This message serves as the "meeting minutes" for the Printer MIB/MIF Project
(PMP) conference call held on Friday, October 18, from 1-3pm.
Participants of the conference call (may not be complete):
Chuck Adams Tektronix
Ron Bergman Dataproducts
Jeff Dunham Hewlett Packard
Tom Hastings Xerox
David Kellerman Northlake Software
Harry Lewis IBM
Jay Martin Underscore
Bob Pentecost Hewlett Packard
Jeff Schnitzer Underscore
Randy Turner Sharp
Lloyd Young Lexmark
Bill Wagner DPI
Scheduled issues to be resolved during the conference call:
1. The final textual descriptions for the chPort9100 and chAppSocket
channel types.
2. The final resolution of whether the prtChannelInformation MIB object
(aka prtChannelMagicCookie) should be included, and if so, what are
the semantics and syntax of the value?
Resolution of the chPort9100 and chAppSocket Channel Type Descriptions
Regarding the issue of the chPort9100 and chAppSocket channel types, it
was finally understood that this "issue" never existed in the first
place, and that the "issue" was merely a simple mistake on the part of
one of the PWG members. As such, this issue is now closed, and the
RFC-1759 descriptions remain as is.
Resolution of the prtChannelInformation MIB Object
The group agreed that the prtChannelInformation object was indeed useful
and should be added to the new Printer MIB draft. Following are the
salient aspects of the discussion and group consensus:
o The new chChannelInformation object will be added to the Channels
Group as a mandatory object.
o All prtChannelInformation object values are READ-ONLY; the values
must be set by the printer (or via proprietary management software).
o The object value is a "DisplayString", but is intended primarily for
machine processing and not human readability.
o The syntax of the string value is a series of keyword-value pairs,
in which the keyword and value is delimited by an equal sign ("=")
character, and pairs are delimited by linefeed characters.
(NOTE: case sensitivity was not discussed during the meeting, neither
for the keyword nor the value; this remains an open issue!)
o Keywords can have multiple values; however, multiple values are
specified via repetition of the keyword for each valid value.
o The precise set of valid keywords and related values are dependent
upon the associated channel type value.
o Not all channel types will have definitions specified for a related
prtChannelInformation object; only those channel types requiring
such "extra" information will be defined. Specifically, the group
noted that the PWG should not attempt to define keywords for any
channel type for which a known requirement can not be demonstrated.
The group anticipated that only about a half-dozen channel types
should have keywords defined at this time.
o Each channel type that uses the related prtChannelInformation object
will have an appropriate specification for the content and related
syntax for that prtChannelInformation object.
o The specification for any keyword should include a description of
the nature (ie, intended use, etc) of the keyword; the kinds of
allowed values (syntax, etc); whether the keyword has one or
multiple values; and whether the keyword is mandatory or optional.
o Non-standard keywords can be part of the prtChannelInformation
value; any unrecognized keywords should be ignored by a management
station (and should not be considered a protocol error).
o The complete set of standard keywords (ie, all keywords for all
channel types) are registered using the same mechanism as defined
for "Type 2 Enum" values for the Printer MIB.
o Since the existing chPort9100 channel type is simply a specific
instance of either the chPortTCP or chBidirPortTCP, the chPort9100
enum should be deprecated IFF there is no serious objection.
Specifically, unless someone can demonstrate that their product
currently employs chPort9100 in a product, then this enum should be
deprecated. (See "Action Items" below.)
o The goal is to have the *complete* specifications for all keywords
and values defined by the upcoming New Orleans meeting; a conference
call is tentatively scheduled for this effort on:
Wednesday, October 30, 1-3pm EST
o Volunteers will "sign up" to draft initial specs for keywords for
particular channel types, and that these drafts should be posted to
the PWG mailing list for general discussion BEFORE the proposed
conference call.
Open Issues
1. Case sensitivity, both for the keyword and related value(s).
(Jay suggests that the KEYWORDS should be case INSENSITIVE,
but that the VALUES should be case SENSITIVE. ;-)
2. Should the prtChannelInformation object be a "DisplayString" or an
OCTET-STRING?
Action Items
1. Lloyd Young will post a "Request for Objections" message to the PWG
list asking whether anyone would object to the deprecation of the
chPort9100 channel type in the new Printer MIB draft.
2. Dave Kellerman will post an updated version of his original draft
text so as to include the group consensus on content, syntax, etc.
(Note: David has since completed this action item as of Sunday, Oct 20)
3. Volunteers are needed to define keyword specifications for particular
channel types.
4. Lloyd Young will arrange for a second conference call to complete
discussions on specific prtChannelInformation object value specs.
In closing, the general feeling among the group was that this two-hour
conference call was one of the more productive sessions conducted within
the PWG in quite a while! (It should be noted that Tom Hastings has been
urging the PWG to employ conference calls for quite some time now.)
...jay
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-- JK Martin | Email: jkm at underscore.com --
-- Underscore, Inc. | Voice: (603) 889-7000 --
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