risk assessment and mitigation planning
• Phased migration approach with minimal business disruption
• Resource requirements and timeline estimation
• Cost-benefit analysis and ROI projections

Professional Implementation

CHARON Installation and Configuration

• Optimal hardware sizing and specification
• CHARON software installation and licensing
• System configuration and performance tuning
• Integration with existing network and storage infrastructure

Migration Execution

• Legacy system backup and preparation
• CHARON environment setup and testing
• Application migration and validation
• Performance optimization and fine-tuning

Quality Assurance and Testing

• Comprehensive functional testing of migrated systems
• Performance benchmarking and optimization
• User acceptance testing coordination
• Documentation and knowledge transfer

Ongoing Support and Maintenance

Managed Services

• 24/7 monitoring and support
• Proactive maintenance and optimization
• Regular backup verification and disaster recovery testing
• Performance monitoring and capacity planning

Training and Knowledge Transfer

• Administrator training for CHARON management
• End-user training for any interface changes
• Documentation and procedures development
• Ongoing consultation and support

Why Choose IDEA for CHARON?

Authorized Expertise

Stromasys Authorized Partner

• Official partnership provides direct access to vendor resources
• Certified expertise in all CHARON product variants
• Proven track record with successful migrations
• Access to latest software versions and technical support

30+ Years of Legacy Systems Experience

• Deep understanding of legacy platform constraints and requirements
• Extensive experience with mission-critical system migrations
• Proven methodologies refined through hundreds of projects
• Understanding of both technical and business requirements

Risk-Mitigation Approach

Comprehensive Testing

• Parallel system operation during migration phases
• Extensive testing in non-production environments
• Detailed validation of all applications and interfaces
• Performance benchmarking and optimization

Business Continuity Focus

• Minimal disruption migration strategies
• Detailed rollback procedures for every phase
• 24/7 support during critical transition periods
• Comprehensive change management and communication

CHARON Migration Process

Phase 1: Discovery and Assessment (2-4 weeks)

• Legacy system documentation and analysis
• Application inventory and dependency mapping
• Hardware and software compatibility verification
• Risk assessment and migration strategy development

Phase 2: Planning and Preparation (3-6 weeks)

• Detailed migration plan development
• CHARON environment design and specification
• Hardware procurement and setup
• Testing procedures and validation criteria

Phase 3: Implementation and Migration (4-8 weeks)

• CHARON installation and configuration
• System migration and application deployment
• Comprehensive testing and validation
• Performance optimization and tuning

Phase 4: Go-Live and Support (Ongoing)

• Production cutover with minimal downtime
• Post-migration monitoring and support
• User training and documentation delivery
• Ongoing maintenance and optimization

Success Stories

Financial Services Trading System

• Legacy Environment: Sun Ultra 60 servers running Solaris 8
• Challenge: End-of-life hardware with no spare parts
• Solution: CHARON-SSP migration to modern Linux servers
• Results:
  • Improved system performance significantly
  • Zero downtime migration over weekend
  • Reduced operating costs substantially
  • Modern backup and disaster recovery capabilities

Manufacturing Control System

• Legacy Environment: VAX 4000 running OpenVMS/VAX
• Challenge: Hardware failures causing production stoppages
• Solution: CHARON-VAX emulation on virtualized infrastructure
• Results:
  • Eliminated single points of hardware failure
  • Improved system response times
  • Reduced power consumption significantly
  • Enabled modern monitoring and alerting

Healthcare Laboratory System

• Legacy Environment: AlphaServer 4100 running OpenVMS/Alpha
• Challenge: Compliance risks with aging infrastructure
• Solution: CHARON-AXP migration with enhanced security
• Results:
  • Maintained regulatory compliance
  • Improved data backup and recovery capabilities
  • Enhanced security features and access controls
  • Significant performance improvement

Getting Started with CHARON

Free Migration Assessment

Our comprehensive assessment includes:

• System Analysis: Complete evaluation of your legacy environment
• Migration Feasibility: Compatibility verification and risk assessment
• Cost Estimation: Detailed pricing for hardware, software, and services
• Timeline Development: Realistic project schedule and milestones
• ROI Analysis: Cost savings and business benefits quantification

What’s Included in Your Assessment

• On-site or remote system evaluation
• Application compatibility verification
• Performance benchmarking and projections
• Migration complexity analysis
• Detailed proposal with recommendations

No obligation, completely confidential assessment

Ready to Eliminate Legacy Hardware Risks?

Don’t wait for catastrophic hardware failure to force your hand. Take control of your legacy systems with proven CHARON technology and expert implementation services.

Contact us today to:

• Schedule your free legacy system assessment
• Discuss CHARON licensing options
• Review successful migration case studies
• Develop your migration strategy and timeline

As a Stromasys Authorized Partner with over 30 years of legacy systems experience, IDEA Systems is your trusted partner for successful CHARON migrations. Contact us to discuss your specific requirements and discover how CHARON can transform your legacy systems into modern, reliable infrastructure.

Related Services:

• Legacy Systems Consulting
• OpenVMS Consulting
• Cross-Platform Virtualization
• Legacy Systems Assessment