Blueprint for Zero Configuration Networking

Provide automatic service discovery so that a group of Netbooks running Sahana can find each other without the need for configuration.

Overview:

• ​http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeroconf

We're currently using:

• Python Multicast DNS Service Discovery: ​http://sourceforge.net/projects/pyzeroconf/

Best toolkit to use is probably Apple's Bonjour:

• ​http://developer.apple.com/networking/bonjour
• Python interface: ​http://www-unix.mcs.anl.gov/fl/research/accessgrid/bonjour-py/bonjour-py.html
• Windows licensing agreement: ​http://developer.apple.com/softwarelicensing/agreements/bonjour.html#bonjourwin

Alternatives are:

• Avahi: ​http://www.avahi.org/wiki/AboutAvahi
• Microsoft's SSDP (used by ​UPnP):
  • Python implementations:
    • ​http://resnet.uoregon.edu/~gurney_j/jmpc/pymeds.html
    • ​http://www.sourcesec.com/2008/11/07/miranda-upnp-administration-tool/
• Java's JINI (now Apache River):
  • ​https://jini.dev.java.net/
  • This would need us to use Java libs via Jython unless we write our own Python libs!

The Open standard, SLP, seems unmaintained:

• ​http://www.openslp.org
• ​http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-slp/

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BluePrints