In working on the Cloud spec, we decided that Resource, Transform, and Copy
Services were not to be considered. EmailIn and Email Out services we to be
dropped from the Semantic Model entirely. That left Print, Scan, FaxOut and
FaxIn Cloud services that might involve connection to a 'local' service.
FaxIn remains an unusual service in that it does not involve an explicit
CreateJob or, indeed, any specific Job-related communication with a User. It
may involve creation of a user-specific FaxInAvailableJobTicket, which
defines how an incoming Fax is to be handled. In the MFD Model, I don't
think we ever defined how a FaxInAvailableJobTicket was provided to a FaxIn
Service. Conceptually, it could be either be via some out of band
management operation, or possible a SetFaxInJobElements or a
SetFaxInServiceElements operation. Presumably SetFaxInServiceElements makes
the most sense, understanding that there will typically be multiple
FaxInAvailableJobTickets with different Imaging Metrics.
The interface to a FaxIn Service is therefore most reasonably an
administrative operation.
The rationale for a Cloud FaxIn service is shaky but probably as valid as
for a Cloud FaxOut service: Fax Modems could be in the Cloud or 'Local";
incoming fax destinations can be local or in the cloud. Therefore, although
the User Client to Cloud Service connection would just be administrative,
incoming facsimile messages to a Cloud FaxIn Service may require creating a
Job that is sent to a local FaxIn Service (although it could be just a
print Service or a storage service). Incoming facsimile messages to a Local
FaxIn Service could require both notification and upload of the facsimile
message to a Cloud FaxIn Service, although such transfers could be out of
band from the model. Presently, we have not provided any mechanism for the
Proxy to create a job in the Cloud Service (do we want to?)
So.long story short, should we:
1. Drop FaxIn from the Cloud Model
2. Allow a Cloud FaxIn Service to create a Job from an incoming Fax,
and then relay the fax data to a Local FaxIn Service for printing and/or
local storage
3. Also allow a LocalFaxIn Service to create a Job from an incoming
Fax and relay the fax data to a Cloud FaxIn service for storage?
There are also some parallel questions for FaxOut. Should the Cloud
Model consider:
A. Just configurations where the Fax Modem is 'Local' (fax transmitted
and locally generated from locally scanned hardcopy and/or Digital Data
obtained by the local FaxOut (or Proxy) Service or Digital Data pulled from
the Cloud FaxOut Service.)
B. Also configurations where the Fax Modem is in the Cloud (fax
generated from uploaded locally scanned hardcopy and/or uploaded Digital
Data obtained by the local FaxOut or Proxy, or Digital Data otherwise
accessed by the Cloud FaxOut Service.
It might be noted that whatever we decide, FaxIn should be addressed in the
SM3 specification.
Many thanks for your consideration.