Subject: APPN Item 8266

From: "J. G. Dudley (444/4358)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 1 Aug 95 14:20:13 EDT

APPN products are not required to implement the NOF interface as
described in the APPN Architecture Reference.  Each products is free to
implement whatever NOF interface meets their customers' needs.
Nonetheless, the NOF interface is an important part of the APPN node
model; it allows illustration of the types of functions that can be
performed by the node operator and provides insight into how node
operator functions might interwork with the other APPN components.
NOF interface issues should not be the overriding concern, but I
believe it is appropriate that the documentation for APPN architectural
extensions continue to include modeling of the NOF interface.

Gary Dudley
IBM APPN Architecture Team

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From: "jim (j.) cobban" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 2 Aug 1995 09:23:00 -0400

>extensions continue to include modeling of the NOF interface.

The first problem with this philosophy is that all of the discussion on this
feature has concentrated on different views of what the NOF interface should
look like.  I do not believe that it is practicable to achieve consensus on
the details of the NOF interface, and I believe the group would agree that
failure to achieve such consensus should NOT block closure on this feature.

The second problem is that the title of the item focusses on the operator
command, and not on the functionality which is provided to the user.  I
believe this is a mistake which we should try to avoid on this and any future
architecture item.  Perhaps if the title had not emphasized the operator
command, the discussion would not have focussed on the command.

The third problem is that when requests for change to the functionality
described by the NOF interface chapter have been raised in the past by
members of the AIW, IBM has objected to them on the specific grounds that the
NOF interface is only present as a guideline.  Turn-about is fair play.
Conversely if IBM is going to insist upon inclusion of these NOF details in
this item, then Nortel will insist upon reintroducing our requirements for
changes to the NOF interface. 

Jim Cobban   |  [email-masked]                        |  Phone: (613) 763-8013
BNR Ltd.     |  bnrgate.bnr.ca!bcars153!jcobban       |  FAX:   (613) 763-5199
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|   The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily     |
|   represent the opinions of Bell-Northern Research or Northern Telecom.     |