WDU is a copy/backup/restore program for IBM's DOS

DOS

DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...

, DOS/VS, and DOS/VSE environments.

The product

Westinghouse Disk Utility, popularly called WDU, has been a dominant force within the commercial dump/restore market for more than three decades. Originally designed for IBM's DOS, Westinghouse continued developing it for subsequent generations, including DOS/VS, DOS/VSE, and VM/CMS.

The product offered a wide variety of backup and copy options, data streaming, alternating tape drives, and an ability to create archives.

Pittsburgh

Steve O'Donnell wrote the original utility, which was distributed free of charge. Its popularity made Westinghouse realize WDU had potential as a commercial product, thus laying the foundation for the Westinghouse Software Group, eventually called WEMS, Westinghouse Management Systems.

Columbus

In 1972, IBM released DOS/VS with the IBM/370 and the Westinghouse Software group began a rewrite for new products. Several new team members were assigned, including John Gaston, who took over lead development following the departure of Steve O'Donnell in the latter 1970s. (Steve O'Donnell went on to found GOAL Systems, Inc.)

Paris

Westinghouse Marketing suffered a schism about the same time, and the result was that Europe established an independent subsidiary, Westinghouse Electric Management Systems, SA, or WEMSSA, headquartered in Paris. At that point, the Westinghouse product line, WDU and Westi

Westi (software)

Westi was one of two early local teleprocessing packages for IBM's DOS/VSE environment. Westi stood for Westinghouse Terminal Interactive.- The product :...

, bifurcated, taking independent development paths.

Orlando

The original development team moved to Orlando, Florida, where it eventually came under the management of Dr. Ray Ferguson and focused on integration with VSE

VSE

z/VSE is an operating system for IBM mainframe computers, the latest one in the DOS/360 lineage, which originated in 1965. It is less common than prominent z/OS and is mostly used on smaller machines. Primary z/VSE development occurs in IBM's Böblingen labs in Germany.-Overview:DOS/360 originally...

 and later on, conjoining the bifurcated products.

A new development began initiated by III of Orlando, Florida and guided by Dr. Ferguson. Original plans called for both VM/CMS and new VSE

VSE

z/VSE is an operating system for IBM mainframe computers, the latest one in the DOS/360 lineage, which originated in 1965. It is less common than prominent z/OS and is mostly used on smaller machines. Primary z/VSE development occurs in IBM's Böblingen labs in Germany.-Overview:DOS/360 originally...

 versions. However, part way into development, Westinghouse began to break up the division during the outsourcing

Outsourcing

Outsourcing is the process of contracting a business function to someone else.-Overview:The term outsourcing is used inconsistently but usually involves the contracting out of a business function - commonly one previously performed in-house - to an external provider...

 thrust of the Reaganomics

Reaganomics

Reaganomics refers to the economic policies promoted by the U.S. President Ronald Reagan during the 1980s, also known as supply-side economics and called trickle-down economics, particularly by critics...

 era. Through badly managed negotiations, Westinghouse ended up with neither developers or outsourcing partners, which spelled the end for one of the industries foremost software groups.

Marketing

North American marketing was conducted by the WEMS marketing group based in Pittsburgh, and included first level tech support.

Westinghouse Electric Management Systems, SA (WEMSSA), Paris

Paris

Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

, London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

, Genève, Zürich

Zürich

Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...

, München, and Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...

, was given world marketing rights, initially for Europe, Africa, and the Far East.