Enabling e-Services through Resource Management API’s on Multi-Vendor EIB Building Networks

Abstract

Appropriate standardization of network resource management is a prerequisite for accessing this same functionality remotely, e.g. via Internet. In turn, this enables all kinds of e-services such as remote diagnostics and maintenance of building control networks — these can be offered on a commercial basis and constitute new markets for professional contractors and system integrators. On an open multi-vendor network (with multiple system implementations from several system providers and based on different microprocessor families) such as EIB, some degree of polymorphism has to be taken into account to cover variations in implementation. Defining the abstract methods for resource management requires some clever modeling. This contribution investigates the procedural modeling techniques which may be successfully applied. Once established, these methods can be mapped to Network Management API’s for configuration tools, management stations and e-services.