A detailed investigation of interoperability for web services
- Authors: Wright, Madeleine
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Firefox , Web services , World Wide Web , Computer architecture , C# (Computer program language) , PHP (Computer program language) , Java (Computer program language)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4592 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004832 , Firefox , Web services , World Wide Web , Computer architecture , C# (Computer program language) , PHP (Computer program language) , Java (Computer program language)
- Description: The thesis presents a qualitative survey of web services' interoperability, offering a snapshot of development and trends at the end of 2005. It starts by examining the beginnings of web services in earlier distributed computing and middleware technologies, determining the distance from these approaches evident in current web-services architectures. It establishes a working definition of web services, examining the protocols that now seek to define it and the extent to which they contribute to its most crucial feature, interoperability. The thesis then considers the REST approach to web services as being in a class of its own, concluding that this approach to interoperable distributed computing is not only the simplest but also the most interoperable. It looks briefly at interoperability issues raised by technologies in the wider arena of Service Oriented Architecture. The chapter on protocols is complemented by a chapter that validates the qualitative findings by examining web services in practice. These have been implemented by a variety of toolkits and on different platforms. Included in the study is a preliminary examination of JAX-WS, the replacement for JAX-RPC, which is still under development. Although the main language of implementation is Java, the study includes services in C# and PHP and one implementation of a client using a Firefox extension. The study concludes that different forms of web service may co-exist with earlier middleware technologies. While remaining aware that there are still pitfalls that might yet derail the movement towards greater interoperability, the conclusion sounds an optimistic note that recent cooperation between different vendors may yet result in a solution that achieves interoperability through core web-service standards.
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- Authors: Wright, Madeleine
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Firefox , Web services , World Wide Web , Computer architecture , C# (Computer program language) , PHP (Computer program language) , Java (Computer program language)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4592 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004832 , Firefox , Web services , World Wide Web , Computer architecture , C# (Computer program language) , PHP (Computer program language) , Java (Computer program language)
- Description: The thesis presents a qualitative survey of web services' interoperability, offering a snapshot of development and trends at the end of 2005. It starts by examining the beginnings of web services in earlier distributed computing and middleware technologies, determining the distance from these approaches evident in current web-services architectures. It establishes a working definition of web services, examining the protocols that now seek to define it and the extent to which they contribute to its most crucial feature, interoperability. The thesis then considers the REST approach to web services as being in a class of its own, concluding that this approach to interoperable distributed computing is not only the simplest but also the most interoperable. It looks briefly at interoperability issues raised by technologies in the wider arena of Service Oriented Architecture. The chapter on protocols is complemented by a chapter that validates the qualitative findings by examining web services in practice. These have been implemented by a variety of toolkits and on different platforms. Included in the study is a preliminary examination of JAX-WS, the replacement for JAX-RPC, which is still under development. Although the main language of implementation is Java, the study includes services in C# and PHP and one implementation of a client using a Firefox extension. The study concludes that different forms of web service may co-exist with earlier middleware technologies. While remaining aware that there are still pitfalls that might yet derail the movement towards greater interoperability, the conclusion sounds an optimistic note that recent cooperation between different vendors may yet result in a solution that achieves interoperability through core web-service standards.
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A framework for responsive content adaptation in electronic display networks
- Authors: West, Philip
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Computer networks , Cell phone systems , Wireless communication systems , Mobile communication systems , HTML (Document markup language) , XML (Document markup language)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4589 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004824 , Computer networks , Cell phone systems , Wireless communication systems , Mobile communication systems , HTML (Document markup language) , XML (Document markup language)
- Description: Recent trends show an increase in the availability and functionality of handheld devices, wireless network technology, and electronic display networks. We propose the novel integration of these technologies to provide wireless access to content delivered to large-screen display systems. Content adaptation is used as a method of reformatting web pages to display more appropriately on handheld devices, and to remove unwanted content. A framework is presented that facilitates content adaptation, implemented as an adaptation layer, which is extended to provide personalization of adaptation settings and response to network conditions. The framework is implemented as a proxy server for a wireless network, and handles HTML and XML documents. Once a document has been requested by a user, the HTML/XML is retrieved and parsed, creating a Document Object Model tree representation. It is then altered according to the user’s personal settings or predefined settings, based on current network usage and the network resources available. Three adaptation techniques were implemented; spatial representation, which generates an image map of the document, text summarization, which creates a tree view representation of a document, and tag extraction, which replaces specific tags with links. Three proof-of-concept systems were developed in order to test the robustness of the framework. A system for use with digital slide shows, a digital signage system, and a generalized system for use with the internet were implemented. Testing was performed by accessing sample web pages through the content adaptation proxy server. Tag extraction works correctly for all HTML and XML document structures, whereas spatial representation and text summarization are limited to a controlled subset. Results indicate that the adaptive system has the ability to reduce average bandwidth usage, by decreasing the amount of data on the network, thereby allowing a greater number of users access to content. This suggests that responsive content adaptation has a positive influence on network performance metrics.
