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RE: [802SEC] Need your help with PC37.115




Colleagues,

After a quick look at the draft, I suggest that people also pay attention to Annex A as some of the books referenced there are very dated.

For example, the Stallings reference is 2nd edition 1990. The current edition is actually the 7th edition. Also, I have some hesitation in recommending Stallings even in the latest edition. One of my sons had the book in college a few years ago and I felt it was flawed. It had numerous technical errors in the chapter on LANs (the only part I read) and it gives an inaccurate view of the technology spending time on obsolete technologies or some that never came into active use (e.g. it includes 10BASE-FP (passive fiber for 802.3) when discussing physical layers but 10BASE-FP never made it to full production). 

Unfortunately, I'm not sure what reference to suggest to replace it. I am aware of some fine Ethernet texts, but I haven't kept track of what is available as a general networking text.

I'm also not sure about the TCP/IP references. They have quite a few that I haven't read, but have left out TCP/IP Illustrated by Stevens which is the one most people I know use. I've found it to be accurate. 

Regards,

-----Original Message-----
From: Howard Frazier [mailto:millardo@dominetsystems.com]
Sent: Monday, June 16, 2003 10:50 PM
To: stds-802-sec@ieee.org
Cc: holsteindk@aol.com; d.ringle@ieee.org; EngmannGR@bv.com;
mvthaden@pepco.com; don@lexmark.com
Subject: [802SEC] Need your help with PC37.115



Dear IEEE 802 LMSC SEC members,

Attached please find a copy of IEEE PC37.115/D9,
Draft Standard Test Method for Use in the
Evaluation of Message Communications between
Intelligent Electronic Devices in an Integrated
Substation Protection, Control and Data
Acquisition System.

When this draft came up for approval at the most
recent RevCom meeting, I observed that it would
benefit from a review by networking experts.
The committee that wrote the draft accepted this point,
and would welcome a review from volunteers in the
IEEE 802 LMSC, provided that we can do it in a
timely and constructive fashion.

While the main purpose of the draft is to specify a
test methodology that is independent of the underlying
network, extensive reference is made to layer 1, 2
and 3 networking principles, standards, and terms.
I became concerned when I realized that there were
some inaccuracies and omissions in these areas, in
Clauses 1 through 5 of the draft.

For this reason, I ask that my colleagues in the IEEE
802 LMSC take the time to review the attached draft,
and provide feedback directly to Dennis Holstein,
(holsteindk@aol.com) who is the chair of the subcommittee
that wrote the draft.  I ask that each of you either
review the draft yourself, or seek out an expert within your
working group to review it. Please be detailed in your
comments and suggested remedies, as I have every indication
that Dennis and his committee will welcome your comments
and strive to address them properly.  Note that the
committee has already provided cleaner figures to the
IEEE staff editor, so don't feel obligated to point out
that some of the figures are hard to read.

Most of you have no direct interest in this draft, other
than a general interest in ensuring that IEEE standards
concerning networks and data communications are accurate.
Our associates in the Power Engineering Society are embracing
our standards, and this is a good thing. We must encourage
them to do so, and help them when the need and the opportunity
arises. Let's be good citizens and give them a helping hand.
Cooperation will benefit our industries and the public.

Please submit your comments to Dennis Holstein (holsteindk@aol.com)
no later than Monday, June 30th (two weeks from today). Dennis
and his committee will strive to incorporate our comments and
then conduct a recirculation ballot on their draft, with a
goal of placing the project on the agenda for the September
RevCom meeting.

Your assistance will be greatly appreciated.

Howard Frazier
Member, IEEE SASB RevCom
Vice-Chair, IEEE SASB