Minutes of DMS meeting of 23 December 2010, meeting room 15h30-17h00 (by
F.Berni)
Participants: G. Ballardin, F.Berni, F. Carbognani, V.Dattilo, F.
Gherradini, G.Hemming.

1. Login from pub3 to olserver13 using one single interface
(authentication with ActiveDirectory and through the firewall)
In the past “WEB applications meetings” organized by the computing team
(no minutes are available for those meetings) we agreed to implement a
solution allowing the user to log in olserver13 (internal network) from
pub3 (external network) using one single interface which should be able
to perform the authentication with ActiveDirectory and through the firewall.
Gary has developed a Javascript code which should be able to perform the
previous actions. The code has not been deployed yet because Gary
suspect that there might be a problem for the security of the system
against “brute force attack”.
A further discussion related to this security issue with the computing
team is necessary and Gary will take of this.

2. A possible changing of strategy in collecting data from the Alp servers
Introduction of this topic by Francesco (slides):
- Description about the choice to use Alp servers to generate data.
- Description of the actual solution implemented to collect data.
- Description of the limitations of this solution and description of the
problems encountered so far.
- Description of the alternative solution.
After discussion we agreed to go on in two steps:
- Extend the alternative solution also to the data generated by
ALPGuard; in this way we overcame the problems related to the “rsh” command.
- Implement a “cm server” able to accept cm command sent by Alp and able
to write the data in a MySQL db; in this way we remove the “command
system” from ALP.
Giulio, Gary and Francesco will try to find a solution as general as
possible.

3. New WEB interfaces for the DMS
Francesco gave a description of two new developed WEB interfaces which
will extend the DMS functionalities:
- Interface to allow any user to set notification about shelving/muting
changes;
- Interface to set “ActiveDirectory group/ActiveDirectory user” rights
to “shelve/mute” flags.
Fabio, Francesco and Vincenzo will also define ActiveDirectory groups
for the DMS; once done, a list with the group name and the group members
will be communicated to the computing department and they will take care
to active them.

4. AoB
4.1. Log of the flag: try to generate a log associated to each flag/subflag
Francesco and Vincenzo gave a general description about the proposal
(this is something complementary with the existing DMS Log
functionality); the participants agreed on that and gave also some
feedbacks. Franco suggested to adopt the standard log format and
mechanism of the Virgo processes.
4.2. Limit the access on olserver13
In the previous “DMS meeting” and in the previous “WEB application
meeting” we agreed on the possibility to limit the access at olserver13.
A list of user has been decided and it will be communicated to the
computing team; the users are: Berni, Hemming, Gherardini, Masserot,
Carbognani. This will be done once the choice described at point 2 will
be completed; otherwise the user virgorun would still need the rsh
access at olserver13 to write on the DB .
4.3. Inter database connectivity
Gary gave a description about this project; this project will extend the
functionalities of all the implemented WEB applications (i.e. Logbook,
Hardware Inventory, TDS, etc…) creating predefined links between them.
We agreed on this project.
4.4. New LogBook
Gary gave a general description about the new version of the logbook
(which is under development); the participants gave some feedbacks
concerning the templates of the “Operator report” and the “Scientist
report”
4.5. Installation on site of an existing alarm system used in other labs.
Having installed on site an alarm system largely used in other labs
would be useful for us to acquire more knowledge and new ideas, that
could help in the further development/evolution of our DMS. Franco will
take care, with low priority, to find and install on site the existing
alarm system (probably the one used at CERN/ESO).