Continuous system availability requires fault-tolerant software, not just hardware. That's what Eternal Systems' FT/ORB v2.0 transparent software does to support CORBA-based embedded applications.
FT/ORB sits between the CORBA ORB support and the network, so application objects don't even know about its services. It includes an optional thinFT layer on the client, the etGateway, which distributes re-quests to any number of etEngines.
The etEngines handle requests and responses from the application objects that work cooperatively with other etEngines. Only the first response, then, is returned to the originating object.
The thinFT layer handles communication with the etGateways. It senses when one is unavailable and uses another instead. Clients not using thinFT can connect only through a single etGateway.
CORBA has a history of being large and complex. Efforts are under way to limit its functionality, reducing its middleware footprint. FT/ORB supports platforms, adding only 20 kbytes with the thinFT client support. Its management interface operates independently of CORBA configuration tools.
Eternal FT/ORB v2.0 is available now. Licensing is based on system configuration. Pricing is $8000/developer set and $500/node. A one-year maintenance agreement costs $1440.
Eternal Systems Inc., www.eternal-systems.com; (805) 696-9051. William Wong
