Platform Team/Sugar Network/Architecture: Difference between revisions
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This page | This is a twin page of Sugar Network's [[Sugar_Network/Concept|basic concepts]] from technical point of view. See also the [[Sugar_Network|introduction page]]. | ||
== Overview == | == Overview == | ||
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* Clients create, modify and browse different types of resources ([[Sugar_Network/Concept#Resources|resources]] from conceptual point of view, [[Platform_Team/Sugar_Network/API#Resources|resources]] from the API point of view) on a server; | * Clients create, modify and browse different types of resources ([[Sugar_Network/Concept#Resources|resources]] from conceptual point of view, [[Platform_Team/Sugar_Network/API#Resources|resources]] from the API point of view) on a server; | ||
* If this server is a [[# | * If this server is a [[#Node_servers|Node]] server, the system will take care about [[#Synchronization|synchronizing]] its resources with other Node servers and, finally, with the central one, the [[#Master_server|Master]] server. | ||
=== Components === | === Components === | ||
This is technical view on [[Sugar_Network/Concept#Overview|three levels]] of the Sugar Network: | |||
* [[#Server|Server side]], | |||
* [[#Conceptual_level|Conceptual level]], | |||
* [[#Client|Client side]]. | |||
== Server == | |||
[[File:Sugar-networks-architecture.png|right]] | [[File:Sugar-networks-architecture.png|right]] | ||
Server side is represented by: | |||
* [[#Master_server|Master]] server that keeps the whole Sugar Network information, clients might connect directly to this server (on-line case) or indirectly via Node servers (off-line case); | |||
* Optional [[#Node_servers|Node]] servers, contain a [[#Synchronization|synchronised]] copy of central server (might be not for the entire Network to save storage space); | |||
In all cases the server [[Platform_Team/Sugar_Network/API|API]] is the same for clients. But depending on connectivity, clients might be connected to the [[# | In all cases the server [[Platform_Team/Sugar_Network/API|API]] is the same for clients. But depending on connectivity, clients might be connected to the [[#Master_server|Master]] server or to a [[#Node_servers|intermediate server]]. | ||
=== | === Master server === | ||
The place where data is being collected from all | The place where data is being collected from all Node servers. If clients have connectivity, they can connect to the Master to contribute to the Network directly. | ||
=== | === Node servers === | ||
Servers that will be useful if: | Servers that will be useful if: | ||
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* connectivity is not cheap and its usage needs to be minimized. | * connectivity is not cheap and its usage needs to be minimized. | ||
Node servers provide full featured [[Platform_Team/Sugar_Network/API|API]] as the Master does. Nodes need to be [[#Synchronization|synchronized]]. | |||
== Conceptual level == | |||
This is how Sugar Network looks like on [[Sugar_Network/Concept|conceptual level]] represented by the [[Platform_Team/Sugar_Network/API|API]]. | |||
=== Objects model === | |||
{{:Platform_Team/Sugar_Network/Objects_model}} | |||
The model refers to the following additional information: | |||
=== | === Simplified editing workflow === | ||
The system is designed to be as lightweight as possible to make it running on XO laptops in unmaintainable environments and simplify synchronization. So, the following design decisions were taken: | |||
* No history for Sugar Network objects, only events about made changes; | |||
* Only object author(s) can process editing; | |||
* But, other people can suggest changes (that might be implemented on client side in pretty powerful way, e.g., people can change objects but it will be postponed for later author(s)' review). | |||
That might be changed but only after making system one level more complicated. | |||
== Client == | == Client == | ||
This is what Network participants are interacting with. This is a software that let people get access to the Sugar Network and define how Sugar Network should look like from users point of view. User experience, that these clients provide, might be too different from a client to a client. Starting from a couple of elements in the already existing software's [[Wikipedia:Graphical_user_interface|GUI]] (when people even don't suspect they are interacting with the Sugar Network) and ending with clients that represent conceptual level as close as possible. | |||
Client side is represented by: | |||
* Client application that uses [[Platform_Team/Sugar_Network/API|API]] to interact with a server; | |||
* Client application that [[#Personal_server|provides]] limited [[Platform_Team/Sugar_Network/API|API]] to support server-less workflow. | |||
Client application is local, for reasons: | Client application is local, for reasons: | ||
* Originally, Sugar Network was being developed for deployments where teachers' XOs will be | * Originally, Sugar Network was being developed for deployments where teachers' XOs will be Node servers, thus, it will be useful to delegate some of computing to students' XOs; | ||
* Stimulate doing behaviour when it should be possible to create new client application or tweak existing on a client side; | * Stimulate doing behaviour when it should be possible to create new client application or tweak existing on a client side; | ||
* It is all time possible to create Web application on a server side. | * It is all time possible to create Web application on a server side. | ||
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* Data accessible from removable devices like USB sticks or SD cards. | * Data accessible from removable devices like USB sticks or SD cards. | ||
== | == Synchronization == | ||
To let Network participant, connected to particular [[#Node_servers|Node server]], interact with people from another Node servers or with people from the Internet (Master server), Node servers need to be synchronized. | |||
Server might be synchronized: | |||
* | * With the Master, if connectivity presents; | ||
* With the Master or any other Node servers via the [[Wikipedia:Sneakernet|Sneakernet]]. | |||
== Getting involved == | == Getting involved == | ||