[Css-csts] Procedure type identifiers in the CSTS Framework

[John Pietras]

CSTSWG colleagues --
The note at the top of section C2.3 of the v0.12 CSTS Procedures
Definition states "Ultimately, this module is to be moved out as
procedures can be added at a later stage and we do not want to change
the Recommended Standard for every new procedure."

There is a similar statement in section C2.2 regarding service type
parameters. I understand why this statement is appropriate for service
type identifiers, since the Framework (formerly Procedures Definition)
does not in itself define any service types. 

But it has been my understanding that once a procedure has been shown to
have usefulness beyond a single service, that procedure would be brought
into the standard Framework, a process that would indeed "change the
Recommended Standard". If that will be the case, then it would be
appropriate to continue to document the procedure type identifiers for
the Framework procedures within the Framework document itself, i.e.,
within section C2.3. 

I believe that there is a difference between registering object
identifiers with SANA and making SANA the only source of those object
identifiers. I believe the main purpose of registering an object
identifier with SANA should be to obtain an identifier that has not
already been used, within the appropriate registration subtree. But I
think that each specification the defines an new procedure or service
should contain the object identifiers that are associated with those
identifiers within that document. Otherwise, it becomes a treasure hunt
for an implementer of a service to find all of the applicable
identifiers. 

I have already tried to incorporate this notion in the draft version of
the Guidelines that I recently posted to the CWE. That is, I have
specified that each new service specification must state the object
identifier of the service itself, plus the object identifiers of any
service-specific procedures for that service. These identifiers must be
registered with SANA, but they are also documented within the service
specification itself.

Here's how I envision the process working:
1. CCSDS working group creates a new service based on the CSTS
Framework. The service involves the creation of one new service-specific
procedure and the derivation of another standard procedure.

2. The working group applies to SANA for object identifiers for the
service type, and for each of the new and derived procedures. SANA
assigns new identifiers that have not been used. These identifiers are
included in the Service Specification Recommended Standard for the
service.

3. At some point, the "new" procedure that was created for the service
is found to have more general usefulness. The definition of the
procedure is moved into a revision of the CSTS Framework specification,
and its object identifier is added to the list in C2.3. [Question - when
a service-unique procedure becomes a CCSDS-standard CSTS Framework
procedure, is the original service specification to be revised to merely
reference the new version of the Framework?]

I hope that we can discuss this process via email and/or during next
week's telecon.

Best regards,
John