[NTLUG:Discuss] What is the best method to communicate between adevice and a server?

[Greg Edwards]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: discuss-bounces at ntlug.org [mailto:discuss-bounces at ntlug.org] On
> Behalf Of Kipton Moravec
> 
> I am designing a device or appliance (it does not matter what) that
> needs to report results to a server, over the Internet and get new
> instructions once a day or whenever it powers up. (Or had a power
> failure). There could be thousands of these devices.
> 
> I have to assume the device will be behind a firewall so the device
> will
> have to contact the Linux server and the server will not be able to
> initiate the communications to the device.
> 


> 
> What application protocols are best for something like this?
> 


> 
> Any suggestions? And more importantly why one way would be better than
> another?
> 
> Kip
> --

Kip,

I assume that you're writing binary executables for this, not shells?

One option that would be worth looking at would be CORBA.  CORBA is well
supported on Linux and has multiple language APIs.  Orbit2 (Gnomes
CORBA) is native for C and has hooks for others.  CORBA was built to
talk across networks, including TCP/IP.

If the client is running on a *nix appliance then having NTP running
should keep the system clock where you need it.  There shouldn't be any
need to "implement" anything in your client program.

--
Greg Edwards