The Group Class of Service (GCOS) provides a way to manage the mailboxes with which a particular set of system users communicate.
A GCOS gives you a way to manage a large system with many mailbox owners. This capability is useful in multiple-mailbox-owner situations. It is also useful at sites where users perform
classified work.
The GCOS is essential to the operation of this system. A GCOS must be included in every mailbox configuration for the mailbox owner to send and receive messages. You can assign up to 32,267 GCOS.
Accessing the GCOS Menu
The GCOS Menu is accessed from the console Main Menu:
1. Enter S for System Maintenance from the console Main Menu.
SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
(A) Automatic Wakeup
(B) Automated Receptionist Extensions (F) Floppy Backup
(G) Resynchronize HIS PMS Room Status (H) Hard Disk Utilities
(M) Manual Message Purge (N) Site Name, Code, Banner
2. Enter R to access the system reconfiguration program.
The System Configuration menu is displayed.
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION (A) Restore COS
(B) Backup COS
(C) Configure MWI Suppression (F) Feature COS (O) NP View Administration (X) Exit
3. Enter G to display the GCOS Menu.
GROUP CLASS OF SERVICE MENU (C) Current GCOS [1]
From the GCOS Menu, you can create new GCOS or modify existing ones.
There are two types of GCOS: bitmapped and affinity group. The two types work differently,
though you can mix both in one system. One major difference is that you must define a
bitmapped GCOS before assigning it to a mailbox configuration; you can assign an affinity group GCOS without defining it.
Bitmapped GCOS
• Numbered 1 through 64.
• May be seen as a collection of groups. Each GCOS can include up to 128 groups. A group is a number from 1 through 128 (sometimes called a "group bit").
- Two users can exchange messages if their bitmapped GCOS have any of the same groups.
• Can have several, few, or no groups defined; such a range allows message exchanges from simple to complex.
• Works well when the mailboxes in your system have different communication needs.
• More flexible and complex than affinity GCOS.
Affinity GCOS
• Numbered 65 through 32,267.
• Works well when mailboxes require communication within particular groups, but not across groups.
- All mailboxes with the same affinity group GCOS can communicate with each other but cannot communicate with anyone else.
- Affinity groups are never defined; you simply assign one to a mailbox.
• Easier to use than bitmapped GCOS.
Which Type of GCOS Do I Use?
When choosing GCOS, consider the following factors:
• To allow all mailboxes to exchange messages, assign the Default GCOS 1, which contains all 128 groups.
• Mailboxes with bitmapped GCOS and those with affinity group GCOS cannot interact.
If you assign GCOS 1 to one mailbox and GCOS 65 to another, these mailboxes cannot exchange messages. If you mix the two types, one mailbox cannot communicate with another.
• Every mailbox that shares the same group in a bitmapped GCOS or shares the same affinity group GCOS can exchange messages (even if the shared group is in a different GCOS).
• Bitmapped GCOS are useful when you need to develop complex relationships.
• Although mailbox owners may be in the same Dial-by-Name database, they can only reach others in the database who share the same GCOS group (in a bitmapped GCOS) or affinity group.
Creating New GCOS
Follow these steps to add new GCOS to the Configuration File:
1. Follow Steps 1 through 3 in “Accessing the GCOS Menu”. All GCOS Groups are set from this menu.
GROUP CLASS OF SERVICE MENU (C) Current GCOS [1]
(A) Add Group (D) Delete Group
(N) Name GCOS [Default GCOS 1]
(S) Show GCOS
(Q) Quit--Forget Changes (X) Exit--Save Changes 2. Enter C.
Assign a number to the GCOS to build.
(Valid numbers are 1 - 64 for bitmapped GCOS, 65 - 32,267 for affinity groups).
3. Enter N to name the GCOS (maximum 15 alphanumeric characters).
4. Enter A to add groups.
Type the group numbers, separated by commas, that comprise a bitmapped GCOS. (You do not need to enter leading zeros.)
Press <Enter>.
Up to 128 GCOS groups may be added in one operation.
Note: An affinity group GCOS does not contain groups.
5. Repeat Steps 1 through 3 to build additional GCOS.
6. Enter X to save the GCOS on the hard disk.
Changes do not take effect until you enter X.
Modifying GCOS
If an existing GCOS does not meet all requirements, you can modify it from the GCOS Menu:
1. Enter C.
Enter the number of the GCOS to modify.
(1 - 64 for bitmapped GCOS, 65 - 32,267 for affinity groups.)
2. Enter N to change the name of the GCOS to reflect its new function, if desired (maximum 15 alphanumeric characters).
3. Enter A to add to the GCOS or Enter D to delete from the GCOS.
Type the feature numbers, separated by commas, or enter a range (for example: 40-45). You do not need to enter leading zeros.
Press <Enter>.
4. Repeat Steps 1 through 3 to modify additional GCOS.
5. Enter X to save the changes to the hard disk.
Modifications are not effective until you enter X.
Enabling One-Way Communication
You are encouraged to create GCOS 2, but you are not encouraged to define any groups. This
"empty" GCOS is useful for restricting the capabilities of a mailbox and for enabling one-way communication.
Owners of mailboxes with GCOS 2 assigned cannot exchange messages with any other users in the system. You can prevent contact between users; however, you can permit receipt of certain messages. For example, you should notify users before a system shutdown.
To enable one-way communication, an originating mailbox must have an FCOS that allows it to make messages and allows the mailbox owner to make or give (messages) to a mailbox with an empty GCOS. The feature bits required are:
020 Make messages
126 Make/give to mailbox with empty GCOS
The receiving mailbox must have an FCOS that allows it to receive messages from other users (feature bit 040). Not only do these features enable a user to make a message for a mailbox with the empty GCOS, but they enable the user to give messages from other users to the mailbox with the empty GCOS.