[Halld-controls] JInventory and slot number

[Hovanes Egiyan]

I just realized that the "Telecom" field is now used for the slot 
number, while
I was thinking it keeps  it's IP address or/and port name on the
console server.  Defining slot number as a part of the location and 
using controls
hierarchy will should define where it is and who is using it.

Going back to "Telecom", I think we need some telecommunications related 
fields like MAC address
etc.  We probably  need to keep track of the IP names (addresses can be 
found on
the name servers) for the devices using Ethernet, and the name of the 
ports on
the terminal server for the devices using serial console. Some devices 
have more than
one Ethernet ports. Keeping track of all this is extra work, but number 
of such devices is not
very large, but large enough to create mess without being tracked.
For modules that do not have Ethernet or serial ports we can use "N/A" 
for these fields.
The web page can have a section called "Telecom" where these fields are 
shown or
entered for the new items. I do not know if it is better to input the IP 
name ourselves or use
the MAC address to get the information from the computer center database.

Hovanes.


On 05/10/2012 11:20 AM, Elliott Wolin wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Hovanes makes a very good case for doing what I at first thought 
> wasn't a good idea.  It's also less work for me from a development 
> point of view, but means more work for everyone else, i.e. having to 
> enter more information into the database (not a big deal in my 
> opinion, especially given the "save as new" feature).
>
> So, if you have an opinion, what do you think..should we include slots 
> as separate items in the database, with housing parent, power parent, 
> etc, supplying housing, power, etc. to a module?
>
> Thanks,
>
>
>
>
> On 05/10/2012 10:19 AM, Hovanes Egiyan wrote:
>> Hi Elliott,
>>
>> when I was exercising with IRMIS I actually used slot as
>> a location type housed by the chassis, powered by the chassis,
>> and controlled by the controller in the crate. Note that
>> controller may or may not be housed by a slot, so it was one
>> of the cases of different ordering of items in the three hierarchies.
>> Same inversion applied for instance to the power supply of the crate 
>> which can
>> be considered to be inside the crate, controlled by something else,
>> powered from the power strip, while the crate is powered by the power 
>> supply.
>>
>> I do not see why "slot" is not a good item like a crate.  The housing
>> hierarchy for A-B channel would be something like this:
>> Bldg->[Floor]->Rack->Crate->Slot->Signal
>>
>> Hovanes.
>>
>>
>> On 05/10/2012 09:50 AM, Elliott Wolin wrote:
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> Josh asked for a telecom field in the JInventory system, which I 
>>> added.  In discussion with him we realized we need a place to put a 
>>> slot number or range of slot numbers.
>>>
>>> The housing hierarchy holds the parent id, so e.g. the parent of an 
>>> A-B module will be an A-B chassis.  But where to keep the slot 
>>> number?  I was planning to eliminate the five location tables.  I 
>>> could replace it with a single "location" field, but one that 
>>> wouldn't be unique (there will be many slot 5's).  I could add a 
>>> "slot" field specifically for this where you could enter a slot or 
>>> range of slots (e.g. "5" or "1-2").
>>>
>>> Specifying a parent is adequate for many but not all cases.  E.g. 
>>> the parent of an A-B chassis will be another entry corresponding to 
>>> a rack.  But there is no point in entering "slots" as independent 
>>> entries in the database.  Thus the need for an additional field.  
>>> "Slot" may suffice, maybe "location" is better, not sure...
>>>
>>> Thoughts?  Suggestions?
>>>
>