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root/i-scream/projects/cms/documentation/specification/protocols.txt
Revision: 1.10
Committed: Mon Mar 19 15:05:53 2001 UTC (23 years, 1 month ago) by ajm
Content type: text/plain
Branch: MAIN
CVS Tags: PROJECT_COMPLETION
Changes since 1.9: +2 -1 lines
Log Message:
updated to reflect change.

File Contents

# User Rev Content
1 ajm 1.1 i-scream Protocols
2     ==================
3    
4     Contents
5     --------
6     - Conventions
7    
8     - Host Connection Protocol
9     - Host Heartbeat Protocol
10     - Host Data Protocol
11    
12     - Client Control Protocol
13     - Client Data Protocol
14    
15     Conventions
16     -----------
17     All protocols in this document assume a valid connection of
18     the appropriate type has been made, and that data streams
19 tdb 1.2 are already available. All strings should, and will be,
20 ajm 1.1 terminated with a \n (newline character) to indicate the end
21     of the message. All messages are sent as ASCII Strings.
22    
23     Fixed protocol messages will appear in [] brackets, if there
24 tdb 1.2 is a variety of options they will be separated with the |
25 ajm 1.1 character. For example:
26    
27     [OK|ERROR]
28 tdb 1.6
29 ajm 1.1 Indicates that the message "OK" OR the message "ERROR" will
30     be sent depending on the result of the last action.
31    
32     Data messages will appear in {} brackets, where the name in
33     the brackets indicates the type (as in kind, not data type)
34     of data that will be returned. For example:
35    
36     {lastmodified}
37    
38 tdb 1.6 Indicates that data for use as 'last modified' will be
39     returned.
40 tdb 1.2
41 tdb 1.6 If [ERROR] is sent back at any time, this indicates that all
42 tdb 1.2 communication is over. EXCEPT where otherwise specified!
43 ajm 1.1
44     Host Connection Protocol
45     ------------------------
46     The initial connection of a host to the i-scream server is
47     through the FilterManager. A Host gets its configuration
48 tdb 1.2 and then gets assigned a Filter to connect to and start
49 ajm 1.1 sending data.
50    
51 tdb 1.2 The port number of the FilterManager is fully configurable,
52 ajm 1.1 however the default at this time is 4567.
53    
54     Host (direction) Server Comment
55     ------------------------------------------------------------
56     [STARTCONFIG]----------> Requests to start
57     receiving config
58     information
59 tdb 1.6
60 ajm 1.1 <---------- [OK|ERROR] If the server ok's
61     the request or not
62    
63     [LASTMODIFIED]----------> Asks when the config
64     was last modified
65     (used when checking
66 tdb 1.2 if the config has
67 ajm 1.1 changed)
68 tdb 1.6
69 ajm 1.1 <---------- [{lastmodified}Returns a long int
70 tdb 1.2 |ERROR] time since epoch
71 ajm 1.1 eg, 123456789
72 ajm 1.5 To indicate what
73     format this is in,
74     I quote from the
75     Java 1.3 JDK API
76     "measured in milli
77     -seconds since the
78     epoch"
79 tdb 1.6
80 ajm 1.1 [FILELIST] ----------> Asks the server for
81     the list of files
82     that were used to
83     build the config
84     (used when checking
85     if the config has
86     changed)
87 tdb 1.6
88 ajm 1.1 <---------- [{filelist} Returns a semi-colon
89 tdb 1.2 |ERROR] separated list of
90 ajm 1.1 filenames
91     eg,
92     a.conf;b.conf;c.conf
93    
94 tdb 1.8 [FQDN] ----------> Asks the server to
95     send the FQDN (fully
96     qualified domain
97     name) of the
98     connecting host.
99    
100     <---------- [{fqdn} Returns the FQDN of
101     |ERROR] the connected host,
102     or error if it can't
103     be looked up.
