Conference azur::mcc

    re:.0
    
    There are three completely different ways to answer your questions, viz:
    	what does the shipping version (DECmcc v1.1) do
    	what will DECmcc V1.2 do
    	what is possible with DECmcc
    Beware that any answers to your questions might not always indicate
    which flavour of the question is being answered!
    
3. What is the level of manageability of PATHWORKS nodes and DECnet objects?
    
    	You really need to ask the PATHWORKS folks - I don't know what
    	conference they follow - someone else might.
    
    
4. Which OSI/ISO standards does the product compy with (in whole or in 
   part)?
    
    Completely comply:
    	7498-4 - OSI Management Framework
    	10040  - OSI Systems Management Overview
    
    Comply with the appropriate Access Module (eg. for NMF) and Agent PM
    when they become available:
    	9595	CMIS
    	9596	CMIP
    
    Consistent with
    	10165-1	Management Information Model (cf. EMA Entity Model)
    
    In v1.2, we might (BUT IT'S NOT BEEN ANNOUNCED) be consistent with
    some of the Systems Management Functions (10164).
    
    
5. Which other standards does the product compy with?
    
    In the Internet/SNMP space, we are currently implementing the RFCs:
    	1066 MIB I
    	1065 SMI
    	1098 SNMP
    in the shipping version of the SNMP AM.
    
    In the next version of the SNMP AM (but we've not announced it yet) we
    intend to implement the folllowing RFCs (or their replacements):
    	1155 SMI
    	1156 MIB I
    	1157 SNMP
    	1158 MIB II
    	
    	
6. Any Artificial Intelligence capability in the products?
    
    Yup. In MCC v1.0 (the original product) we had (and still have) a
    significant product capability in our Alarms FM, which implements a
    (user-specifiable, no less!) rules based alarm detection system
    (which can detect both problems and normal operation).
    In our Fault Diagnostic Assistants, which are under development, we
    are also implementing Symptom-directed fault diagnostics capabilities.
    

1. What is the level provided for automatic addition of managed entities?

	The V1.1 release of MCC does not provide any mechanism for
	"automatic" addition of managed entities into a domain. Since
	you cross posted this in the MSU conference as well, it is worth
	noting that MSU does supply a limited auto addition of detected
	entities. This type of function is scheduled for V1.2 MCC release.

2. What is the overhead incurred by products?

	The name DECmcc is a product family name encompassing EMA and
	non-EMA compliant products. The overhead associated with each of
	them differs, while it is still important to note that estimates
	of overhead in all are directly effected by the amount of management
	to be done with/through the product and the number and type of
	entities to be managed. If you have an idea of what is to be
	managed that would help in defining the overhead associated with
	the mangement task. I believe you will find some guidelines on
	estimating overhead in the product description or DECmcc introduction.

7. How does the product provide a Directory of entities?
	
	The user is responsible for determining how the network is to be
	"viewed". This process, of setting up the network, is called 
	registration. During this process the user defines which entities
	are to be known/recognized by the MCC system and how they are to
	be viewed via Domains. The directory command in MCC goes out to
	the registration information to determine if the entire registry
	or a subset (a specific domain) directory is being requested and
	returns the appropriate information from the registration datastore.

8. What is the level of problem isolation, diagnosis and correction?

	The EMA compliant DECmcc products provide the user with a base system
	and some added value modules. These modules, and the functions they
	provide can fall into one of two categories. They can be specific
	to a class of entities (like bridges or phase 4 nodes), or they
	can be generic and supply a set of services that apply to all/any
	entity class. The "level of problem isolation, diagnosis and correction"
	is therefore dependent upon what type of entities are to be managed
	and therefore what set of services apply. Some of the generic
	services available for diagnosis and correction are the notification
	and alarming services as well as the performance analyzer. 

9. What are the product's reporting capabilites?

	DECmcc has a reports package with some predefined reports. But more
	important it has the historical recording and exporting functions 
	which allow you to store historical data within MCC or export any
	attribute data on any entity out to an external (rdb) database
	which can then be accessed and used/manipulated outside of MCC 
	so that you can generate your own reports.

>
> 1. What is the level provided for automatic addition of managed entities?
>

Jill answered this question from one perspective (probably the correct one!).
Let me try from another...

1) If point products like NMCC/VAX ETHERnim and RBMS/DECelms are present,
   utilities are provided with DECmcc V1.1 to populate DECmcc with those
   entities. The entities are Registered (and can be added to a domain
   either by one of John Egolf's .COM files or by editing the .COM file
   generated by the utilities).

2) If DECnet IV is present on the system, a utility (a .COM file)
   provided by DECmcc V1.1 will Register all Phase IV nodes contained
   in the DECnet database.

3) There's a .COM file somewhere that will do "2" above, but for SNMP
   entities.

						Chris

    
    With regards to the level of fault isolation and resolution, it is
    worth mentioning that the DECmcc EMS and SMS kits come with a
    bookreader version of Digital's Network Troubleshooting Guide.  Some
    extremely useful approaches to resolving common network problems is
    provided in the NTG, and it should be considered a part of Digital's
    solution to managing networks.  
    
    Mike