[Kolab-devel] Resource Management in Kolab 3.0

[Jeroen van Meeuwen (Kolab Systems)]

As per http://wiki.kolab.org/Kolab_3.0_Resource_Management

I'm thinking about a way to implement this, but I need some 
clarification on what the flow is of messages.

Suppose John reserves Car #1 for Monday and Wednesday.

Suppose Jane reserves Car #2 for Monday and Tuesday.

The reservations now look as follows:

        | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday
-------+--------+---------+----------
Car #1 | John   |         | John
-------+--------+---------+----------
Car #2 | Jane   | Jane    |

Suppose Max wants to make a car reservation for Tuesday and Wednesday.

The following questions come to mind;

- What is Jane's reservation?

   - Is Jane's reservation based on needing the car Monday morning 
throughout Tuesday evening (do not return car Monday evening), or;
   - Is Jane's reservation really a Monday, and also Tuesday (return the 
car on Monday)?

Suppose Jane does not return the car on Monday (and that in fact was 
the plan as well);

- What is displayed to Max wanting to make a Tuesday-Wednesday 
reservation?

   - Does Max see a "just try to make a reservation we'll attempt to 
figure it out and let you know"?
   - Does the client (responsible for rendering the UI that Max is 
presented with) offer a car available or not available, or 
tentative/maybe?

Furthermore;

- Is the client responsible for the capability to render the 
availability information, or is the client offered with such 
capabilities?

Also;

- The most effective way to negate the entire problem is to immediately 
re-schedule John's reservation on Monday (for Car #1) to Car #2, and 
Jane's reservation (Car #2) to Car #1, freeing up Car #2 for Tuesday and 
Wednesday - however, given that cars are written off over a period of 
time and mileage, it's probably not sustainable to put load on any 
particular one of the resources in the set, and this re-scheduling would 
need to be balanced somehow. This would greatly complicate the resource 
management - but could be implemented.

Kind regards,

Jeroen van Meeuwen

-- 
Systems Architect, Kolab Systems AG

e: vanmeeuwen at kolabsys.com
m: +44 74 2516 3817
w: http://www.kolabsys.com

pgp: 9342 BF08