Project Domain: Diagnostic Applications Development.
Business Domain: Telecommunications, Data Storage Systems.
Customer: Comverse is the world’s leading provider of software and systems enabling network-based messaging and content value-added services, converged billing and IP communications. Comverse’s solutions support flexible deployment models, including in-network, hosted and managed services, and can run on circuit-switched, VoIP, IMS and converged network environments.
Partner: NSIcom is a leading Israeli software company in software engineering and R&D outsourcing for Telecommunication and Enterprises market.
Project Scope
The purpose of the project is to develop diagnostic utility application for the Comverse Data Storage Subsystem. Comverse Maintenance and Support Team required such tool to provide quick complex diagnostics of all existing SCSI storage units in the subsystem, identify and replace all system components, that can lead to the system failure.
Project Description
The primary challenge facing the InnoVinn team lies in the fact that such utility must work in DOS-compatible PC with floppy disk drive, support a wide range of different SCSI drives, provide user friendly interface with a number of diagnostic tests available to the Field Engineers of Comverse.
The SCSI Troubleshooting Tool accurately identifies faulty components in the Comverse Data Storage subsystem, including disk drives, SCSI adapters such as SAM Local, SAM Primary and SAM Secondary. The application also identifies the type of controllers in the subsystem, for example Adaptec SAM CF or SAM CP, the data path between the SAM’s HBA’s and their associated DDR A and DDR B enclosures, and the IOM modules within these enclosures.
The SCSI Troubleshooting Tool clearly informs the Field Engineer, which components have to be replaced along with other instructions on how to re-test the newly replaced components. The application supports Non-Destructive Tests and Destructive Tests. There are 9 Non-Destructive Tests, which Comverse Field Engineer can perform (Inquiry, Read MODE PAGES, Read LOG PAGES, Read Defect Data, Multi-pass Pattern Stress Test, Data Transfer Rate Speed Test, Sequential Verify Media Test, Third-Stroke Seek with Read & Verify Test, Disk Self Test). There are 2 available destructive tests in the utility (Sequential Verify Media Test, Third-stroke Seek with Read & Verify Test).
The SCSI Troubleshooting Tool creates detailed logs of all tests run with their results. These detailed log files can be used at a repair depot for further test of the replaced component. A log contains each part of the test such as controllers, data path/IOM and disks test parameters, so the service engineer can easily understand the cause of the failure/s.
Customer Benefits
As a result of cooperating with InnoVinn, customer significantly cuts its data storage maintenance costs and reduces the time of storage recovery with minimal costs for faults identification and replacement, which effects the whole infrastructure performance of the company.
Technologies
Operating systems: MS DOS 6.22.
Languages: C/C++.
Development tools: Borland C++ 3.1.
Libraries: ASPI, TurboVision.