Subject: Validation BOF Minutes

From: "Erika Lewis (T/L 444-4475)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 27 Oct 94 13:37:50 EDT

Following are the minutes for the AIW 6 Validation BOF.  Thanks to all who
participated.  I hope to see some test spec comments on this mail exploder
over the next couple of months.  And around the beginning of the new year
we'll start discussion about the specifics of the next connectathon.

Thanks again for your active participation and see you next quarter at the
APPN Multivendor Connectivity Test Part II!

Erika

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Validation BOF at AIW6
 Chairperson - Erika Lewis, IBM
 10/13/94 12 - 1:30 PM
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 These notes were taken by Candy Elder (APPN Architecture, IBM).

 Erika Lewis opened the meeting by saying that it was important to
 define the goals and role of the Validation BOF.  To that end, she
 proceeded down her agenda.

 Conformance -

 Test Spec Status:
   Editor named - Richard Crump

   EN implementers' test spec submitted by DCL.
       Between 1000 to 2000 test one-liners
   NN spec should be reviewed by everyone.

 Erika asked how should we keep track of APPN certification?

 John Palombo (DCL) suggested each does their own test and states the
 completion of the test to AIW, for self-certification.
 Your word is good.

 Burt Gearhart (ACT) would like to know which 1 liners hit which
 functions.

 Tom Winn (Cisco) will map the NN 1 liners to the functions numbers.
 His internet address is [email-masked].

 IBM APPN Architecture plans to review the EN and NN Base and Options.

 Stan Ratliff (OpenConnect) said we need to be reasonable, but fairly
 hard nosed, about conformance to base function sets.  The decision of
 whether or not a given function set should be base or optional should
 be dealt with in the Architecture Reference SIG.

 Erika (IBM) by the next AIW, review and comment on the test spec.,
 electronically.

 Ralph Case (IBM) suggested piecewise review of the test spec.  Share
 your comments electronically as you review the test spec.  No need to
 complete the review, before sharing your comments.

 Ron Sanders (Wall Data) requested optional functions that are in the
 test spec., be mapped to a function number, too.

 Start to organize the test spec., by base function everyone can agree on.

 Erika will request Richard Crump put a Word version of the original
 document on the repository, so it can be edited.
 Note from Erika:  Ralph Case has completed this item.

 There was some discussion of whether passage of the test specs can be
 grandfathered. John Palombo (DCL) said this should be allowed in keeping
 with the license agreements, that is if a vendor ports code and doesn't
 change it materially, he would not have to retest all the one liners.
 There was general agreement that this would be acceptable.

 Try to reach agreement on the base functions by the next AIW.
 At that time will further discuss how to track.

 Interoperability -

 Consensus to have a connectivity test in 1Q95.

 Wellfleet offered to host the test in Massachusetts, as did
 IBM in Raleigh.

 Can it be done remotely?

 Anson Chen (Cisco) interested because it would give APPN some needed
 publicity.

 Neil Collins (DCL) suggested a compromise or a test of remote by having
 most vendors at one site, but allow one or two vendors to tie in
 remotely.

 Maybe have all companies remote and a person from each company on site.
 Would need entry criteria for the test.

 Finally agreed for next connectivity test to have it at one site
 with one or two vendors remote and possibly tie in a couple of
 other vendors' test networks for a larger overall test network.

 Consensus for Raleigh.

 Erika (IBM) has received a note from someone associated with INTEROP
 asking if vendors would be interested in having APPN on the backbone at
 INTEROP in March.  There was interest, with the following companies
 indicating they would want to participate:
 Wellfleet, Cisco, Wall Data, OpenConnect, InSession,  Attachmate,
 IBM, 3COM, Memorex Telex, Tandem.

 Erika suggested, due to timing, we should combine the connectivity test
 with INTEROP hotstaging.

 Dawn Comfort (IBM) asked for the name of each participant's marketing
 contact.  The test week would be allocated with Monday - Thursday for
 connectivity and Friday for Interop preparation.

 The test dates would be the end of Feb. or beginning of March.

 Entry criteria - agreed to not make any stricter now.

 Start online discussion of what implementers want to include in test.
 Paul Phillips suggested using Frame Relay or other  environments that
 would interest the press.
 Some other suggestions for the Connectivity test included:
   Need backlevel nodes (IBM and OEM) and LEN nodes.
   Want to set up extended border nodes (to include remote sites).
   Could test/demo with ASUITE. Avail. on OS/2, VTAM 4.2, AIX.
   Get 3270 emulators and run DLUR/DLUS.

 Other -

 Erika stated that Tim Huntley put some tools on the Internet server-
 networking.raleigh.ibm.com .  Other vendors are welcome/encouraged to
 share some of their test tools.

 Burt Gearhart (ACT) has provided a matrix of which products do which
 base and option functions.  OPTSETS.ZIP and OPTSETS.WKS will be
 on the repository (networking.raleigh.ibm.com).  The first is a zipped
 version of the second file, which is a LOTUS 123 file.  Put your
 changes in incoming and Burt will update.  File in VALIDATION.DOC .

 Want to get HPR requirements. Want NN-NN testing increased.

 Need 1 liners for HPR. John Palombo said DCL will consider doing
 the HPR 1 liners.