Assets and Infrastructure Management System (AIMS) Software
Glossary
Current as on 30th January 2004
Document #06
Note: This Glossary is just a guideline, vastly simplified for its intended audience. For a more rigourous treatment of technical terms, Users are encouraged to other sources in the Web.
Add (a Branch) To add a new branch to an existing Root. Example: to add a new System to an existing Asset, or to add a new Component to an existing System.
Administrator The User who has full authorisation to change anything and everything in the AIMS Software.
AIMS Databases AIMS has 13 databases, viz., Assets, Systems, Components, Parts, Evocycles, Stages, Properties, Sub-Properties, Notes, Signals, Images, Audios and Videos, stored in the files "assets.dat", "systems.dat", "components.dat", "parts.dat", "evocycles.dat", "stages.dat", "properties.dat", "subproperties.dat", "notes.dat", "signals.dat", "images.dat", "audios.dat", and "videos.dat", respectively. In addition, the actual multimedia files (represented by the databases Signals, Images, Audios and Videos) are stored separately. Depending upon whether local mode or distributed mode is used for operating the AIMS Software, the databases reside either locally or in other Computers.
Alert A message (Pop-Up, EMail or SMS) sent, triggered by the occurence of an Event.
Alert Time The exact time when the alert is sent out.
Application Program A special executable program, used to open specific types of files. Example: all *.jpg files can be configured to be opened by the Microsoft Photo Editor.
Asset A movable or immovable piece of hardware, that usually contains a number of Systems.
Audios An audio file; represented in AIMS by specifying the name of the audio file; configured to be opened by a specific application program, like the Windows Media Player.
Branch Child of a Root; a root can have any number of branches; Example: If a System is a root, then the branches consists of Components; if a Component is a root, then its branches are Parts, and so on.
Child Same as a Branch
Component Child object of a System; Parent object of Parts.
Configure To set the various operating parameters of the AIMS Software. Example: to set which application program should open all the Videos in the AIMS software.
Copy (a Branch) To make a copy of one branch from a source root to a target root. Example: to copy a System information from one Asset to another.
Create (an Asset) To generate or create a new Asset, by declaring its Name and other Properties.
Database A collection of information pertaining to a hardware or evolutionary cycle.
Delete (a Root) To remove a root permanently from the AIMS database. Roots can be removed with or without removing their branches. Roots (and branches) once removed, cannot be retrieved back.
Distributed Mode In this mode of operation, the AIMS databases are located in Computers (host Servers) other than the localhost, which are connected to the localhost through the same Intranet.
Domain-Independent Not to be domain-specific; not to contain any domain information in its framework.
Drill-down To progressivley expand a root (or branches) to its constituents and to get additional information.
Edit (a Branch) To alter the existing information pertaining to a node or leaf in the tree. Example: To change the name of an Audio file.
Element A Node. Unlike a Leaf, Element may have branches.
Encryption To alter the information present (say, in a database) using a secret key, so that the original information cannot be obtained without using the secret key. The AIMS Software does not employ any encryption at the moment.
Ensemble One set of databases pertaining to ONE Asset PLUS all its Children.
Event An incident; a happening; Example: Opening of a Database, Triggering of an Alert, Setting a Trigger Alert, Deleting a Branch, or simply reaching a specific date / time, etc.
Event Time The exact time instant when a certain event is expected to happen.
Evolutionary Cycle Time periods in the evolution of a hardware. Example: the design period, the fabrication period, the erection period, etc.
Extranet A slight variation of Intranet where external customers of an organisation are allowed access to specific resources within an organisation, usually through a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
Filter (Search) To refine the number of hits in a Search procedure in AIMS; to prune the Search results to get a narrower, much less in number and much more specific information.
Hardware An asset, system, component or part are all hardware. Notes, Signals, Images, Videos, Audios, Evolutionary Cycles, Stages, Properties, Sub-Properties and Values are NOT hardware.
