[Zope] and remote databases in other [zopes]

[Paul Everitt]

We have a pair of products called Zope Network Enabler (ZNE)and Zope
Network Client (ZNC).  They work as follows:

1) On Machine 1, create a SQL Method.  Then create a ZNE object that is
pointed at the SQL Method.

2) On Machine 2, create a ZNC.  Point it at the ZNE on Machine 1.  From
then on the local ZNC acts exactly like a local SQL Method, except it
gets its data from the ZNE.

Some notes:

1) The ZNC has a configurable cache setting that can speed up fairly
static searches.

2) The connection between the two is covered by an encryption protocol
based on rotor.

3) The ZNE will "proxy" any "searchable" object, meaning an object that
conforms to our undocumented searchable object interface.

4) The RPC is a request/response using HTTP, with the payload as
encrypted, base-64'd marshals of tabular data.

A long time ago we sold this as a separate product, meaning for Zope1. 
It worked, it worked really well, and we used it a lot for consulting
arrangements.

However, it doesn't work for Zope2.  It isn't really documented (though
the code is really clean).  The part that is broken for Zope2 would
probably take a good Zope programmer an hour or three to fix.

If someone in the community would like to take over the responsibility
for these products (355 lines and 239 lines), contact me.

On the other hand, do NOT contact me if you fit into one of the
following groups:

0) You haven't read the Product API tutorial, or you have and you felt
intimidated.

1) You're curious and want to confirm that it doesn't work, then ask us
questions about how to fix it.

2) You aren't damn certain that a year from now you'll be happy to
answer questions about it.

3) You're not willing to document it and explain it to others.

The reason that I'm being such a stick in the mud is that I badly want
to pay attention to the avalanche of opinion from two months ago saying,
"Stop releasing, start documenting."

--Paul

codelarvs@ciudad.com.ar wrote:
> 
> Hello! I have the folowing problem:
> I'm using Zope on a SUN Sparc machine running Solaris..
> The site works nice, but I need to access the data, that is
> placed on a Microsoft SQL Server on a Windows NT and i cant change
> that :\
> I've read in the Docs when i was installing that is possible
> to have a zope in each machine.. and use the one in the
> NT like an iterface. For example: Lets say.. If I define a Dtml method
> that gets the data from the SQL in the zope in Windows NT..
> Can I call that method from the Zope in the SUN to retrieve the
> data from
> the Microsoft SQL?. If there's a way to do this (with
> 2 zopes or another way).. could someone please explain me
> how to do it?
> 
> Thanks!
>                    Nahuel Greco.
> 
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