Minutes Middleware Meeting 28 April 99
=======================================

Present: K. Kostro, A. Risso, V. Baggiolini
         F. Di Maio, M. Vanden Eynden

Agenda
======
- Use Cases
- Requirements capture
- AOB

Use Cases
=========
It was not clear whether or not use cases shall be run at the Middleware project level or at a higher application level.
It has been decided that members of the MW project will attend some Use Cases sessions foreseen in the scope of the SPS-2001 project (client of the MW), starting new week.
The results of these sessions will be discussed in the MW project and a decision will then be made about any further usage of Use Cases and about the implication of F.Bouchet from Compaq.

Requirements Gathering
======================

Several additional requirements have been prepared by Alex and Vito concerning non-functional aspects like memory constraints and scalabilty.
Some figures about scalability have also been gathered by Kris.
All these requirements will be added in the URD.
Kris and Vito will also discuss maintenance and administration requirements with SL/CO/FE and N.DeMetz Nobalt.
Vito and Marc will analyse the input received from the SL Alarm team, add the relevent parts into the URD and have a meeting with them.
Marc will also meet JJ.Gras from SL/BI to get more input about requirements at the server level.
It is foreseen to review the URD on Wednesday May 5.
As a summary, the following people will be involved in this process : M.Tyrrell, Pedro, Alastair, JJ.Gras, J.Lewis and N.Demetz Noblat.

It was also agreed that the white paper will propose a strategy based on the requirements document and on the preliminary technology tests already performed. 

AOB
===

- N.Trofimov is currently evaluating OmniOrb and is experiencing some problems for linking C++ code on the AIX cross-development platform for LynxOS.
- Alessandro has asked for a trial licence for the Martin Lockheed HARDPACK product
- Some encourgaing interoperability tests have been carried out between Visibroker (Windows NT and Java) and OmniOrb (AIX and C++).
- Case Tools :

   - Marc is evaluating COOLjex (old Object Team) from Sterling Software. It is a complete OOA/D development tool supporting group development, UML and OO code generation. It has been agreed that a presentation will be made after some evaluation to determine if PS and SL could use the same development tool in the future.

   - The evaluation of JBuilder is still on the way and some instabilities have been observed. The development of Java Beans seems very effective.

- Java API : Franck stressed the fact that the Java API will only offer all its functionalities when the MW will be installed. Two aspects will have to be addressed soon :
   - what kind of support PS and SL will offer for the Java API in the meantime and with which limitations (no subscription, availability on NT, ...) ?
   - When will the MW project develop some prototype connections betwwen the MW and the Java API and when will the final Java API + MW solution be available ?

It was agreed that these points will be addressed in June, at the end of the Java API project.

Actions:
========

- Add Kris, Alex and Vito requirements in the URD : Marc
- Analyse Alarm team input, update URD and discuss with Alarm team : Marc, Vito
- Organize meeting with SL/CO/FE and N.Demetz Noblat for capturing maintenance and administration requirements : Kris, Vito
- Contact SL/BI and add server side requirements in URD : Marc (Vito ?)
- Send program of SPS-2001 Use Cases sessions to MW team + invitation : Marc
- continue technology tests (all persons already involved in this issue)

Comments to Marc VDE.