884
`
`IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, Vol. NS-34, No. 4, August 1987
`
`A Multiple Node
`Software Development Environment
`
`Peter Heinicke, Tom Nicinski,
`Penelope Constanta—Fanourakis, Donald Petravick,
`Ruth Pordes, David Ritchie, Vicky White
`
`Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory*
`Computing Department
`/ MSIZO
`P. O. Box 500,
`Batavia,
`IL 605 10
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Experimenters on over 30 DECnet nodes at
`use software developed, distributed, and
`Fermilab
`maintained by the Data Acquisition Software Group. A
`general methodology and set of
`tools have been
`developed to distribute, use and manage the software on
`different sites. The methodology and
`tools are of
`interest
`to any group developing and using software on
`multiple nodes.
`
`Introduction
`
`The Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
`is a facility dedicated to basic research in the
`(Fermilab)
`field of high energy physics. Research takes the form of
`"'experiments”, which are conducted by groups of
`physicists. The experiments are highly computerized‘,
`there are usually one or more minicomputers devoted to
`the tasks of data acquisition and analysis of the
`experimental data.
`
`least one VAX or
`Most experiments have at
`MicroVAX computer, one or more PDP—11 computers,
`and possibly a few programmable microprocessors. Many
`different experiments either actively take data or prepare
`to do so simultaneously.
`
`The Data Acquisition Software Group of the
`Fermilab Computing Department provides software and
`support
`for
`the experiments. Experimenters use the
`provided
`software to perform online data acquisition
`and
`analysis required for
`their experiment.
`In some
`cases,
`the software is used in a turnkey manner; more
`often,
`it
`is used as the basis for more elaborate and
`experiment—specific software.
`In the latter case,
`the
`experimenters obtain the basic package and then
`customize it
`to their particular needs through their own
`software development efforts.
`
`Software is usually targetted for PDP-11 or
`VAX computers. Other targets include microprocessors,
`such as 68020’s, etc. Target computers are physically
`located at approximately 30
`different sites scattered
`over
`the 6800 acres of Fermilab.
`The VAX’s and
`MicroVAX"s at
`these sites are connected to one another
`via DECnet. These VAX’s (or
`the Central Facility VAX
`Cluster) are used by the
`experimenters for software
`development
`in enhancing the supplied software as well
`as for online data acquisition and analysis.
`Software is
`
`transferred to these machines via DECnet from the Data
`Acquisition Software Group"s Development VAX.
`It
`is
`also transferred via magnetic media to the computers
`not connected via DECnet;
`(PDP—11’s not connected
`mainly due to memory limitations and microprocessors).
`
`the software sometimes needs to
`Additionally,
`be transferred
`to the collaborating universities and
`research institutions which participate in Fermilab
`experiments.
`The experimenter may then continue
`software development or equipment
`testing
`activities
`while physically located at
`the home institution.
`
`With so many sites and so much software in
`these sites, we quickly realized that some
`use at
`systemization of the task of organizing, maintaining, and
`distributing the software was mandatory. Keeping track
`of the software at
`the various sites is a formidable and
`necessary job. We must be able to offer assistance with
`the current Version of the software at hand.
`
`A requirement on the systemization was that
`it must support having different versions of the same
`software at different sites or even at
`the same site.
`
`While it might be possible in principle to
`arrange to have the same version
`of the software at all
`sites,
`in practice this does not occur.
`An ongoing
`experiment does not necessarily want
`to avail
`itself of
`the latest enhanced version of a piece of software; bugs
`or side effects may be introduced which might
`complicate the primary task of monitoring the
`experiment. Even when an experiment decides that
`the
`it
`new features outweigh any risks of complication.
`is
`extremely important
`that
`the experiment be able to
`switch back to the previous version as quickly and
`reliably as possible.
`
`In what follows, we describe the organization
`our software into ”Products", how these Products
`of
`are created, maintained and versioned. and how this
`Product
`organization is used in the distribution of
`software to the target VAX computers. and
`from there
`to other target computers when necessary.
`
`What
`
`is a Product?
