Lerner's CMIP



Services: I offer services of CMIP protocol development on HP OVDM platform (Openview-XOM/XMP), based on my extensive CMIP software development in 1994-1997. We offer these services:
CMIP software development based on HP OVDM platform (XOM/XMP) .. more ..
GDMO object model refining/defining/explaining for TMN applications (TMN information models)
developing mediation functions around CMIP/ACSE/ASN.1
bridging CMIP ( ACSE) adaptors between HP OVDM and other vendors ( explanation )
implementing the CMIP "scoping and filtering" in a practical and efficient way.
About CMIP protocol: CMIP is a family of object-oriented protocols for Network Management defined by a series of ISO protocols for use in Telecommunications (TMN). My involvement in CMIP was my own hands-on experience, and also my leading the team of engineers in 1994-1998 in a Alcatel-initiated TMN project (codename ALMA-CCS7), core interfaces of which were CMIP-based. Applications using CMIP continue to be used for remote management of telephone exchanges. ..more..
Who we are: I want to open a small company to provide above mentioned software services. My email is qlerner@netvision.net.il .
A CMIP-related excerpt from my resume is here.
More ... CMIP-related excerpt from my resume is here. (For the full resume email me: qlerner@netvision.net.il )
A word about CMIP/ACSE/XOM/XMP/OVDM is here.

CMIP-related excerpt from my resume

Jacob Lerner - Team Leader  - Tekem Inc (Israel), for Alcatel;   07/94 to May 1998

1994-1998 Designed, then lead development and integration  of all communications-related software in the large(50-man-years) telephony network-management project (codename ALMA-CCS7)

*  three communication adaptors for OSI network management protocols (tools: Unix, CMIP, HP OpenView, XOM/XMP).
* socket-based generic interprocess library for massively distributed Unix-based system (tools: C, sockets, Unix)
* IPC message simulation mechanism including message parsing/generators for
communication infrastructure for massively distributed Unix-based TMN system (HPUX). Designed IPC message simulation mechanism.
* Java wrappers for "C" functions in Unix (JNI - Java Native Interface, C)

In this 50-man-year project, I designed and lead integration of all communications software. Communications software included generic project-wide IPC, specific protocol adaptors, simulation software. The customer of the project was Alcatel(Germany/Belgium), the manufacturer of telephone switches. Design was based on Unix sockets, HP OpenView and CMIP protocols, ASN.1 tools, and Oracle database.

A word about CMIP/ACSE/XOM/XMP/OVDM

CMIP protocol stack has 7 layers (as ISO/OSI model goes: application, session, presentation, plus 4 lower layers under the transport level), but from the practical point of view of CMIP implementor, number of "layers of understanding" is greater that "seven OSI layers". CMIP protocol(s) are more complex that Internet protocols.

I would describe additional five "software layers" (s-layers) of understanding, in addition to "seven ISO/OSI layers", as follows: 

"s-layer 12" equipment-specific GDMO , expressed in XOM/XMP
"s-layer 11" ISO-generic GDMO definitions, expressed in XOM/XMP
"s-layer 10" equipment-specific GDMO, expressed in ASN.1
"s-layer  9" ISO-generic GDMO, expressed in ASN.1
"s-layer  8" exquisite memory management details of XOM/XMP API
My involvement with CMIP was three-fold: I learned the platform in-depth and wrote the code myself, I educated my team members about CMIP, and I lead design and development of our project's CMIP software.

XOM/XMP is HP OpenView ( which see ) name for HP's API for CMIP, that is, OpenView's way of programming the CMIP services. XOM/XMP is considered complex, and I agree with this grading. There is a good reason for XOM/XMP to be complex, though: the reason is the complexity of CMIP protocol itself.

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About ACSE protocol.

ACSE stands for "Association Control Service Elements".

ACSE is a part of CMIP protocol stack, a protocol which is responsible for opening and closing the "sessions". Because of subtle differences in implementation of ACSE among CMIP vendors, it requires large amount of work to bridge CMIP software from different vendors. Sometimes even to bridge different versions of CMIP platforms from same vendor can be challenging.

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HP OpenView CMIP Platform and Tools: HP-OVDM

HP OpenView Telecom (also called DM TMN platform, or HP OpenView DM, or OVDM, or HP OVC/DM) is set of essential development tools for the CMIP protocol development. (HP CMIP tools are described in HP site here or here ).

From the programmer's point of view, HP OVDM tools consists of:

It is worth mentioning that in order to make use of OpenView, one needs this additional component: set of relevant ISO/ITU standards. CMIP standards do not come packaged with OpenView platform. Standards are usually purchased from ITU (International Telecommunication Union, a.k.a CCITT) or from ISO (International Standards Organization) organizations. Standards which codify CMIP are M-series (TMN) and X-series (protocols).
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