2.1. The DCM API Architecture

The DCM API is one layer of a multi-layer configuration management architecture. This architecture provides a vehicle for managing configuration data for Intel® Dialogic products. The components of this architecture are:

• The DCM Catalog: Default configuration information originates in the DCM Catalog. This default information includes the devices that can be installed, the configuration parameters that can be applied to them, and the default configuration parameter values. The content of the DCM Catalog is determined by the software release of which the DCM API is a component. The DCM API therefore does not enable you to modify the DCM Catalog.

  Throughout this manual, the term "installable" indicates that the configuration data element to which it applies is contained in the DCM Catalog. For example, an installable device is a device that is defined in the DCM Catalog.

• The DCM System Configuration: The system configuration consists of the configuration data currently in use in your system.

  In this manual, the terms "instantiate" and "instantiation" refer to the process of creating system configuration data.

  The Intel® Dialogic devices and configuration parameter values you can instantiate are determined by the DCM Catalog. The DCM API enables you to instantiate and delete devices and to change the configuration parameter values in your system configuration. The system configuration is read by the system software through the DCM API when it initializes Intel® Dialogic devices.

CAUTION
In the current version of the DCM API, the system configuration is stored in the Windows* registry. Do not attempt to modify the DCM registry data through any means other than the DCM API. By adhering to this guideline, you ensure forward-compatibility between your application and future versions of the DCM API.

• The DCM API: The DCM API consists of a library of functions for instantiating Intel® Dialogic devices in the system configuration and for modifying configuration parameter values. It also enables you to start and stop the Intel® Dialogic System Service, stop and start individual DM3 PCI and CompactPCI (cPCI) boards, and to auto-detect devices. Refer to Section 2.6.1, Auto Detection for information about auto-detectable devices.
• Client Application: A client application makes the functionality of the DCM API available to end-users. A client application may be a GUI-based configuration tool, a customized automated silent configuration process, or some other type of application.

  An example of a Client Application is the DCM GUI client, which is included in every Intel® Dialogic System Software release that includes the DCM API. Access the DCM GUI client by clicking the Configuration Manager-DCM icon from the Intel Dialogic System Software folder in the Windows Start menu.

For an overview of the DCM API architecture, see Figure 1, DCM API Architecture.

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