DEC accompanied the UK launch of its new DECmcc Management Control Station (CI No 1,313) with Version 2 of its Computer Integrated Telephony software (CI No 1,106), which now includes support for the widely used Mitel SX-2000 PABX system, and has added the first DEC-developed CIT application – CIT Message Desk. The Message Desk software provides keyboard dialling, electronic mailbox, messaging services and corporate directory functions to the CIT architecture, which allows a VAX to act as a server for PABXes. Support for the Mitel switch will significantly expand potential sales of DEC’s CIT architecture in the UK – CIT was until now restricted to British Telecom Regent PABXes in the UK, although support for Siemens and Northern Telecom equipment has been available elsewhere in Europe. Using Mitel’s Host Command Interface protocol to exchange command and status information between the Mitel PABX and the VAX, Scicon Ltd has developed a system for Eastern Electricity that will enable service calls to be linked with relevant information on the database, and routed simultaneously to the appropriate field service engineer via telephone and computer screen. Both DEC and Mitel said that they would conform to future standards for computer supported telephony applications currently under review by the European Computer Manufacturers Association, which is set to issue its first proposals next month. Also announced was a series of software products from Enator Ltd of Richmond in Surrey – Telecustomer, Telehelp and Telequery – which enable sales, order entry and secretarial staff to deal with telephone enquiries in conjunction with the computer system. CIT software includes the server component residing on a VMS-based VAX, which is licensed for UKP2,475; the CIT applications interface software to run on a VAX, MicroVAX or VAXstation, and costing from UKP375 to UKP11,800 depending on the hardware configuration; and Message Desk, which costs from UKP750 to UKP23,500: all will be available from January. On the DECmcc Management Control Station, which moves forward DEC’s Enterprise Management Architecture strategy announced back in September 1988 (CI No 1,017) the Site Management Station for local area environments, and the Enterprise Management Station for enterprise-wide networks enable integration of network management products under DECWindows, and consolidate new versions of existing DEC network management products – namely LAN Traffic Monitor, Terminal Server Manager, Remote Bridge Management Software and NMCC/VAX ETHERnim. Using DECWindows, these tools provide four windows into the network’s performance on a single screen. And DEC has added six more companies to its Strategic Vendor Programme working to add third party products for Enterprise Management Architecture: they are Nynex Information Solutions Group Inc, White Plains, New York; 3Com, Santa Clara, California; Infonet, El Segundo, California; Chipcom Co, Waltham, Massachusetts; TelWatch Inc, Boulder, Colorado; and Newbridge Networks Co, Kanata, Ontario. The six join existing partners Codex, DCA Inc, Siemens AG, Stratacom Inc, Timeplex Inc, TSB International, and Vitalink Communications, all developing Access Modules to their own product lines. The results will be integrated via the DECmcc Director network management system, currently under development. DEC hopes to encourage third party developers by putting its Enterprise Management Architecture System Reference Manual into the public domain. Enterprise Networks marketing manager Charles Ashman said that the aim was mobilise some 200 third parties with 10% from the UK.
