Automated Repair Service Bureau: The context-sensitive switch of the loop maintenance operations system

In a distributed system where the data base is partitioned, e.g., on a geographical basis, incoming transactions must be routed to the correct computer based on information in the data. In some instances, this is performed manually by the attendant entering the data, but as the switching criteria becomes more complex and the transaction load increases, a mechanized system which could examine the data and route automatically would decrease the time required for an attendant to handle an individual input and, thereby, increase the productivity of the attendant. This paper describes the design and implementation of a “context-sensitive” switch that is used to route transactions in the Loop Maintenance Operations System.