Subject: Minutes of Directory SIG Meeting, December CIW

From: "Mel Jones (Phone: 919-254-4363)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 6 Dec 93 11:12:28 EST

The directory SIG met at the December CIW and agreed to AP for
the latest document draft (distributed 11/5).  Additions agreed
to include:  New directory_syntax and directory_encoding
parameters, new values for the partner_ID_type parameter, further
definition of CNSI objects.  Complete details follow below.  The
SIG agreed to move forward with a schedule of achieving CP at the
March meeting.

Detailed Minutes of Directory SIG Meeting, December CIW
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There were five main topics discussed at directory SIG meeting:
 1. Work history since Sept meeting
 2. Tutorial on concepts/proposal
 3. Information Request for CNSI (CPIC Name Service Interface),
    Appendix G
 4. Errata to 11/9 draft of document
 5. Other

1. Work history since Sept meeting
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The work history presented was as follows:
  o   Sept CIW meeting - 9/10/93
  o   Minutes of meetings distributed - 9/17/93
  o   Directory syntax/encoding parm discussion distributed
      - 10/8, 10/15
  o   Draft document distributed - 10/22
      -   New parms added for directory_syntax and
          directory_encoding
      -   New introductory section on directory concepts
  o   Distribution of modified text for syntax/encoding
      parms - 11/1
      -   Partial DN added
      -   TPSU_ENTRY_OID added
  o   SIG consensus for AP (with modifications) -  11/5
  o   Revised draft document (all changes) distributed -
      11/9
      -   Partial DN and TPSU_Entry_OID
      -   Changes to Extract_PID to be in line with R.
          Daugherty proposal
      -   Updated to show security values from security SIG

Detailed charts with background information on each of the items
above were presented and discussed.

2. Tutorial on concepts/proposal
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The tutorial section on concepts and proposal outlined the 17
pages at the front of the 11/5 proposal.  The charts were used to
aid discussion during the SIG meeting, but no formal presentation
was made.

3. Information Request for CNSI (CPIC Name Service Interface),
    Appendix G
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An information request for more details on the CNSI objects was
presented.  Information requested was to further specific attributes
and objects of the CNSI.  This information was presented and it was
agreed that it should be included in the AP document.

4. Errata to 11/9 draft of document
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Minor changes were presented to the 11/9 draft of the document, and
two other areas were identified.  The complete list of changes follows
below:

  o   Change CM_RETRY_LIMIT_EXCEEDED to 44 (from 45)
  o   Fix Characteristics table in Chapter 2 to show
      correct values in Accept_conversation column (should
      be equal to the values shown in the Accept_Incoming
      column).
  o   Add two pages of object definitions to Appendix G
  o   Change wording on length fields (both CMSPID and
      CMEPID) to clarify it is a byte-count.
  o   Add following Implementers Note to CMSPID
      NOTE TO IMPLEMENTERS:  As a performance aid, imple-
      mentations may begin concurrent access of the direc-
      tory after the program provides a partner_ID (either
      via side information or the Set_Partner_ID call)
      before the program issues an Allocate call.  This
      optimization does not affect the Set_Partner_ID call
      (it does not block) and the program will be unable to
      extract any retrieved directory information until
      after the Allocate.  An Extract_Partner_ID call
      issued before the Allocate will only return the
      partner_ID information set by the program.

5. Other
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It was pointed out that an implementation using a DCE directory
will require both an SNA connection out of the box (for CPIC) as
well as a TCP/IP connection (for DCE).  The use of an MPTN or
ANYNET-like product to map the TCP/IP flow onto APPC was
identified as a way to use only one connection, but a native APPC
connection for the directory flows was deemed most desirable.
This lack was noted as a failing in the current OSF code ship, which
provides only a TCP/IP-based solution.  One fix discussed:
Request that X/OPEN (which is currently looking at taking up DCE
as a standard) define a standard way to map the OSF code onto
APPC.

Summary
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The directory SIG had a very productive meeting at the December
CIW.  Progress was made on all discussion topics and AP was
agreed to for the 11/5 draft of the directory document (with
changes identified above).  The SIG plans to achieve CP at the
March meeting.

Regards,
Mel Jones
Directory SIG Coordinator