Introduction to Networking for NonStop S-Series Servers

Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Network
Connections
Introduction to Networking for HP NonStop S-Series Servers—520670-005
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Message Handling System (OSI/MHS)
HP NonStop OSI/MHS includes five interfaces for sending and receiving messages.
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The first interface allows a remote X.400 MTA (or a messaging system with an
X.400 gateway) to interact with OSI/MHS across an OSI network, using the
standard protocol P1.
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The second interface is a gateway for the TRANSFER product, the HP proprietary
messaging system. Through the TRANSFER gateway, users of the HP electronic
mail (e-mail) application can exchange messages with users of other messaging
systems on the network. TRANSFER includes an API, so you can also write your
own applications to send and receive messages through the gateway. (This
gateway supports only the 1984 functions of MHS.)
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The third interface is to an MS through an RS process on the NonStop S-series
server; the requester must be a remote UA using the standard protocol P7.
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The fourth interface, the P7 API, provides a similar capability for a local UA.
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The fifth interface, the gateway programmatic interface (GPI), allows you to
integrate an existing messaging system with OSI/MHS by developing a gateway to
translate messages between X.400 and another format. The GPI includes a
procedural interface that can be called from applications and is based on
specifications defined by the X.400 Application Program Interface Association
(XAPIA).
In addition to these messaging interfaces, OSI/MHS includes a set of management
interfaces that support the HP Distributed Systems Management (DSM) model. One
important management feature of OSI/MHS is that information pertinent to accounting
and billing is reported to the Event Management Service (EMS); accounting and billing
applications can use EMS filters to retrieve this information as it is reported or to
extract it later from EMS logs.
OSI/MHS offers a range of configuration options, including support for LANs and
WANs and management control over the number and distribution of OSI/MHS
processes. You control the total number of associations, the checkpoint and window
sizes, recovery times, timers, and other parameters. OSI/MHS also offers a selection
of routing options, including classes 1, 2, and 3 as defined by the OSI Implementor’s
Workshop sponsored by the National Bureau of Standards; support for numerous
standard naming and addressing schemes, including O/R names and X.121
addresses; assignment of priorities to routes; rerouting to alternate routes in the event
of a failure; and dynamic programmatic or interactive changes to routes. A manager
process monitors the other OSI/MHS processes and restarts processes that have
failed.
OSI/MHS supports all message transfer functions that the MHS standards define as
essential. (In MHS terminology, OSI/MHS supports all basic and essential optional
elements of service.) It supports the interpersonal message format and associated
protocols, as well as other types of messages defined in the standards.