[...]
The Role: or NOC: object needs more thought and detailed definition. There is still some uncertainty whether a full-blown new object (with a handle) is really needed, or whether the person object can be extended. Input was received from Michael H. Behringer that proposed a common format for describing contact information, coverage and emergency preocedures. This object is to be re-visited on the mailing list and a decision about implementation is being sought on the list. [...]
List of new actions:
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Wilfried Woeber, Michael H. Behringer: To initiated discussion on the mailing list about the need and possible format for a role: or noc: object.
[...] Right, here we go:
From my perspective: I do not really *need* the role object. If this object will not be implemented, we will find some sort of a workaround by using comments in a person object. Then we would define a person "XY-NOC" for example, address and such is obvious, and the additional information we need will be put into the comment fields, using our own sub-definition, ie, we would put essentially the same thing I proposed into the comments, and only the parser would need to be different. Not nice - but it does the job.
The reason why I am pursuing this here though is that I think that the role object is really missing in the DB. And I get back to the same old example: When someone is leaving a company, and the route/AS/other objects containing this person are not updated, it looks like the AS/route/other is maintained by someone from a different organisation. And you have to make changes in all objects that refer to this person. I still maintain: An AS/route/other object is *not* maintained by persons, but for example by a NOC. The DB should reflect that, and give the possibility to get the level of abstraction right. For that you need this role object. It is just a clean solution. Okay, if others think this is too much effort, no problem with me. For the thing we want to do we have a dirty hack. I just thought it is worthwhile trying to pursue a "clean" solution first, before doing the hack. Michael