Backwards JNLP???

[Robert M. Gary]

Does anyone know of a process similar to JNLP for servers? I have a
situation where my customers may have hundreds of "little" servers (small
unmanned PCs). I want to be able to set up some sort of system that would
allow me to push out updates and configuration files without user action
required on the remove box. JNLP does not appear to work because someone
would have to be sitting on the box and retrieving the updates (I want to
push updates, not pull them). Of course SSL and certificates would probably
be required for security. I"m thinking that if java doesn't offer such a
thing there must be some company supplying it.

-Robert

 

[Andrew Thompson]

Does anyone know of a process similar to JNLP for servers?

<maybe>
Invoke and control webstart from you server app. itself.

Every 24(?) hours it checks a file on the Java application
host server giving last update/version information, or perhaps
checking the last updated* times of the resources directly, then
invoke the help of the ..
http://java.sun.com/products/javawebstart/docs/javadoc/javax/jnlp/ServiceManager.html
...to obtain updates.
</maybe>

[ Please note that while I have some knowledge of webstart, and have been
looking for ways to apply a similar process to Java based *screensavers*,
I have not actually tried to do it. If you do, please let us know how
it goes. ]

 

[Robert M. Gary]

That may work. I was hoping for a push rather than a pull methodology so
configuration files could be updated quickly.

-Robert

Does anyone know of a process similar to JNLP for servers?

<maybe>
Invoke and control webstart from you server app. itself.

Every 24(?) hours it checks a file on the Java application
host server giving last update/version information, or perhaps
checking the last updated* times of the resources directly, then
invoke the help of the ..
http://java.sun.com/products/javawebstart/docs/javadoc/javax/jnlp/ServiceManager.html
..to obtain updates.
</maybe>

[ Please note that while I have some knowledge of webstart, and have been
looking for ways to apply a similar process to Java based *screensavers*,
I have not actually tried to do it. If you do, please let us know how
it goes. ]

 

[Andrew Thompson]

That may work.

What? For clarity, please post 'in-line' with trimming.

..I was hoping for a push rather than a pull methodology so
configuration files could be updated quickly.

Given your end-user application is itself a web-app, on (presumably)
an active server, you could probably get away with checking the root
server much more often than once every 24 hours.

Just how many updates per day do you expect to provide?

What is the nature of your app.? What does it do?

 

[Tilman Bohn]

Does anyone know of a process similar to JNLP for servers? I have a
situation where my customers may have hundreds of "little" servers (small
unmanned PCs).

Are these machines under your control, or do your customers configure
them as they like and install your software by themselves?

I want to be able to set up some sort of system that would
allow me to push out updates and configuration files without user action
required on the remove box.

Iff you have complete control over the remote boxes you might consider
using existing tools from outside the Java world to accomplish this, e.g.
rsync over ssh w/pubkeys, both of which should be readily available on
(or at least for) all platforms Java runs on.

Just as a thought outside the box (if it really is).