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- Authors: West, Philip
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Computer networks , Cell phone systems , Wireless communication systems , Mobile communication systems , HTML (Document markup language) , XML (Document markup language)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4589 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004824 , Computer networks , Cell phone systems , Wireless communication systems , Mobile communication systems , HTML (Document markup language) , XML (Document markup language)
- Description: Recent trends show an increase in the availability and functionality of handheld devices, wireless network technology, and electronic display networks. We propose the novel integration of these technologies to provide wireless access to content delivered to large-screen display systems. Content adaptation is used as a method of reformatting web pages to display more appropriately on handheld devices, and to remove unwanted content. A framework is presented that facilitates content adaptation, implemented as an adaptation layer, which is extended to provide personalization of adaptation settings and response to network conditions. The framework is implemented as a proxy server for a wireless network, and handles HTML and XML documents. Once a document has been requested by a user, the HTML/XML is retrieved and parsed, creating a Document Object Model tree representation. It is then altered according to the user’s personal settings or predefined settings, based on current network usage and the network resources available. Three adaptation techniques were implemented; spatial representation, which generates an image map of the document, text summarization, which creates a tree view representation of a document, and tag extraction, which replaces specific tags with links. Three proof-of-concept systems were developed in order to test the robustness of the framework. A system for use with digital slide shows, a digital signage system, and a generalized system for use with the internet were implemented. Testing was performed by accessing sample web pages through the content adaptation proxy server. Tag extraction works correctly for all HTML and XML document structures, whereas spatial representation and text summarization are limited to a controlled subset. Results indicate that the adaptive system has the ability to reduce average bandwidth usage, by decreasing the amount of data on the network, thereby allowing a greater number of users access to content. This suggests that responsive content adaptation has a positive influence on network performance metrics.
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Investigating the viability of a framework for small scale, easily deployable and extensible hotspot management systems
- Authors: Thinyane, Mamello P
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Local area networks (Computer networks) , Computer networks -- Management , Computer network architectures , Computer network protocols , Wireless communication systems , XML (Document markup language)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4638 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006553
- Description: The proliferation of PALs (Public Access Locations) is fuelling the development of new standards, protocols, services, and applications for WLANs (Wireless Local Area Networks). PALs are set up at public locations to meet continually changing, multiservice, multi-protocol user requirements. This research investigates the essential infrastructural requirements that will enable further proliferation of PALs, and consequently facilitate ubiquitous computing. Based on these requirements, an extensible architectural framework for PAL management systems that inherently facilitates the provisioning of multiple services and multiple protocols on PALs is derived. The ensuing framework, which is called Xobogel, is based on the microkernel architectural pattern, and the IPDR (Internet Protocol Data Record) specification. Xobogel takes into consideration and supports the implementation of diverse business models for PALs, in respect of distinct environmental factors. It also facilitates next-generation network service usage accounting through a simple, flexible, and extensible XML based usage record. The framework is subsequently validated for service element extensibility and simplicity through the design, implementation, and experimental deployment of SEHS (Small Extensible Hotspot System), a system based on the framework. The robustness and scalability of the framework is observed to be sufficient for SMME deployment, withstanding the stress testing experiments performed on SEHS. The range of service element and charging modules implemented confirm an acceptable level of flexibility and extensibility within the framework.
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- Authors: Thinyane, Mamello P
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: Local area networks (Computer networks) , Computer networks -- Management , Computer network architectures , Computer network protocols , Wireless communication systems , XML (Document markup language)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4638 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006553
- Description: The proliferation of PALs (Public Access Locations) is fuelling the development of new standards, protocols, services, and applications for WLANs (Wireless Local Area Networks). PALs are set up at public locations to meet continually changing, multiservice, multi-protocol user requirements. This research investigates the essential infrastructural requirements that will enable further proliferation of PALs, and consequently facilitate ubiquitous computing. Based on these requirements, an extensible architectural framework for PAL management systems that inherently facilitates the provisioning of multiple services and multiple protocols on PALs is derived. The ensuing framework, which is called Xobogel, is based on the microkernel architectural pattern, and the IPDR (Internet Protocol Data Record) specification. Xobogel takes into consideration and supports the implementation of diverse business models for PALs, in respect of distinct environmental factors. It also facilitates next-generation network service usage accounting through a simple, flexible, and extensible XML based usage record. The framework is subsequently validated for service element extensibility and simplicity through the design, implementation, and experimental deployment of SEHS (Small Extensible Hotspot System), a system based on the framework. The robustness and scalability of the framework is observed to be sufficient for SMME deployment, withstanding the stress testing experiments performed on SEHS. The range of service element and charging modules implemented confirm an acceptable level of flexibility and extensibility within the framework.
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