[evlatests] Changes in the EVLA parameters dbase

[Bill Sahr]

An effort is underway to replace the current Oracle-based
EVLA parameters database (and it's backup) with a version
of the database that uses PostgreSQL as the underlying
database technology.

The current parameters dbase is known as evlaparm, and is
hosted by the machine named lando, also known by the alias
mcproddb.  The backup to evlaparm is known as parmback, and
is hosted by the machine named chewbacca.  A web based
program known as parminator presents a user interface for
interacting with the dbase and offers a query service for the
parameters dbase.

If you have written, or use, or simply know of an application
that accesses the EVLA parameter dbase &/or uses parminator,
&/or uses the query service offered by parminator, please get
in touch with me, Bill Sahr, X7285, bsahr at aoc.nrao.edu.

We need to put together a list of affected applications and
to work with the application developers to make the transition
to the new versions of the dbase and parminator.

The timeline for the transition to the PostgreSQL based version
of the parameters dbase is mid-August 2013.  Once the transition
to the new version of the dbase has been made, the Oracle based
versions will no longer be available.

Thank you.

Bill Sahr