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| d | i | g | i | t | a | l | INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
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To: Everyone in OpenVMS Engineering Date: May, 1997
From: Ginnie Ely, Project Leader
QAR Replacement Project
Dept: QTV
Loc : ZKO3-4/Z34
DTN : 381-1912
Net : STAR::ELY
Subject: QAR Replacement Project Newsletter - VOL 1, Issue 4
Welcome to the fourth issue of the QAR Replacement Project Newsletter
which contains updates about our pilot projects as well as news about
the implementation of the new system on ZKO3-4.
This Newsletter is being sent out by Email, placed as a REPLY to
note 78 in the OpenVMS_ORG Notes conference, and can be found in both
STAR::SYS$PUBLIC and BULOVA::SYS$PUBLIC as QARREPLACE_NEWSLETTER_4.TXT.
All feedback and questions should be sent to Ginnie Ely (STAR::ELY).
MULTIHELP is coming to ZKO3-4 !!!!
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At long last we have installed MULTIHELP in the ZK03-4 lab and
are currently setting up the environment and customizing the user
interface. When node registration is complete the name of the machine
will be QARVMS and it will be accessible both inside and outside
the ZKO3-4 firewall. We are using a VAX 6000 for the short run and
will be ordering an Alpha 2100 in FY98 for long term implementation.
We will "borrow" the improvements to the user interface developed by
Tom Maney in LKG (see PATHWORKS Server pilot status report below for
more details on the work Tom has done for that pilot.) There will be
a web interface as well as the CLI and MAIL interfaces.
I will be providing you with more information shortly. As a refresher
on why MULTIHELP is the tool of choice to replace QAR I suggest you
reread the first QAR Replacement Newsletter at:
STAR::SYS$PUBLIC:QARREPLACE_NEWSLETTER.TXT or
BULOVA::SYS$PUBLIC:QARREPLACE_NEWSLETTER.TXT or
See notes conference OpenVMS_ORG note 78.0
In the next addition of this Newsletter I will let you know what the
plans are to implement the transition from the old QAR system to the
new MULTIHELP system. Various projects are being considered as
candidates to begin QAR reporting using MULTIHELP.
For those of you who would like to do some early reading, the most
recent versions of the MULTIHELP documentation can be found at:
BULOVA::SYS$PUBLIC:MULTI*.PS
MULTIHELP Pilot Project updates:
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1. PATHWORKS Server group pilot:
Tom Maney from the PATHWORKS Server group's MULTIHELP pilot has
provided the following status report.
1) Multihelp is being used full time by the engineering group and
by all field test customers (dec internal and external customers).
The pathworks multihelp pilot will continue until the release
of Pathworks V6 in Auguest.
We currently have around 150 field test sites of which 51 are
external customer sites. These field test sites have generated
a fair number of qars. In general the informal feedback about
the multihelp system is positive. There have been a number of
www interface suggestions made by the field test customers, and
we have implemented many of these suggestions.
2) Since the last status update, the major thrust of my enhancements
have centered around providing Solutions www interface
functionality. The Pathworks multihelp www interface now allows
the engineering team to create solutions articles, and allows the
customers to query the solution knowledgebase for such articles.
We also continue to use the ODBC interface to generate special
reports. This allows us a very quick and effective way to
generate data and reports that people request. The most recent
request was to find out who in the engineering team has answered
the most qars last week (so that they can get a little reward).
It took very little effort to get this info and to format it into
a usable report mechanism that can be used weekly.
I am also constantly enhancing various features that already exist.
As the engineers use the system, they have made requests about
making it better.
3) I have been in contact with a number of Digital groups who are
interested in the html/javascript modifications that I have made
to the www interface.
4) The SIO support team continues to be responsive to the many inquires
and questions that I have asked. Recently I sent to them a list of
my v2.2 wishlist suggestions so that they could investigate them
for inclusion into the upcoming product development engineering work
that was being defined.
5) we are currently in the process of upgrading to the v2.1 release
of Multihelp. This release will solve a number of bugs and issues
that we have reported to SIO.
2. Sustaining Engineering Pilot:
SIO Technologies has provided a new version of MULTIHELP which contains
the ability to set up an unlimited number of adhoc user assignable
fields. Sustaining Engineering required this addition functionality
in order for them to process the numerous fields of information that
are passed in from IPMT. In addition, Sustaining Engineering requested
that the bridge from IPMT be made two-way, so that they could proceed
with the pilot as a more realistic day-to-day working environment.
The bridge work is progressing slowly since John Lawson, the engineer
from SIO Tech who is doing the work became a new father and is taking
some time off. Once the two-way bridge is complete a 6-week period
will be set for the final pilot period of this implementation.
Following the 6-week period, Sustaining Engineering will provide a
report.
Rename that "QAR" Contest:
-------------------------
Martin King was declared the winner of the "Rename that QAR"
contest back in October, 1996 because he was the first person to
submit the suggestion that we keep the name "QAR" since that is
the name we are all familiar with. Martin received a gift
certificate. Thank you, Martin.
We are making excellent progress. Let's keep up the momentum. Ask
questions as soon as they occur. Be creative in your thinking about
how to make the best use of the new sytem in order for your project to
run more smoothly.
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