104    
105 ajm 1.1 ********** LOOP START **********
106     This loop reads configuration
107     properties from the config
108    
109     [{property}] ----------> Sends the name of a
110     property to be
111     retrieved from the
112     config file
113     eg, UDPUpdateTime
114 tdb 1.6
115 ajm 1.1 <---------- [{value}|ERROR]Returns the value of
116     the requested config
117     property
118     eg, 120
119     If it is unable to
120 tdb 1.2 find the requested
121 ajm 1.1 property it returns
122     ERROR to indicate
123 tdb 1.6 that fact, but
124     communication still
125 tdb 1.2 proceeds
126 tdb 1.6
127 ajm 1.1 ********** LOOP UNTIL **********
128     The loop continues until the host
129     sends the following message
130 tdb 1.6
131 tdb 1.2 [ENDCONFIG] ----------> Indicates that the
132 ajm 1.1 host requires no
133     more config
134 tdb 1.6
135 ajm 1.1 ********** LOOP END **********
136     Communication continues
137 tdb 1.6
138 ajm 1.1 <---------- [OK] Indicates that the
139     server is ready to
140     proceed
141 tdb 1.6
142 ajm 1.1 [FILTER] ----------> Asks the server to
143     send it the host
144 tdb 1.2 information of a
145 ajm 1.1 filter that it
146     should connect to
147 tdb 1.6
148 tdb 1.9 <---------- {filter}|ERROR Returns a semi-colon
149 tdb 1.2 separated list of
150 ajm 1.1 FQDN hostname, UDP
151     port number and TCP
152 tdb 1.2 port number that a
153 ajm 1.1 configured Filter is
154     running on and
155 tdb 1.2 assigned to the
156 ajm 1.1 calling host
157     eg,
158     raptor.ukc.ac.uk;
159     1234;5678
160 tdb 1.9 or ERROR if none of
161     configured Filter's
162     could be found.
163 ajm 1.1
164     [END] ----------> Indicates to the
165     server that the host
166     has finished an will
167     disconnect
168 tdb 1.6
169 ajm 1.1 <---------- [OK|ERROR] Indicates that the
170     server is either ok
171     or that it thought
172     there was an error
173 ajm 1.3 ------------------------------------------------------------
174 tdb 1.6
175 ajm 1.1 Host Heartbeat Protocol
176     -----------------------
177     When a host is configured after it has connected it should
178     obtain a property TCPUpdateTime. This indicates how often
179 tdb 1.2 a host should send a "Heart Beat", which is a pro-active
180 ajm 1.1 connection to the server by the host to indicate that it is
181     still alive. This "Heart Beat" also allows a host to see
182 tdb 1.2 its configuration has changed and act accordingly. In a
183 ajm 1.1 well written host this should just be a case of dropping out
184     of a loop and heading back to the start (connecting to the
185     filter manager).
186    
187     Host (direction) Server Comment
188     ------------------------------------------------------------
189     [HEARTBEAT] ----------> Starts the
190     heartbeat protocol
191     off
192 tdb 1.6
193 ajm 1.1 <---------- [OK|ERROR] Indicates that the
194     server is ok or not
195    
196     [CONFIG] ----------> Indicates that the
197     host wants to check
198     its config
199    
200     <---------- [OK|ERROR] Indicates that the
201     server is ok or not
202    
203     [{filelist}] ----------> Send a semi-colon
204 tdb 1.2 separated list of
205 ajm 1.1 filenames
206     eg,
207     a.conf;b.conf;c.conf
208     This should be
209     identical to the one
210 tdb 1.2 received in the
211 ajm 1.1 connection protocol
212    
213     <---------- [OK] Indicates that the
214     server is ok
215    
216     [{lastmodified}]----------> Returns a long int
217 tdb 1.2 time since epoch
218 ajm 1.1 eg, 123456789
219     This should be
220     identical to the one
221 tdb 1.2 received in the
222 ajm 1.1 connection protocol
223 ajm 1.5 To indicate what
224     format this is in,
225     I quote from the
226     Java 1.3 JDK API
227     "measured in milli
228     -seconds since the
229     epoch"
230 ajm 1.1
231     <---------- [OK|ERROR] The server then
232     checks all the files
233     in the file list to
234     see if they have
235     been modified more
236     recently than the
237 tdb 1.2 lastmodified value.