`
`A ”Product” is an arbitrary group of logically
`connected directories and files (stored on a VAX/VMS
`system) and referred to by a Product name
`and
`optionally by qualifying names, such as the Version
`number,
`target operating system, or hardware interface.
`The Product name is a printable ASCII string describing
`the group in a mnemonic way. For each Product name,
`there is a single development version of the product
`and/or one or more distribution versions.
`It
`is not
`necessary that
`a Product be developed by the
`Computing Department
`to fit
`into this scheme.
`However,
`the Product
`(the directories and files which
`
`Operated by the Universities Research Association,
`
`Inc. under contract with the United States Department of Energy
`
`0018-9499/87/O800—O884$O1.00 © 1987 IEEE
`
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`PMC Exhibit 2084
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`comprise it) must be organized in a prescribed way. The
`constraints are relatively minor because we wanted the
`ability to
`include all kinds of software as products--not
`just
`those developed at Fermilab.
`
`is
`An example of a non—Fermi Product
`KERMIT. a communications package. KERMIT__VMS is
`the Product name for the VMS version of KERMIT.
`
`When the source code contained in the
`development version of a Product
`is
`updated, either for
`maintenance or enhancement reasons,
`a new ”Version”
`of the Product
`is generated.
`This may occur even if
`the source code of the Product
`is unchanged. For
`example,
`if a Product
`is rebuilt using
`new ”versions"
`of code on which it depends (such as an object
`library),
`but which is not a part of the Product
`itself, a new
`version of the Product
`is still generated. A Product
`version is used to inform the user, developer, and
`Product maintainer of not only which level of source
`code of the product
`it contains but also the entire state
`of the Product,
`its dependencies on other software
`Products, etc.
`
`As a simple example of a Product with
`different Product versions, consider
`the COURIER
`product
`for VAXONLINE. Version V1.0 of the
`COURIER Product refers to the first released version of
`COURIER for VMS. It will normally have a product
`directory by the name of COURIER_V1__0. Later
`versions will have similar product directory names, e.g.
`COURIER V1
`2.
`If a UNIX version is developed,
`the
`support grdup -would need to decide whether to keep
`the old name. If they decide to,
`they can rename the
`two products to be COURIER_VMS and
`COURIER,___UNIX, or
`leave it as COURIER and
`COURIER_UNIX.
`
`Products can be divided into two levels of
`complexity:
`”simple” and ”compound.” A simple
`Product consists of a collection of software which is
`expected to
`be used, upgraded to a new version, and
`distributed to target sites
`independent of the state of
`other software Products. The decision to organize a
`product as a "sirnple” one is basically that of the
`developer;
`it
`is
`a
`statement
`that
`this Product
`is
`somehow basic and not further made up of
`component
`Products.
`
`the
`This does not necessarily mean that
`Product was not dependent upon other software external
`to the Product when it was ”built” (compiled,
`linked,
`etc.). Nor does it necessarily mean that the Product
`requires no other software Product
`in order to function.
`
`For example, many of our Products are
`written in FORTRAN. These are
`definitely dependent
`upon the FORTRAN compiler and the FORTRAN Run
`Time
`Library——both of which are external
`to the
`product and which (in the case of the Run Time
`Library, at
`least) are required in order for
`the Product
`to function.
`
`is a collection of different
`A compound Product
`"'component” Products (either simple or compound),
`frequently used together.
`These Products do
`not
`necessarily have to be dependent upon each other
`although in many cases they are. They may be grouped
`together only for ease of distribution of many small
`Products which change infrequently. Alternatively.
`they
`may be grouped together because of dependencies on
`each other; hence, a change in a component Product
`would indicate that a new version of one or more of the
`other components is either necessary or desirable.
`
`Goals
`
`885
`
`the
`The distribution and installation of
`software is only a peripheral
`(but
`time consuming)
`activity. To permit us to spend more time on software
`development, we have devised a formal specification for
`”Products” and specialized procedures. whose goals are:
`
`Provide a Uniform Product Specification. The
`product specificationis meant
`to provide system
`management
`tools and the user with a uniform interface
`to the software we are responsible for.
