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PWY/JFO/001
POCL Infrastructure Demo - Meeting Report
Supplier: Pathway Date: 1st November 1995
Attendees:
BA/POCL Supplier
Jeremy Folkes Martin Johnston (sales)
Steve Grayston (part) Dave Cooke (counter infra)
Dave Hollingsworth (TMS/Net)
Steve Muchow (Ops) (part)
Jan Ambrose (POCL facing Ops)
(part)
Purpose:
First “POCL Infrastructure” demonstrator meeting (delayed from last week due to JF’s
sickness).
Items of Note:
1. General intro, discussion around PFI and desire for innovation - what are the areas
in which they can innovate, and where not? Discussed sensitivities, priorities, cost
affecting issues etc.
2. Reviewed Risk Register:
« PWY7 B3 Riposte - suggest splitting this commercial issue off. JM is apparently
raising a risk re the development path/support, which would cover the rest of this.
techie aspects covered by PWY9.
e PWY9 ARiposte - apparently NM had discussed at length, proposed three pronged
attack - reliability/scalability as a product; scalability through modelling (disk is
constraining factor); manageability (load balancing etc). Pathway pinning great
hope on the Friday demo in Dublin.
¢ PWY11B1 Keyboard - paper produced doesn’t really address more than a way
forward. Pathway view not constraint as proposing touch screen for main input - this
is just for supporting. Pathway believe Dublin will convince.
« PWY29Q Back Office Equipment - clear, now answered.
e PWY48 Q__ Software updates. Should be covered in INFRA demo, suggest
specific session/paper to address.
Pathway then gave overview of the POCL Infrastructure offering:
3. Originally favoured homogeneous solution for hardware; single universal solution
for network (ISDN - BT being part of consortium).
4. Win NT (robust security) and commonality with TMS
5. Local Area Network - Ethernet and 10BASE-T
6. Riposte (messaging middleware and desktop) running under NT - An Post version
has been running under Windows for Workgroups, about to cut over to NT.
7. Each office will be supported by three machines at correspondence server layer -
two on one “site”, one on another. Four logical centres across two sites (24-32
ISDN PRIs at each). Probably 16 correspondence servers, each a powerful
Pentium NT server. These hold transactions prior to onward transmission by
agents.
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8. Correspondence servers are linked by two 100Mb networks, using Megastream
between the two sites (dedicated to Pathway’s use).
9. Poss flagged that CMS might move to an Open Systems platform on NT/UNIX
rather than Tandem
10.Note that An Post use X25 rather than ISDN
11.System Management - using MS SMS, but using the Riposte mechanisms for
software distribution across terminals within an office.
12.Pathway have been sourcing components using an PFl/formal ITT process with
sub-cons.
13.Counter Hardware. Pathway believe -"no problem freezing tech base during the
rollout” (if 12 month-ish). Lengthy discussion, esp around POCL wanting to test
equip - Pathway expecting very hands-off approach - and practicalities of expecting
that stability. All down to Pathway’s agreement with sub-cons. (!)
14.Input devices. Steer given re 80mm barcodes, low probability of OCR/MICR etc.
Pathway keen to explore APPU for key use (statistics on AP hardware given).
15.Electronic purse. Discussion on what the SSR means, what would be sensible to
demonstrate etc.
16.Keyboard/Screen. Pathway proposing 9” colour (feel colour is v beneficial over
mono), with capacitive touch screen RS232 connected. Flat screen not yet
sensible. Number of options for keypad, including some innovative ones.
17 Alternative Counter System/LIFT - small footprint “vertical” terminal being designed
by Fujitsu.
18.Big concern re the real migration issues from Farnborough to supplier for AP etc.
Need to check JM is covering (or is this implementation)?
19.Specifically intending Dublin trip to cover - Risk 11 re transaction times/keyboard;
software dist/sys management (speak to Liam Church of An Post); use of OCR for
code line etc.
20.Next meeting 9.30am next Wed. Counter hardware, modelling, riposte etc - exact
contents to be decided after wash-up of Dublin.
