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Conference azur::mcc

Title:DECmcc user notes file. Does not replace IPMT.
Notice:Use IPMT for problems. Newsletter location in note 6187
Moderator:TAEC::BEROUD
Created:Mon Aug 21 1989
Last Modified:Wed Jun 04 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:6497
Total number of notes:27359

780.0. "Writing An AM" by CHOVAX::LAYTON (Dave Layton Software Specialist @CHO) Fri Mar 08 1991 13:35

We are currently pursuing an EIS project that involves CONRAIL, NABNASSET,
AT&T and Digital.  We are still on the ground floor of this project.
NABNASSET is writing some CIT code that will reside on the VAX. This
code will include Alarms which will go to a Management Console for collection 
and analysis as well as an RDB database.  Alarms include things like:

	CIT Link Down
	Congestion on PBX
	Etc, Etc

CONRAIL has the EMS software and would like these events turned into
EMA alarms that can be monitored from the already existing EMS station.
We have proposed writing an AM for a fixed price as a deliverable from
Digital.

My task is to determine a fixed price to put on actually developing an 
Access Module.  It would help if I could get access to documentation, or
if someone could shed some light on the magnitude of effort.  If you would
like to talk directly my DTN is 336-2125.  Any help would be greatly 
appreciated.

Thanks
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
780.1Sounds fun. Here're some places to start....TOOK::CAREYTue Mar 12 1991 14:0168
    
    
    Check note 3.58 in this notes file for the location of the 
    "management module programming" manual.  The file is in the list as
    something like "...MM_PROGRAMMING_V11...".  You'll see it when you 
    look through the note.
    
    That is the latest and greatest copy off our guide to writing an AM.
    
    I'd also suggest grabbing a copy of the Toolkit release notes
    "MCCTK011.RELEASE_NOTES" in that available directory.  It has a list of
    other useful documents in it that can help, depending on your level of
    confidence with EMA and DECmcc.  Most of those documents also have
    pointers in that note.
    
    The only document I know of that you can't get online that you will
    definitely need is the "system reference manual".  You can learn a lot
    without it, but should order yourself a copy as soon as you can.
    
    Event handling is part of the DECmcc Director V1.1, which is the part
    of EMS that is dealt with in this notesfile, and the place for an AM
    that handles Alarms like the ones you describe.
    
    Minimally, you will have to model those aspects of your devices or
    package that originate Alarms.  Then the most limited possible AM would
    accept GETEVENT requests, allow the showing and setting of
    reference attributes, and allow the registration of your managed
    objects, which is very easy for you to get.  GETEVENT has a lot of
    generic support in DECmcc, and the registration FM supports your
    registration functions and reference attributes in a straightforward
    way.
    
    Finally, you will need a process (possibly this package being pieced
    together by NABNASSET) that will translate your Alarms into MCC Events,
    and deliver them to DECmcc so that they can be processed and delivered
    to the DECmcc interfaces.
    
    This does REQUIRE the DECmcc Director V1.1, which will be packaged on
    EMS/SMS soon... but I don't know details on that.
    
    Registering your managed objects allows them to be included in domains
    and displayed on our Iconic Map.  It may be required by our NOTIFY FM
    (I'm not sure) in order for Notification Services to collect these
    events and present them to the user.
    
    Anyway, the "Management Module Programming" guide is a good place to
    get an overview of what the features of DECmcc and what requirements you
    must meet to take advantage of these features.  Next place to spend
    some time is the SRM, which as far as I know is the only place for
    definitive information on Event collection and the services DECmcc
    offers in that direction.
    
    The toolkit also includes what we call MRMs (Module Reference Manuals)
    about all of the Management Modules currently in DECmcc.  The
    Notification Services MRM, the Registration MRM, and possibly the
    Alarms MRM are worth looking at as they provide the bulk of the
    services you are probably going to be interested in.
    
    Hope this helps get you started.
    
    -Jim Carey
    
    
    The outline I tossed out here for an event delivery system closely
    coincides with the model we used for performing the event delivery work
    for DECnet Phase 4, which works fine.
    
    
780.2a wild guess estimate is better than nothingTOOK::MATTHEWSFri Mar 22 1991 14:1934
    As to how much to bid,,,,
    I am the development manager for Decnet and OSI AMs and have been
    involved with DECmcc from before it started.
    
    We have had experience with bringing in developers from other parts
    of DEC and jump starting them on access module development. Currently
    we have 2 engineers from DEC Australia EIC working in LKG doing a
    project for an Australian Customer.
    
    They have the prototype AM doing registration, show, and set working
    in 9 intensive days of effort. I would estimate that within one
    month they will have a fairly polished product and their development
    is much more complex than just a simple AM. In addition they have
    to write a Mediator Server on a PC which talks to the AM.
    
    One of the engineers had a one week course in Developing an AM. The
    other one had only informal training via access to the toolkit. Both
    are very intense developers willing to work 10-12 hour days and
    are highly motivated to completing the task so they can go home. They
    are also very polished VMS users.
    
    For people with these kinds of skills, I would suggest that for the
    AM as described by Jim Carey in .1, that you need 1 man month per
    engineer to ramp up on DECmcc and another man month to actually do
    the prototype AM. I would suggest writing the contract for 3 man
    months for a minimal function AM and when successful you will have
    enough knowledge to write a follow on contract.
    
    You might also want to contact Jon Goodridge (TOOK::JSG) and get an
    engineer into MCC College into the course for designing Access 
    Modules. That might actually shorten the ramp up time and possibly
    reduce the effort of getting the minimum AM working.
    
    wally