`The
`specification includes:
`‘
`
`0 the directory tree structure of the files in a product
`
`0 a list of required and optional files,
`
`0 the naming conventions for these files and directories,
`
`0 how logical names should be used.
`
`Kee in Track of Product Versions on a
`Svstern. Different sites use different versions of a product
`creating a need to maintain a database of which
`products and versions reside on a particular system. This
`functionality is provided by a system management
`tool
`we call SITE_PRODUCTS.
`
`Simplification of Product Distribution. We need
`to automate the distribution of versions of
`products to
`remote sites (making use of DECnet) and the installation
`of
`the products on the target site.
`Such automated
`procedures are needed both for efficient use of our time
`and to minimize the risk of errors or omissions.
`
`Trans ortabilitv to External Sites. Although
`restrictions are placed on a products structure and
`interaction with users (how the product
`is distributed
`and how the system manager treats it),
`it
`is still
`necessary to permit
`the product
`to be easily installed
`and used on systems which do not
`follow our
`methodology.
`
`In
`Permit Switching Between Product Versions.
`order to maintain and improve existing products, and
`have the new releases accepted by experimenters,
`there
`is a need to allow the use of the latest version of a
`product, but also to instantly and transparently
`”switch” to using a previous version residing on the
`same system.
`
`The ability to switch between versions on the
`same system is also important for product developers
`and maintainers. A user may discover a bug at a
`previous release of the product
`- and the product
`maintainer is
`then able to check for
`the bug in that
`release just by switching to it. This capability is
`provided by PRODUCT SETUP and the database of
`products and their ‘versions
`(maintained by
`SITE__PRODUCTS).
`
`to be
`the Com osition of a Product
`Permit
`Known Precisely. We make extensive use of DEC? CMS
`(Code Management System) and MMS (Module
`Management System)
`to control
`the source code version
`of a product. and to automate the construction of that
`product from its sources and any other libraries etc.
`it
`may be dependent on.
`(CMS and MMS are similar
`to the SCCS and MAKE utilities on UNIX).
`ln
`situations where a
`product may be dependent on
`libraries in other products —
`the specific version of the
`
`PMC Exhibit 2084
`
`Apple v. PMC
`|PR2016-00755
`
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`
`PMC Exhibit 2084
`Apple v. PMC
`IPR2016-00755
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`
`DUAo.i\'A_xoNL1,
`
`l COURIER
`l
`
`=
`
`) COURlER_\’1_}l
`i
`) COURIER_\’1_O
`I
`l
`I
`.
`coUR1i:R_v1_2
`
`Courier Product Directory
`
`is
`The leaves are products, while [VAXONLCOURIER]
`the Umbrella Root. The Version Roots for the products
`are [COURIER_V1__O),
`[COUR.IER__V1__1], and
`[COURIER_V1__2].
`A directory named [VERSION]
`is
`necessary for the current
`implementation of the product
`tools, and contains information about which product
`is
`installed. Future implementations will probably centralize
`this information with the rest of the database.
`
`For each product version,
`required and optional directories:
`
`there is a set of
`
`lPré_V1_Ol
`
`
`I 7
`
`,._m._
`
`7*‘
`_}
`
`
`
`System
`
`
`
`
`
`CMS
`
`COM
`
`23
`
`Tests
`
`i I
`
`i
`
`
`
`i
`Listings i
`
`l
`1
`‘
`
`.
`
`K
`l
`i
`i
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`l
`1 Library )
`) Source ‘
`i
`l
`.
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`
`Sample Product Version Directory
`
`the Version’s Rooted
`The [PRD_Vl_0] directory is
`directory, while [COM] and [SYSTEM] are required
`directories,
`and [MAINT]
`is an optional directory.
`Beyond these directories,
`the developer can use any tree
`structure (under the product‘s version rooted directory).
`
`Logical Names
`
`logical
`To keep products site-independent,
`logical
`names are used to point
`to different
`files. All
`names should be defined in terms of one logical name
`which points to lower
`level
`in the directory tree:
`’product’$ROOT
`which is
`the rooted logical name pointing to the
`PRODUCT's Version Root. By changing
`’product’$ROOT’s definition (with PRODUCT_SETUP),
`a user can easily ”switch” between different versions of
`
`PMC Exhibit 2084
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`Apple v. PMC
`|PR2016-00755
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`
`886
`
`library—related products used must be both controllable
`and forever known. The time—stamps of the individual
`files as used by MMS are not sufficient
`to control such
`inter-dependencies.