Hierarchy A structure (e.g., a database structure) in which every individual element can be characterised as a child of a parent element, a "root" being at the top of this chain. This structure can be visualised as an invereted tree, with the root at the top, branches below and leaves at the bottom.
Home Directory The directory in which the AIMS Software (AIMS.exe) is located.
ID A unique tag that identifies the relative position (in the tree) of an element.
Images Pictures. In this case, this is a child element of a Note - a collection of Pictures of an asset / system / component / part. It could also be the result of an experiment, for example the infrared image of a component, the seismic map of a geographical area and so on. AIMS stores only the names of the image files, and uses a preferred, configurable native program to open these images.
Intranet A local network of computers, connected together in either a star or ring fashion, usually by a combination of fibre and ethernet / fast ethernet cables. This definition is evolving, to include both Virtual Private Networks (VPN) and Extranets.
Leaves The bottom most node in an inverted tree data structure, which has a Parent, but has no Children. Synonyms used are Node and Element. Nodes and Elements can have branches, but a Leaf cannot.
Local Mode In this mode of operation, all the databases of AIMS Software (assets, systems,....,notes, signals,images, audios, videos, and all the multimedia files) reside in the local machine (localhost) where the AIMS Software itself is located.
Log File A text file that stores a record of all the important Events that happened while using the AIMS Software.
Manager A special User who allowed certain additional previleges, other than just Viewing the AIMS databases, previleges determined by the Administrator, on a case-to-case basis.
Move (a Branch) To REMOVE a branch from one root and FIX it in another.
Node A database element. May have a branch / branches.
Part A child of the Component. A Part is a leaf - it has no other hardware child. However, each Part may still have Notes and Evocycles (which are not hardware) as children. A Part's parent is a Component.
Properties A Child of a Stage. Each Property can have a set of (or single) Value(s). In addition, each property, can have any number of sub-properties.
Root The top most point in the inverted tree-like data structure. A root has no Parent. Every other element is a Child (or grandchild and so on) to the Root.
Search A facility in AIMS Software to find a certain element. How to Use the Search facility in AIMS ?
Security The method or effectiveness in preventing unauthorised access / deletion / modification of AIMS database elements. In AIMS, this is entirely handled by the operating system, i.e., Windows 2000.
Serial Numbers The AIMS Software allows the User to assign two distinct serial numbers for each Asset, System, Component or Part. The User may choose to fill both, one or neither of these. In most cases, the User may wish to allocate one serial number as assigned by the User of the Asset, and the other by the fabricator of the Asset.
Signals A string of physically measured values, usually an outcome of an experiment or test. For example, a signal could be the values of a reflected ultrasonic signal, or the pressure readings of a gas containment or exhaust. AIMS stores only the names of the signal files, and uses a preferred, configurable native program to open /read these signals.
SMS Short Messaging Service - a simple, usually short and cryptic message sent to a Cellular Phone. Used in AIMS to send an Alert to the User.
Stages A specific time-interval in an evolutionary cycle. Child of the Parent, Evocycle. A Stage can have any number of Children, each a Property.
Sub-Properties A secondary property; child of the Property node. Each sub-property can have any number of Values.
System A collection of Components; Child of an Asset. Each System can have any number of Components, Evocycles and Notes. AIMS stores the Systems in the file "systems.dat".
Tree The diagram representing a hierarchical data structure, which resembles an inverted tree.
User One who has the lowest previlege in using the AIMS Software, usually one who has only Viewing previlege.
Values Physically measured values, that are characteristics of either Properties or Sub-Properties.
Videos A movie that stores a sequence of important operation, pertaining to either a hardware or evocycle. For example, the ascent of a rocket, or the erection of a steam generator. AIMS stores only the names of the video files, and uses a preferred, configurable native program to open /read these videos.
Virtual Private Network A secure network, that partly uses the internet, and authorises a remote client or employee of an organisation to connect to the organisation's intranet, after appropriate authentication.
XML Extensible Markup Language.
Last Updated on 30th January 2004