238     If they HAVE that
239 ajm 1.1 indicates that the
240     configuration has
241     changed and the host
242     should re-configure,
243     thus it sends ERROR.
244     If the files remain
245     unchanged the server
246     will return OK to
247     indicate the host
248     should continue as
249     before
250    
251     [ENDHEARTBEAT] ----------> Indicates to the
252     server that the host
253     has finished an will
254     disconnect
255 tdb 1.6
256 ajm 1.1 <---------- [OK|ERROR] Indicates that the
257     server is either ok
258     or that it thought
259     there was an error
260 ajm 1.3 ------------------------------------------------------------
261 ajm 1.1
262     Host Data Protocol
263     ------------------
264     The UDP data packets that are sent by the host contain
265     simply XML data. For information on the format of this
266     data see the XML via UDP specification document at:
267    
268 ajm 1.4 http://www.i-scream.org.uk/cgi-bin/docs.cgi?doc=specification/xml_via_udp.txt
269 ajm 1.1
270     Client Control Protocol
271     -----------------------
272    
273 ajm 1.3 The client control protocol channel is opened by the client
274     and allows a variety of actions to be carried out by the
275     client at anytime. Unlike previous protocols, this is NOT
276 tdb 1.6 sequential, all of the requests can be carried out in
277 ajm 1.3 any order.
278    
279     All client protocols are backwards compatible, and the
280     version is shown by the protocol identifier.
281    
282     There are three sections to this protocol.
283    
284     1) Initialise (sent only at start)
285     2) Send command(s) - unlimited number in any order
286     3) Disconnect (sent only at end)
287    
288     If at anytime the client sends something the server does
289     not understand, an [ERROR] will be sent
290    
291     All are indicated with <> brackets.
292    
293     v1.0 - Protocol identifier: "PROTOCOL 1.0" (without quotes)
294     Supported commands:
295     STARTCONFIG
296     STARTDATA
297     STOPDATA
298    
299     Host (direction) Server Comment
300     ------------------------------------------------------------
301     <initialise>
302     <---------- [{protocol}] The server sends the
303     protocol identifier
304 tdb 1.6
305 ajm 1.3 [{name}] ----------> The client sends its
306     "name". This name
307     is used to identify
308     the type of client
309     to the system and
310     obtain its config
311     eg, Conient
312 tdb 1.6
313 ajm 1.3 <---------- [OK] Indicates the server
314     is ok to proceed
315 tdb 1.6
316 ajm 1.3
317     <command #1> (allows client to obtain its configuration)
318     [STARTCONFIG]----------> Tell the server we
319     want to start this
320     command
321 tdb 1.6
322 ajm 1.3 <---------- [OK] Indicates the server
323     is ok to proceed
324 tdb 1.6
325 ajm 1.3 ********** LOOP START **********
326     This loop reads configuration
327     properties from the config
328    
329 ajm 1.10 [{config};{property}] ----------> Sends the name of a
330     configuration and
331 ajm 1.3 property to be
332     retrieved from the
333     config file
334     Clients can obtain
335     host information
336 tdb 1.6 eg,
337 ajm 1.3 Host.UDPUpdateTime
338     Otherwise it must
339     prefix requests
340     with "Client."
