OSI/MHS Gateway Programmatic Interface (GPI) Reference Manual
Glossary
OSI/MHS Gateway Programmatic Interface (GPI) Reference Manual—522223-001
Glossary-3
BER (Basic Encoding Rules)
BER (Basic Encoding Rules). The standard for an associated transfer syntax (CCITT 
Recommendation X.209). These rules were defined to provide a transfer syntax for use 
by ASN.1 compilers.
bind. The act of establishing a connection. An MTA bind enables one MTA to establish an 
association with another MTA; an MS bind enables a user agent to establish an 
association with a message store.
bit string. A series of bits treated as a unit.
body part. The substance of an interpersonal message (IPM) or EDI message (EDIM). An 
IPM user message can contain one or more body parts. Each IPM body part can have 
one of a variety of encoded information types, such as text, facsimile, graphics, or voice. 
An EDI interchange consists of one primary body part and one or more additional body 
parts. The primary body part contains an EDI interchange (original or forwarded). The 
interchange is encoded in a format appropriate for EDI messaging (for example, 
EDIFACT).  Additional body parts contain information associated with the EDI 
interchange, such as drawings or explanatory text. Additional body parts can be 
encoded with any of the same information types allowed for IPMs.
CCITT (International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee). A division of 
the United Nations International Telecommunications Union that coordinates standards-
setting activities.
character string. A set of characters treated as a unit and interpreted by a computer as text 
rather than a numeric value.
class. A grouping or category of objects, based on their shared purpose and internal structure. 
In the GPI, messages, probes, and reports are the fundamental object classes. 
In OSI/MHS, groups of processes fall into classes, depending on the functions the 
groups perform; for instance, the MS (message store) class consists of all the MS 
processes and associated data in an OSI/MHS subsystem.
CLASS object. An object type, used in OSI/MHS management interfaces, representing all 
groups that have the same basic function: for instance, all message relay groups or all 
message store groups. You use a CLASS object to configure and control a set of groups 
as a unit. The OSI/MHS subsystem recognizes five CLASS object names: #GI, #LO, 
#MR, #MS, and #RS. See also group.
client. An application or program that uses another software component, typically called a 
“service” or a “server.” For instance, a GPI client uses the GPI service. The XAPIA 
specifications use the term “client application.”
closed user group. See CUG.
collector. An EMS process that accepts event messages from subsystems and logs them in 
the event log. See also distributor.










