NetChat Communications Systems

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NetChat Communications Systems

• Steven Fuqua
• Barnett Trzcinski
• Andy Street

2
Abstract

• Development of a standards-based, modular,
  networked communications protocol.
• Use of this NetChat Protocol (NCP) to create an
  application to allow end-users to
  communicate/distribute information over various
  media
• Instant messaging
• E-mails
• News

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Design

• Extensible Use of user-creatable modules to
  provide means of adding functionality
• Modular Separate plugins for various means of
  communication
• Standardized Use of XML to encode messages as
  they relate to specific modules in a standardized
  protocol

4
Construction

• Server Coded in Ruby, handles connections and
  parses client information
• Clients Connect to the Ruby server, receive
  user input, parse it, and relay it to the server
  for processing
• Py-Client Coded in Python, provides a
  text-based interface for testing new features
• J-Client Coded in Java, sports a graphical
  interface for a production-quality release

5
Server Barnett Trzcinski

• Scripted in Ruby
• Standard library
• Opt-parsing based configuration
• Allows for SSL/NCP connections as needed
• Threaded to handle multiple connections
• Interprets received messages

6
Py-Client Steven Fuqua

• Scripted in Python 2.5
• Twisted networking framework
• Dynamic reload functionality
• Text-based interface, serves as test bed
• Takes specialized commands to communicate with
  the server
• Uses method reflection for commands and message
  parsing

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J-Client Andy Street

• Coded in Java
• Xerces XML library
• GUI, release quality client
• Threaded to send and receive messages
• Uses method reflection for server command parsing
• Use of XML data objects to convey information

8
Analysis

• XML serves as a flexible medium with which to
  encode data
• Modularized format allows for easily updating or
  future expansion
• Could potentially add functionality to network
  servers, distributing client load

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Images Quiet Server
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Images Verbose Server
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Images Quiet Py-Client
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Images Verbose Py-Client
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Images J-Client