`
`(which we call BUILD), permit
`The procedures,
`the dependencies of one product on another, either as a
`part of a compound product, or just as a required
`but
`separate piece of software, which rnust be present
`in
`order to build the product,
`to be expressed in a formal
`way.
`From this formal specification
`the order of
`creation of the component parts can be determined and
`the
`business of creating a very large software product
`can be automated in a
`foolproof way.
`
`The Resulting Tools
`
`tools we have developed
`the management
`All
`are written as DCL command procedures. Any language
`could have been chosen, and the system could have been
`implemented in a more operating system independent
`way. DCL command procedures were chosen because of
`speed of implementation, and because we underestimated
`the full extent
`of the project we were undertaking.
`Future implementations of this functionality will probably
`use a different
`tool
`than DCL, since DCL is so slow,
`and unmodular. We are considering reimplementing the
`system in FORTRAN or an inexpensive 4GL.
`
`The remainder of this paper will discuss the
`concepts and management
`tools
`introduced above which
`together allow us to achieve the goals outlined in the
`previous section. These include: Specification of a
`product, use of
`the BUILD procedures,
`the
`SITE__PRODUCTS, DISTRIBUTE and
`PRODUCT_SETUP procedures.
`
`Specification of a Product
`
`The product specification provides system
`management
`tools and the user with a
`uniform
`interface to the software. We have written a 50—page
`specification of a product
`including the mandatory and
`recommended requirements thereon. The product
`specification addresses three areas:
`
`0 Directory tree structure and the files in a product.
`
`0 Logical names to be defined (associated with the
`product).
`
`0 Required and optional command procedures and how
`they are used.
`(definition of parameters).
`
`Directory Tree Structures
`
`Products reside under rooted directories.
`two rooted directories are associated with a
`Actually,
`particular product. The ”'Version” Root
`is
`the rooted
`directory for a particular version of a product. This is
`the rooted directory that a user will see when using a
`product. Version Rooted directories reside under an
`”Umbrella" Rooted directory. The Umbrella Rooted
`directory contains all
`the versions of a product.
`However, more than one product and its versions can
`reside under the same Umbrella Root. For example:
`
`PMC Exhibit 2084
`Apple v. PMC
`IPR2016-00755
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`

`
`In the example in the first
`a Product.
`rooted logical name for COURIER is
`
`figure,
`
`the
`
`3 SHOW LOGICAL COllRIER$ROOT
`"‘ COURIER $1? 0 OT“ =
`
`“ disk:l\'AXONL.COUR IERCOURIER _V1 _0.)"
`
`err" PORT
`KERMIT_\’MS
`KERMIT RT
`
`KERMIT:RSX
`KERMIT__RSTS
`KERMIT_~PDP
`
`887
`
`the products in the
`BUILD then will construct
`appropriate order to generate the final product.
`To
`save time, BUILD will not construct a product
`if the
`required version already exists.
`
`The actual details of construction of each of
`the component pieces are left up to the component piece
`of software. We normally use DEC’s CMS and MMS
`wherever possible.
`This is especially useful
`in
`conjunction with our methodology of one development
`version of a product
`and multiple distribution versions.
`By having a single CMS library in the development
`version of each product and creating classes for each
`source release level we avoid the need to keep the
`sources with or for each version of the product. We
`can always recreate any version at any time.
`This
`saves disk space and also provides
`a centralized record
`of who changed the software and when.
`
`Build Temporary files
`
`[
`cMs LIBRARY l"'—“' PMm‘l5t°f
`dependent Files
`)
`
`Reguired Files
`
`The product specification requires that each
`product provide two command files,
`of defined logical
`names,
`to be implicitly invoked at system bootstrap time
`and when a user wants to use the product. All
`products must provide these files in
`a particular
`directory for
`the product version. The specification also
`recommends a Help file to be provided with each
`product;
`this is automatically included in the general
`product Help library when the product
`is entered into
`the SITE__PR ODUCTS database.
