Distributed Name Service (DNS) Management Programming Manual

Glossary
Glossary–18 46958 Tandem Computers Incorporated
Subsystem-object type number. In DNS, an integer used to identify a subsystem-object
type, passed to the SSINIT procedure in commands that apply to an instances of this
subsystem-object type. The owner . subsystem number . subsystem-object type
number grouping always provides a unique identifier for the subsystem-object type
that is independent of the subsystem-object type name assigned by a particular user.
Developers of management applications may always use the owner . subsystem
number . subsystem-object type number grouping to refer internally to the
subsystem-object type; DNS provides a programmatic command for translating the
grouping to the type name, and vice versa. This approach assures portability for
management applications without concern for subsystem-object type name conflicts.
Subsystem-object type number in DNS has the same meaning as object-type
number in other NSM-related products. (See that term.)
Subsystem owner. A value identifying the company that supplies a particular
subsystem. It consists of a name of up to eight characters, blank-filled on the right.
The owner for all subsystems supplied by Tandem is TANDEMb/b/. The subsystem
owner, the subsystem number, and the subsystem version number make up the
subsystem ID that uniquely identifies the subsystem.
Subsystem Programmatic Interface. A common, message-based interface that can be used
to build and decode messages used for communication between requesters and
servers—for instance, in a management application. It includes procedures to build
and decode specially formatted messages (as described under “SPI message”);
definition files in TAL, COBOL85, TACL, and C for inclusion in programs, macros,
and routines using the interface procedures; and definition files in DDL for
programmers writing their own subsystems.
Subsystem version number. A 16-bit integer representing the software release version of
a subsystem. The subsystem version number is a field of the subsystem ID. If its
value is null (zero), the subsystem ID refers to any and all versions of the subsystem.
See also Version number.
Syntax token. A token whose function is not to provide information for a command or
response, but to bracket or group other tokens; its use is analogous to that of a
punctuation mark. The tokens that begin and end lists (the list tokens) are syntax
tokens. Compare with Parameter token and Information token.
System name. The identifier of an individual system, or a node in an EXPAND
network.
Token. In SPI, a distinguishable unit in an SPI message. Programs place tokens in an
SPI buffer using the SSPUT procedure (except for header tokens, which are a special
case), and retrieve them from the buffer using the SSGET procedure. A token has two
parts: an identifying code—a “token code” or “token map”—and a value. For control
and inquiry, a token normally represents a parameter to a command, an item of
information in a response, or control information for SPI or the subsystem. For event
management, a token normally represents an item of information about an event, or
control information for EMS or the subsystem. In TACL, an entity recognized by the
#ARGUMENT built-in function when parsing an argument string passed to a routine.