Specific Queries/Requests (passed onto MB 1/11/95):
Requirements Query Strand Date Response
Required
What transactions can be performed at “mobile offices"? INFRA 14/11/95
Please categorise the occasions on which mobiles are
used, with relationship to locations/availability of power &
telecomms/iead times etc. Ditto for temporary offices in
emergencies etc?
Confirm that we need ability to use existing installed Avery I INFRA 14/11/95
scales on the new kit? (ie Migrated from ECCO+). Is the
application the same as on ECCO+?
Are we requiring that the counter kit and application to have I INFRA 14/11/95
W&M approvals?
By what stage do we require W&M approval - prior to ITT, INFRA 14/11/95
prior to award or prior to installation?
Confirm that we are not procuring scales as part of this INFRA 14/11/95
programme?
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At what stage would we want to perform any “safety
testing” ourselves - pre-ITT, prior to award or prior to
installation. Supplier does not want to get to two weeks
before rollout to find kit is unacceptable
INFRA
14/11/95
What is the likely coverage required for the Schlumberger
smart key (in numbers of counter positions?) Given
POCL's experiences to date and the fairly low take up of
this product, is there updated market intelligence as to the
realistic level of opportunity?
INFRA
14/11/95
Would use of APTs either standalone on back shelf, or as a
peripheral device, to provide Schlumberger key facilities
where required be acceptable?
INFRA
14/11/95
When will the SP’s be able to have a dialogue with the AP
technology partners to understand the specifics of card/key
usage?
APPS
07/11/95
What are the likely transaction types that would require the
use of a 2D barcode?
APPS
14/11/95
Would the ability to OCR read the code line from Transcash
foils be of benefit? Could immediately allow whole tranche
of paper to be automated.
INFRA
14/11/95
Is there a requirement to read MICR line from cheques, eg
for business deposits? This could be available just a
specific counter positions.
INFRA
14/11/95
Would a 1.5 station printer be acceptable for the counter?
For slip printing, do we require flat bed or would a curved
paper path be acceptable?
Note that ECCO+ uses a curved path; however, there has been
mention of passcards which might require a straight path.
14/11/95
Would thermal printing be acceptable at the counter, for:
« the BA receipt (longevity issues of the declaration)
e other receipts/reports
If BES used a slip printer, would thermal we ok for the
remaining requirements?
14/11/95
What are the technical requirements for printing the cash
account. Believe there used to be a Cash Account Printing
Guidelines document for writers of Capture-like systems - can
this be supplied? Tie in with APPS please.
INFRA
14/11/95
Confirm there are no colour printing requirements for the
“back office” and no specific document types/sizes, apart
from A4 for the back office
INFRA
14/11/95
Confirm no PDF417 printing requirement?
INFRA
14/11/95
Confirm no passbook printing requirement?
INFRA
14/11/95
Confirm no requirement for printing labels (eg franked
“stamps”, barcode labels etc)?
INFRA
14/11/95
Given that all back office functions would be capable of
operating from any counter position, and that a BO printer
was available, how many offices would require a separate
Back Office computer? Can this be defined as “all branch
offices” or “all office with >n positions"?
INFRA
14/11/95
Please supply a set of the pre-printed forms and stationery
on which they will be required to print (eg the giro summary
forms).
Admin
711/95
Confirm that the SP is expected to provide consumables for
their equipment?
INFRA
14/11/95
Could the SP make use of existing supply/delivery
mechanisms within POCL to distribute their consumables?
Who would they need to talk to in POCL?
INFRA
14/11/95
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The C(TMS)1 schedule talked of TMS having to able to
handle messages from any Attachable Computer System to
any other ACS. Confirm that it is not intended that TMS is
a general switch for passing data between host machines -
itis primarily intended to manage the communications to
offices?
INFRA
14/11/95
The SP’s were told that working samples of existing
systems, including ECCO+ and APT, would be set up in TH
for demonstration purposes. When will these be available?
Will they include scales, AP on ECCO+ using APPU, etc?
Admin
7/11/95
Jeremy Folkes 1/11/95
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