`
`COM SETUBCOM is used to define logical
`names and symbols on a per process basis. That
`is,
`the user
`invokes SETUPCOM (normally at
`login time)
`if there is a need to use the product.
`
`SYSTEMlPRSTAIi'.TUP.COM is used during
`system boot
`time (product startup)
`to define shareable
`logical names in the logical name table generated for
`the
`product, and to perform any other operations which
`affect
`the product system wide (such as INSTALLing
`files,
`loading device drivers, starting a queue, etc.) and
`other privileged
`initialization functions.
`
`Develo in
`
`the Products BUILD
`
`The BUILD procedure is used to construct a
`product based upon its dependencies on other products.
`BUILD takes into account that a product may:
`
`0 Depend on other products.
`
`0 Depend on specific versions of other products.
`
`0 Incorporate other products totally within it.
`The construction of a product consists of compiling and
`linking the software comprising the product.
`
`a product
`A product developer uses
`Maintenance Language (PML)
`file to describe how a
`product
`is dependent upon other products. Only the
`immediate dependencies need to be described, since
`BUILD recursively uses the dependent product’s PML
`files to generate a final
`list
`(a product Maintenance
`Output
`(PMO)
`file) which sequentially describes the
`order in which products should be built
`(to satisfy all
`dependencies)
`
`I
`
`Sources an
`Command
`Files
`
`
`
`\
`
`PMO: Ordered list of existing
`products to b built and used
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Command files which actually fetch
`the sources. compile and
`
`
`
`
`
`Built Files
`Temporary
`Area /
`
`For example.
`to be ”BUILT”:
`
`the product KERMIT VMS is
`'-
`
`Steps in ”Build”ing a product
`
`0 KERMIT_\'MS is dependent. upon an another
`product called GET_POR,T
`
`Svstern Ivianagement of Products SITE PRODUCTS
`
`o KER.MIT_I’DP is dependent upon KER.MIT__RT,
`KEIi.MIT_R.SX.
`and KERMIT_RSTS.
`BUILD would
`determine that
`the products would need to be built
`in
`the following order:
`
`SITE_PRODUCTS was developed to keep
`track of which versions of which products reside on a
`system.
`It not only maintains a database of products
`and their versions, but
`it schedules the starting up of
`products at system boot
`time (or any other time) and
`the shutting down of products.
`SITI3_I’RODUCTS
`
`PMC Exhibit 2084
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`|PR2016-00755
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`
`versions, PRODUCT_SETUI‘ creates a new logical
`name table (which overrides the old table) and defines
`the logical names for
`that particular version. Therefore,
`different product versions are not
`required to use the
`same logical names.
`
`Obtainin
`
`the Products DISTRIBUTE
`
`DISTRIBUTE provides a system manager on a
`remote machine the ability to copy products, from an
`”Archivc machine”, and install
`them. Most of the time,
`DISTRIBUTE is used over DECnet, but
`it also provides
`a tape mode, which permits products to be distributed
`and installed at external sites using magnetic tape as a
`transfer medium.
`
`DISTRIBUTE interactively queries the user for
`the information it needs. The questions are self
`explanatory,
`so that no documentation is normally
`required in order
`to obtain a product. Besides the
`product name and version, DISTRIBUTE asks where the
`product should be placed (the disk and Umbrella Root),
`and whether the product and its version should be
`declared to SITE__PRODUCTS.
`
`
`
`lnierlnce .
`DMSINSYRL
`and SITE P
`
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`the system manager to change the
`avoids the need for
`system specific startup command procedure
`(SYSTARTUP) every time a product or a version of a
`product
`is added, modified, or removed.
`
`to
`Products are made "known”
`SITE_PRODUCTS. The "Known Product List” file,
`maintains this information.
`
`For each known product, SITE PRODUCTS
`maintains a ’’Product Version List” file_which resides
`under
`the product Umbrella. directory. The product
`developer is able to add, modify, and remove product
`versions without requiring privileges (only access to the
`particular product’s area is required).
