I fully understand the intent to limit the scope in this iteration of the paws 
standard to the items listed in paragraph 1.2.1 but I also believe it is 
important to look forward and consider what we would like the whitespace 
database to become and to ensure that anything that is done in this first 
iteration does not become a hurdle to overcome in the future.

The future database roles that I think should be considered are:

1.  Spectrum from licensed users can be added to databases allowing their 
spectrum to be used or reused in some way
2.  Database administrators arbitrate coexistence
3.  Database managers can convey policy to DSA systems that allow spectrum use 
based on a radio using a particular behavior.  

I do not believe consideration of these activities would have an effect on the 
types of processes and messaging that the current scope prescribes but it could 
have a very big impact on the data model.  I recommend that the business 
process schemas be kept separate from the spectrum data model schemas and that 
the standard be written so that spectrum data modeling schemas can be 
interchanged.  The motivation for this separation is three-fold:

1. It allows other enterprises to use their own management methods but to share 
data models making it easier for them to make their spectrum available.
2. It allows spectrum data models tuned for particular administration 
regulatory requirements
3. It allows evolution of the data models to support more dynamic and 
interactive spectrum management without demanding confusing upgrades to schemas 
that attempt to be backwards compatible.  (Backwards compatibility is achieved 
at the databases that can understand multiple data model schemas.  We may want 
to add messaging that allows devices and databases to agree upon a schema.)

Potential changes that may enable this perspective could be to divide the data 
model into two parts.  The first part would include the information necessary 
for the business process, so D.2 and D.3,  and the second part would be data 
elements that provide the information relevant to spectrum use.  In the current 
data model requirements, this is everything else.  The output of this initial 
standards work would be a paws protocol for the interactions between WS devices 
and the WS database and a separate standard for a data model that it uses for 
defining spectrum.  

I would then add the following to the protocol requirements:

P.14  The master device must identify the spectrum data model schema it uses to 
convey its operating parameters and to receive channel availability from the WS 
Database.

There are likely multiple changes required throughout the document but wanted 
to instigate a discussion before I try to suggest what they might be.


John A. Stine
Chief Technology Advisor
Operations Research and Systems Analysis
The MITRE Corporation
email: [email protected],  Phone:703-983-6281

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