[6] in Tooltime
Scopus meeting
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Barbara Goguen)
Wed Jan 24 14:59:38 1996
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 1996 14:59:36 -0500
To: tooltime-mtg@menelaus.LOCAL
From: goguen@MIT.EDU (Barbara Goguen)
>Date: Wed, 17 Jan 96 18:02:18 EST
>From: goguen@MIT.EDU (Barbara Goguen)
>To: tooltime@MIT.EDU
>Subject: Scopus meeting
>Cc: cec@MIT.EDU, pakulat@MIT.EDU
>
>Overall, I think the meeting with the two reps (Bill Papp and Dick
>Campbell) from Scopus went well on Tuesday.
>
>Their Web interface is there. For Web server software they use NetScape
>Secure Server, and currently do not allow for any other Web server
>software. Their remote email access to the help tool previously called
>RemoteTeam is being mostly replaced by Web access. Using the Web client
>anyone can ask questions of an answers database and/or submit a trouble
>ticket. In order to restrict Web access to our help resources, possibly
>by IP address, we could do so using some sort of CGI script at the web
>server level.
>
>For security, they do make use of what is already available in Oracle -
>SQL*Net and Secure Network Services. SNS will do encryption and will
>use kerberos in a later incantation. SNS is not yet available for the
>Mac but is expected (soon?).
>
>TCL is what customizations are programmed in or they can also use Java.
>
>They do have a telephony interface product called TeleTeam that connects
>to the database via Genesis T-Server.
>
>Configuration of the database and screens is done through their product
>called DesignTeam. DesignTeam runs on either Motif or Windows NT.
>
>They do have a built in notifier that can be set to put up an electronic
>blip on your screen or to send email.
>
>Their Mac client is mature - it has gone through 4-5 major releases and
>been available for 3 years. Each of their clients takes advantage of
>their native platform standards - in other words their Mac client looks
>and feels like other Mac applications, etc.
>
>Scopus provides several querying options which sounded more flexible and
>powerful than Remedy. QBE or Query-By-Example, Relevant search
>(searches for other relevant information based on current log), Data
>Probe which is a point and click way of forming a query, and Query
>Wizard which assists in building queries across tables. Their searches
>can be set up so as not to be case sensitive.
>
>Scopus uses the data integrity features of the Oracle relational
>database back-end and does not duplicate fields and data the way in
>which Remedy does.
>
>Loading our data warehouse data into the help database could be done at
>the Oracle database level, or through some Scopus utility the name of
>which escaped me.
>
>Access and permissions for users are set based on objects (windows,
>forms, fields, buttons). Queues can also be set up essentially the
>same way as though they were users.
>
>Print outs of current trouble tickets can be printed easily the same way
>that other Windows/Mac/Unix things are printed (i.e., by choosing Print
>from a standard menu). A copy of Crystal Reports gets bundled in with
>the purchased copy of Scopus for more advanced report generation. They
>also support use of Oracle ReportWriter.
>
>How are we going to proceed with this re-evaluation?
>Dick Campbell's point of view is that we should decide what we are going
>to do about Remedy before wasting too much of our time/resources and
>theirs on another evaluation. Given that the Remedy issue is not
>resolved, they are hesitant to come do another install and 2-day
>training session without charging us for that time (they've done this
>for free once already...). They quoted fees of roughly $185/hour for
>2.5-3 days including server install and 2 days of training.
>
>My job was to get approval for the dollars and to get back to them as
>soon as possible. In the meantime, we have tentatively booked Bill
>Papp's time for Thursday 1/25 to come do the install.
>
>Since this meeting, I have met briefly with Cec and explained to her
>where things stand. Her recommendations were as follows:
>- make sure Kim and Remedy investigation folks are clued into what is
>going on
>- get back to Scopus asking for a quote for these customized consulting
>services in order to do up a requisition
>- get Christine Cavanna and Paul Heffernan in the loop so that they can
>assist with negotiations and accounting issues
>- make sure to get an updated product license price
>- and finally, get them to agree that the dollars we pay for the
>up-front customized consulting services will count towards the overall
>product purchase price.
>
>So, I've got my work cut out for me tomorrow.
>
>-barbara
-barbara
goguen@mit.edu
617-253-6135
