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<TITLE>Re: [evla-sw-discuss] Terminology</TITLE>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Here is how the AMCS Preliminary Requirements defines alert types :</FONT>
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<P><B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Failure</FONT></B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> - a non-working state (a +5 VDC monitor point reads 0 VDC)</FONT>
<BR><B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Warning</FONT></B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> - out of tolerance state (a +5 VDC monitor point reads +4.7 VDC)</FONT>
<BR><B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Error</FONT></B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> - undefined or illegal state (such as if a hardware device was commanded to a position outside its operating range) </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">In addition, the VCI Protocol Specification defines:</FONT>
<BR><B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Information</FONT></B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> - non-fault event that should be reported to M&C System (e.g. a device has become operational)</FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I agree that failure and error could be replaced by a single type, however, in some situations, the distinction between error and failure may be useful. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Note that in addition to</FONT><B> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">alert type</FONT></B> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">the Alert message also reports</FONT><B> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">severity,</FONT></B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> which can help the M&C to decide when the alarm bell starts ringing. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">The VCI Protocol Specification defines severity as an integer in the range 0 to 10 (should it be 0 to 15), where 0 is the lowest and 10 is the highest severity. Lower severity codes (e.g. 0 to 4) are used for debugging purposes, and are assigned to events that should not be reported during normal operation. At any time, the M&C System should be allowed to specify the severity level of events it is interested in. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Severity code is used to define significance and scope; there can be a failure with relatively low severity code and an information with high severity code. </FONT></P>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Sonja Vrcic | Tel: (250) 490-4309 | Fax: (250) 493-7767 |<U> </U></FONT><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">sonja.vrcic@nrc.gc.ca</FONT></U>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">National Research Council Canada, P.O. Box 248, Penticton, BC, V2A 6J9</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Conseil national de recherches Canada, B.P. 248, Penticton, CB, V2A 6J9</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Government of Canada | Gouvernement du Canada</FONT>
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