Subject: Validation BOF minutes

From: "Erika Lewis (T/L 444-4475)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 25 Jul 94 17:23:12 EDT

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 Validation BOF at AIW5
 6/28/94 12 - 1:30 PM
 _____________________________________________________

 These notes were taken by Candy Elder (APPN Architecture, IBM).

 Erika Lewis lead the BOF.  She began by discussing the procedures
 and results of the "APPN Multivendor Connectivity Test" (AMCT),
 which was held from 6/21 to 6/24/94, at the IBM RTP Building 500
 Test Laboratory.

 In response to a vendor request, Erika provided two additional mechanisms
 for vendors to test their implementations with VTAM.

 (1) APPN Interoperability Test Service (AITS)
     contact: Erika Lewis (919)254-4475

 (2) VTAM Early Test Program at the IBM Service Center in Dallas, Texas
     contact: Dave Kappell(817)961-8587

 *************************************************************************
 ***  Begin questions (Q_), answers (A_), requests(R_), and comments (C_).
 *************************************************************************

 (Q1) How long will the VTAM V4R2 test service be available in Dallas?
 (A1) Erika will find out and put the answer on the aiw_bof_validation
      mail exploder.

 (Q2) Does the interoperability test provide certification?
 (A2) No.  Vendors will receive a report of the test results that they
      may show their customers.

 (Q3) How often will the APPN Multivendor Connectivity Tests be held?
 (A3) Probably every 6 months.  The exact dates of the next AMCT will
      be determined at the next AIW.

 (C4) It would be good to have LEN implementations in the AMCT.
 (A4) General agreement.

 (Q5) Would the AMCTs continue to be back to back weeks?
 (A5) That would be open to participant vote.

 (Q6) IBM (Jim Fletcher) asked what kind of problems were found in the AMCT?
 (A6) - Incorrect handling of reserved bits in messages from VTAM.
      - OEM code does not properly handle changing a NN to an EN.
        May require additional APPN architecture to correct problem.

 (C7) Data Connection Limited (DCL, Neil Collins) recommended making
      sure you have the latest SNA Formats as some fields have been
      updated.

 (Q8) 3Com (Howard Blevins) asked if we could do the connectivity
      test remotely, e.g. through frame relay.
 (A8) Erika said they would consider having WAN connectivity tests
      available for the next AMCT.  Possibilities will be discussed
      when the next AMCT is planned.

 (R9) Data Connection Limited (DCL) stated that EN and DLUR tests
      should be added to the APPN test spec.

 (R9) Erika requested AIW input to the APPN test spec.

 (Q10) Who is the editor of the APPN test spec.?
 (A10) There is no current editor.

 (C11) Marcia Peters said that the Validation BOF could become a SIG
       if a deliverable was provided with consensus of the BOF.

 (Q12) DCL (John Palombo) said that the test specs. were originally
       put together to provide certification to allow use of the APPN
       logo.  Is anyone using these test specs. for that purpose?
 (A12) Wall Data (Miles Ulrich) commented that he thought
       interoperability tests were more meaningful than conformance
       tests and APPN logo usage should be based on interoperability.

 (R13) Erika said that interoperability was important, but self
       certification per the test specs. is a requirement so it would
       be in the EN vendors' best interest to contribute to the specs.
 (A13) Miles said that Wall Data would consider contributing EN specs.
       DCL also offered to help with EN specs.

 (C14) Miles stated that he still believes an APPN vendor could provide
       a good implementation of an APPN EN or NN and not provide all
       the function in the test spec.

 (C15) DCL commented that if a vendor believes certain base functions
       should be optional, this is a comment for the APPN architecture
       group rather than a test spec. issue.  There was general
       agreement.

 (R16) Burt Gearhart (ACT) will put a LOTUS wks file containing
       IBM and OEM APPN product implementation of base function and
       options on networking.vnet.ibm.com.
       Burt requested that each APPN product review their information
       for accuracy, make necessary corrections, rename the file
       to their product or company name, and ftp to
       networking.vnet.ibm.com.  Burt will include the option sets
       that SDTF handles.

 (R17) An index of files on networking.vnet.ibm.com was requested.

 (C18) To test DLUR, need test capability for multi-subnet and
       border node.

 (Q19) Where (Dallas or AITS) is there capability to adequately test
       DLUR.
 (A19) The AITS can include multi-subnet, border node, or any other
       configuration required by a participating vendor.  Multiple
       networks and border node was also executed at the AMCT last week
       and can be planned for the next AMCT.
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------

 The next 2 bullets are follow-up to questions or comments raised
 during the validation BOF:

 (F1) Erika has spoken with Dallas and they said they could continue
      offering connectivity to VTAM V4R2 until V4R3 is available if there
      is a requirement.

 (F2) Richard Crump from Wellfleet Communications has been nominated to
      be editor of the test specs and has accepted the nomination.  If
      anyone else is interested or has other nominations, let Erika know.
      If no other nominations are received by the end of next week
      (8/5/94), Richard will become editor.