`
`to
`The SITE_I’RODUCTS procedures point
`the Known Product List using a logical name. Users can
`use SITE_PRODUCTS to maintain their own Known
`Product List, and Product Version I_.sts. This can be
`extended for use on a VAX Cluster system, where a
`common Known Product List
`is used to startup
`(shutdown) all Products common to all nodes in the
`Cluster. Then, by redefining the logical name, a node-
`specific. Known Produc‘ List can be used to manipulate
`software products licensed (or useable) only for
`that
`particular machine.
`
`SITE_PRODUCTS allows the addition,
`modification, and removal of products and Versions.
`These operations only modify the Known Product List
`and Product Version Lists, not
`the actual files of the
`products. When a product version is declared to be the
`default version on a system,
`its Help file
`is
`included in
`a general product help library (if one exists) and a
`Bulletin is posted on the system.
`
`the Known Product List
`For each product,
`maintains the ;roduct’s name,
`the specification of the
`Umbrella Root, and other miscellaneous information.
`Associated with each product version in the product
`Version List
`is a directory path from the Umbrella Root
`to the rooted directory for
`the product version.
`
`is started up by
`a product
`VVhen
`SITE_I’RODUCTS, a shareable (system wide)
`logical
`name table is created to contain logical names defined
`by the product.
`Then the product specific startup
`:ommand procedure is
`invok «d. This procedure usually
`defines logical names, device drivers, starts up queues,
`installs privileged images, etc.
`
`Usin
`
`the Products PRODUCT SETUP
`
`its use.
`is
`The final stage of any product
`PRODUCT__SETUP is used to “setup” a product
`for
`use by a user.
`It also allows a user to choose which
`version of a product
`to setup. Setting up a product
`involves the definition of
`logical names and symbols
`required for using the product.
`
`A symbol by the name of SETUP is used on
`all systems to invoke PRODUCT__SETUP. Users of a
`software Product such as our example KER.MIT_VMS
`simply type
`
`SETUP KERMIT_VMS
`
`to use the default version of the product and all
`component sub-Products.
`
`its
`
`The ability to switch transparently between
`product versions is provided by the logical name tables
`created for the product. V\’hen switching between product
`
`Rrcnlue Node
`
`Network
`Object
`
`
`Product Regislr
`
`inauirg tool
`
`UMS
`BIICKUP
`
`FLHT
`FILES
`
`1
`
`1
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`s\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\~\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\.\wmxxmc\\\\\\~w\\m\\\wN\\m\\~e\m$\\\\\~&\\s\\\\w«\\V\w\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\~\\\\\
`
`Distribute Processes
`
`is selected by the user,
`When a product
`DISTRIBUTE uses that products Product Maintenance
`Output
`(PMO)
`file (generated during a BUILD)
`to
`determine which component products need to be copied
`over as part of the chosen product. This provides all
`sites with a complete and consistent view of a product.
`Products which are not
`constructed with BUILD and
`therefore have no PMO file can also be distributed ~
`all
`files in the directory tree stemming from the product.
`version rooted
`directory will be taken to comprise the
`product version.
`
`PMC Exhibit 2084
`
`Apple v. PMC
`|PR2016-00755
`
`Page 5
`
`PMC Exhibit 2084
`Apple v. PMC
`IPR2016-00755
`Page 5
`
`

`
`889
`
`Fermilab — which consist of the authors, David Berg,
`Eileen Berman, Andy Cohen. Terry Dorries, Arkady
`Lubinsky, Carmenita Moore, Liz Quigg, Dave Ritchie,
`Chip Kaliher. Nancy Hughart and Steve Kalisz. We also
`acknowledge helpful feedback from various users of the
`system (DISTRIBUTE in particular) ranging from on—site
`local system managers to experiment participants
`distributing software over DECnet from Italy.
`
`References
`
`PN’s refer to Fermilab ”Programming Notes”;
`IN’s refer to Internal Notes. Documentation is available
`from the Computing Department Program Librarian.
