What is Netidx

Netidx is middleware that enables publishing a value, like 42, in one program and consuming it in another program, either on the same machine or across the network.

Values are given globally unique names in a hierarchical namespace. For example our published 42 might be named /the-ultimate-answer (normally we wouldn't put values directly under the root, but in this case it's appropriate). Any other program on the network can refer to 42 by that name, and will receive updates in the (unlikely) event that /the-ultimate-answer changes.

Comparison With Other Systems

• Like LDAP

  • Netidx keeps track of a hierarchical directory of values
  • Netidx is browsable and queryable to some extent
  • Netidx supports authentication, authorization, and encryption
  • Netidx values can be written as well as read.
  • Larger Netidx systems can be constructed by adding referrals between smaller systems. Resolver server clusters may have parents and children.

• Unlike LDAP

  • In Netidx the resolver server (like slapd) only keeps the location of the publisher that has the data, not the data iself.
  • There are no 'entries', 'attributes', 'ldif records', etc. Every name in the system is either structural, or a single value. Entry like structure is created using hierarchy. As a result there is also no schema checking.
  • One can subscribe to a value, and will then be notified immediatly if it changes.
  • There are no global filters on data, e.g. you can't query for (&(cn=bob)(uid=foo)), because netidx isn't a database. Whether and what query mechanisms exist are up to the publishers. You can, however, query the structure, e.g. /foo/**/bar would return any path under foo that ends in bar.

• Like MQTT

  • Netidx values are publish/subscribe
  • A single Netidx value may have multiple subscribers
  • All Netidx subscribers receive an update when a value they are subscribed to changes.
  • Netidx Message delivery is reliable and ordered.

• Unlike MQTT

  • In Netidx there is no centralized message broker. Messages flow directly over TCP from the publishers to the subscribers. The resolver server only stores the address of the publisher/s publishing a value.

For more details see the netidx book

Here is an example service that publishes a cpu temperature, along with the corresponding subscriber that consumes the data.

Publisher

use netidx::{
    publisher::{Publisher, Value, BindCfg},
    config::Config,
    resolver::Auth,
    path::Path,
};
use tokio::time;
use std::time::Duration;
use anyhow::Result;

fn get_cpu_temp() -> f32 { 42. }

async fn run() -> Result<()> {
    // load the site cluster config. You can also just use a file.
    let cfg = Config::load_default()?;

    // no authentication (kerberos v5 is the other option)
    // listen on any unique address matching 192.168.0.0/16
    let publisher = Publisher::new(cfg, Auth::Anonymous, "192.168.0.0/16".parse()?).await?;

    let temp = publisher.publish(
        Path::from("/hw/washu-chan/cpu-temp"),
        Value::F32(get_cpu_temp())
    )?;

    loop {
        time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(500)).await;
        let mut batch = publisher.start_batch();
        temp.update(&mut batch, Value::F32(get_cpu_temp()));
        batch.commit(None).await;
    }
    Ok(())
}

Subscriber

use netidx::{
    subscriber::{Subscriber, UpdatesFlags},
    config::Config,
    resolver::Auth,
    path::Path,
};
use futures::{prelude::*, channel::mpsc};
use anyhow::Result;

async fn run() -> Result<()> {
    let cfg = Config::load_default()?;
    let subscriber = Subscriber::new(cfg, Auth::Anonymous)?;
    let path = Path::from("/hw/washu-chan/cpu-temp");
    let temp = subscriber.subscribe_one(path, None).await?;
    println!("washu-chan cpu temp is: {:?}", temp.last());

    let (tx, mut rx) = mpsc::channel(10);
    temp.updates(UpdatesFlags::empty(), tx);
    while let Some(mut batch) = rx.next().await {
        for (_, v) in batch.drain(..) {
            println!("washu-chan cpu temp is: {:?}", v);
        }
    }
    Ok(())
}

Published things always have a value, which new subscribers receive initially. Thereafter a subscription is a lossless ordered stream, just like a tcp connection, except that instead of bytes publisher::Value is the unit of transmission. Since the subscriber can write values back to the publisher, the connection is bidirectional, also like a Tcp stream.

Values include many useful primitives, including zero copy bytes buffers (using the awesome bytes crate), so you can easily use netidx to efficiently send any kind of message you like. However it's advised to stick to primitives and express structure with multiple published values in a hierarchy, since this makes your system more discoverable, and is also quite efficient.

netidx includes optional support for kerberos v5 (including Active Directory). If enabled, all components will do mutual authentication between the resolver, subscriber, and publisher as well as encryption of all data on the wire.

In krb5 mode the resolver server maintains and enforces a set of authorization permissions for the entire namespace. The system administrator can centrally enforce who can publish where, and who can subscribe to what.