341     All other requests
342     will be ignored as
343     if it was unable to
344 tdb 1.6 retrieve the
345     property
346    
347 ajm 1.3 <---------- [{value}|ERROR]Returns the value of
348     the requested config
349     property
350     eg, 120
351     If it is unable to
352 tdb 1.6 find the requested
353 ajm 1.3 property it returns
354     ERROR to indicate
355     that fact
356 tdb 1.6
357 ajm 1.3 ********** LOOP UNTIL **********
358     The loop continues until the client
359     sends the following message
360 tdb 1.6
361     [ENDCONFIG] ----------> Indicates that the
362 ajm 1.3 client requires no
363     more config
364 tdb 1.6
365 ajm 1.3 ********** LOOP END **********
366     Communication continues
367 tdb 1.6
368 ajm 1.3 <---------- [OK] Indicates that the
369     server is ready to
370     proceed
371    
372     <command #2> (tells the server to start the data link)
373     [STARTDATA] ----------> Tell the server we
374     want to start this
375     command
376 tdb 1.6
377 ajm 1.3 <---------- [{portnumber} The server then sets
378     |ERROR] itself listening for
379     a connection on its
380     data link socket for
381     this client. It
382     returns the port no.
383     that it is listening
384     on eg, 12367
385     If the data link is
386 tdb 1.6 already started the
387     server will return
388     ERROR
389    
390     <---------- [OK] Indicates the client
391     has successfully
392     connected to the
393     data socket.
394 ajm 1.3
395     <command #3> (tells the server to stop the data link)
396     [STOPDATA] ----------> Tell the server we
397     want to start this
398     command
399     The server then
400 tdb 1.6 shuts down the
401 ajm 1.3 data link to the
402     client
403    
404     <---------- [OK|ERROR] Returns OK is the
405     server is ready to
406     proceed, or ERROR
407     if the data link
408     was not open in the
409     first place
410    
411     <disconnect>
412     [DISCONNECT] ----------> Tells the server the
413     client wants to
414     close the control
415     link
416 tdb 1.6
417 ajm 1.3 <---------- [OK] The last word from
418     the server, it will
419 tdb 1.6 disappear after
420     this, and close the
421     data link if
422     required
423 ajm 1.3 ------------------------------------------------------------
424    
425     v1.1 - Protocol identifier: "PROTOCOL 1.1" (without quotes)
426     Supported commands:
427     SETHOSTLIST
428    
429     Host (direction) Server Comment
430     ------------------------------------------------------------
431     <command #4> (indicates to the server which hosts the client
432     wants data from)
433     [SETHOSTLIST]----------> Tell the server we
434     want to start this
435     command
436 tdb 1.6
437 ajm 1.3 <---------- [OK|ERROR] The server will
438     return an ERROR if
439     the data link is
440     open, as a host list
441 tdb 1.6 must ONLY be set
442 ajm 1.3 if the data link is
443     closed
444     If the server is
445     ok to proceed with
446     the command it says
447     [OK]
448    
449     [{hostlist}] ----------> This is a semi-colon
450     seperated list of
451     FQDN hostnames that
452     the client wishes to
453     recieve data from
454     eg,
455     raptor.ukc.ac.uk;killigrew.ukc.ac.uk;chalk.ukc.ac.uk
456 tdb 1.6
457 ajm 1.3 If the list is sent
458     blank (or if no list
459     is set at all) then
460     data from ALL hosts
461     will be sent to the
462 tdb 1.6 client (this is the
463     default if no
464     SETHOSTLIST is not
465     run by the client
466    
467 ajm 1.3 <---------- [OK] Indicates the server
468     is ok to proceed and
469 tdb 1.6 the host list has
470 ajm 1.3 been accepted
471     ------------------------------------------------------------
472 ajm 1.1
473     Client Data Protocol
474     --------------------
475 ajm 1.3 Once the data link has been opened by the control link, the
476 tdb 1.6 server will send XML formatted data packets separated by the
477     \n (newline) character. For information on the format of
478 ajm 1.3 this data see the XML via UDP specification document at:
479 ajm 1.1
480 ajm 1.4 http://www.i-scream.org.uk/cgi-bin/docs.cgi?doc=specification/xml_via_udp.txt
481 ajm 1.1
482     About
483     -----
484     This document was written by AJ Moore [ajm4@ukc.ac.uk] for
485     use by the team working on a 3rd year Computer Science
486     project called "i-scream". More details can be found on the
487     project website;
488    
489     http://www.i-scream.org.uk