[Uni-verse] Update of WP 6.2 (Alternative Server implementation)

[Sascha Schneider]

Hello!

We´ve worked out a plan how to focus WP 6.2 more on the needs of the
end-users (esp. the architects). So we had a close look at the features we
defined as "optional" in the D2.3 for the alternative server implementation
and on the whish list Minusplus sent out some time ago. We came up with
these results and are happy to get some input or feedback - especially from
the architects and end-users to our thoughts.

All these points here have already been discussed with Gert, now we present
them to the consortium.

As said, the input or wish list by Minusplus et al. was a very good basis
for our thoughts and allowed us - as we already explained roughly in the
last online meeting - to align our ideas in the direction their demands are
going. To summarize their needs in short we can say, that they basically
want some features in the alternative Verse server realization that increase
the usability of the system as a whole.

Following this intention, features that weren´t in the center of interest
have been dropped: As already agreed we will drop the server proxy
functionality together with the server build in reduction as they are not of
big concern. The saved effort is then used together with the effort we
gained through a restructuring of person costs by Fraunhofer for realizing
more beneficial server features.

Following the main ideas of the document “Uses cases
Architeture_minusplus_v1.doc” we recognized some of our optional claimed
server features we already defined in D2.3:

Disk based/using server
-------------------
It will be possible to save the current state of the server onto the disk
and reload it (in projects). This will give the end user the possibility to
make backups and to store or load different server or scene setups.
Futhermore it´s possible to transport the current state of a server to
another server – even if this is done offline. More on project handling: see
below.

User management and rights system
-------------------
In addition to the possibilities Verse itself already supports, a database
user and rights management system will be integrated into the server. Users
will be categorized into several user groups which have different rights in
accessing and manipulating the data. These access rights are stored in a
MySQL database which will be connected to the server. An additional
PHP-based web pages system will be set up to allow manipulation and setting
of these access rights. (However it is possible that this functionality is
integrated into the advanced server GUI as well – see below.) Through this
front end it will then be possible to control the user and group rights in
the database. The server will automatically compare the logged in Verse user
with this database and execute incoming Verse commands or reject their
execution accordingly.

These two new server features already incorporate more effort than we gained
through the dropping of the proxy and reduction functionality. Nevertheless
we looked into the architects' wish list and combined their points with our
optional features list in D2.3 to the following features which will be
realized in our alternative server:

Multithreading (D2.3 final, page 45, optional feature 6.)
-------------------
The server is segmented into several threads allowing speed ups on
multi-processor machines. This is quite an interesting change to increase
the server performance especially if several users are concurrently
connected. We are already in the process of realizing and implementing this.

Support of newer versions of Verse (D2.3 final, page 45, optional feature 8)
-------------------
This was already done. At the time WP 3.4/D3.4 was closed and the
corresponding project milestone was achieved according to schedule (month
12) Verse R3 was the current version of Verse. Nevertheless we switched our
applications to R4 and recently to R5 (which was decided to be the final one
for the project in the last online meeting if not changed again through an
additional PCC meeting).

Advanced GUI for the server (D2.3 final, page 45, optional feature 9.)
-------------------
Our first design of the alternative Verse server only incorporated a very
poor user interface in a standard DOS console with text output (like the
"original" Verse server has). As we have now more effort available we are
now already realizing a more user friendly interface. 
The server is running in its own window presenting several information to
the user like for example "list of connected users (name, ip address)",
"active nodes" or "current scene" in a tree like graph etc. 
Furthermore the backup and load functionality will be controllable through
this interface. We have to see if there is enough time that we integrate the
database steering for user management into the server window as well.

In addition to these new features we took the following points from the
architects' wish list (page 7 ff. of the document "Uses cases
Architecture_minusplus_v1.doc").

"Easy of use"
-------------------
This will be realized through the Advanced GUI.

"Access control"
-------------------
This will be realized through the user rights management.

"Project handling" + "Object or project search"
-------------------
Together with the user and group rights management we will implement a
database driven project management on the server. This will allow the
separation of the Verse nodes in the server memory into different "scenes":
These scenes can be loaded and saved. Furthermore the access rights to the
projects of several users or groups can be set. Additionally it will be
possible to search among saved (or loaded) projects in the server.

"Persistent long-term storage" + "Backup"
-------------------
This will be realized through the save & load capabilities of the server.

We are convinced that the focus on these features as a whole together with
the alternative server implementation will provide a very good and usable
tool for the end users especially architects, which they can use in their
daily work. Furthermore we think that these points will be very convincing
for the reviewers since we're focusing our efforts on a relevant industry as
well.

Regards
Sascha Schneider - Dipl.-Math. - Sascha.Schneider at igd.fraunhofer.de
Tel.: 06151/155631 - Fraunhofer IGD - Fraunhoferstraße 5 - 64283 Darmstadt