`
`[1 R. Pordes, Data Acguisition Software Group
`Product Specifications, Fermilab Computing
`Department Note,
`IN-141, August, 1985.
`
`Distribute Procedure
`[2 P, H. Heinicke, Backu
`for Product Distribution, Fermilab Computing
`Department Note, PN-261, September, 1985.
`
`[3 T. H. Nicinski, SITE PRODUCTS Maintaining
`Known Products, Fermilab Computing Department
`Note,
`IN-140, February, 1986.
`
`an
`[4 T. H. Nicinski, BULLETIN Maintainin
`Electronic Bulletin Board, Fermilab Computing
`Department Note,
`IN—14l, August, 1985.
`
`[5 P. C. Fanourakis, BUILD Procedure for
`Product Distribution, Fermilab Computing
`Department Note, PN-259, July, 1985.
`
`[6 R. Aurbach,Using VMSINSTAL with User-written
`Applications, Fermilab Computing Department
`Note, PIV-262, October, 1985.
`
`[7 T. H. Nicinski,PRODUCT SETUP User’s Guide
`Settin U Products, Fermilab Computing
`Department Note, PN-269, February, 1986.
`
`DISTRIBYTE uses BACKUP save sets
`compatible with the VMSINSTAL utility (part of
`VAX/VMS). Because the product conforms to the
`product specification. only one KITINSTAL file (used by
`VMSINSTAL) needs to be written for all products.
`This frees the product developer from writing code used
`strictly for the purpose of installing a product.
`
`A complete log of software distributed, date,
`version and to where is maintained on the Archive
`machine
`
`Conclusions
`
`The organization of products and the
`procedures described in this paper have been in use for
`more than a year now. Hundreds of products have
`been distributed to target sites.
`The sacrosanct nature
`of a product version
`once built has enforced a strict
`discipline on program development and aided immensely
`in tracking down complicated problems where any one of
`a number of hardware and software variables could have
`been at
`the root of the problem. The procedures
`described were first developed for software to be
`executed on
`a VAX(VMS). We have found them such
`a useful aid for distribution, maintenance and archiving
`that we extended the concepts to cover software
`for
`other operating systems in use.
`
`We have found a standard product
`specification
`to be extremely useful.
`Not only has it
`enabled us to write the management
`tools described but
`it has also helped enormously in the ease of
`understanding, maintaining and supporting our software.
`New members of the group and new users new to
`Fermilab
`can very quickly produce software to conform
`to the
`general specifications and obtain and use
`software that
`is available.
`It
`is much easier for any
`member of the group, regardless of particular area of
`expertise to be able to distribute, demonstrate, find bugs
`in, create a
`new version of any product. New software
`products produced elsewhere at
`Fermilab or at other
`institutions or vendors can be quickly added to the
`set
`of available software and made available in the same
`uniform way to
`all
`the users on site (via the same
`SETUP command).
`Following software product
`"‘standards” has saved manpower also in enabling
`us to
`write general procedures.
`For example,
`the arrival of
`Microvaxes with limited disc space created a need to
`trim products. A general procedure which omitted
`all
`list, map and documentation files from a distribution
`version could
`be written because of the standards
`imposed,
`thus solving the problem in general
`for
`all
`software which we maintain or distribute.
`
`program of work was
`entire
`This
`undertaken without a proper realization of the
`size of
`it
`— really as a non-serious sideline, which people did a
`little work on when the need arose.
`If we were doing
`it again we would better
`understand the benefits and
`scope of the project and would take it further than we
`have today.
`The database maintained by
`SITE__PRODUCTS would be made extensible and easily
`accessible as
`a database. Some of
`the system
`management procedures would have been written in a
`high level
`language instead of DCL,
`thus increasing both
`their speed and
`extensibility.
`
`Acknowledgements
`
`Contributions to the ideas, definitions and
`procedures have been made at various times by all
`members of the Data Acquisition Software and DEC
`Systems Group in the Computing Department at
`
`PMC Exhibit 2084
`
`Apple v. PMC
`|PR2016-00755
`
`Page 6
`
`PMC Exhibit 2084
`Apple v. PMC
`IPR2016-00755
`Page 6