Frozen Mountain, a Web-technology corporation, recently launched WebSync – the world’s first standards-compliant, IIS-compatible, real-time Comet server. WebSync allows developers to push and stream data, in real-time, over the Web.
Web-technology corporation, Frozen Mountain, recently debuted WebSync – the world’s first standards-compliant, IIS-compatible, real-time Reverse Ajax and “Comet” server. WebSync allows developers to push and stream data, in real-time, over the Web without requiring plug-ins, security changes or dedicated servers.
Unlike other Comet servers, WebSync is built for Microsoft’s IIS Web server, using Microsoft’s .NET platform, making it fully compatible with Microsoft technology. Also, it does not require additional servers, ports or extensive configuration like traditional Comet/Reverse Ajax solutions. Keeping in mind that traditional Comet servers have a large learning curve, WebSync was designed to be intuitive and easy to use. It is currently used for live chat, streaming stock data, live auctions, real-time monitoring, news updates and a variety of other applications.
“WebSync will really be able to change the way people collaborate online,” says Jerod Venema, co-founder and chief operating officer, Frozen Mountain. “Take something like a group of engineers looking over a blueprint. You can have dozens of people reviewing and editing the same design simultaneously, while allowing them all to see any changes to the document in real-time.”
One focus behind the development of WebSync was its ability to perform with thousands of users. WebSync has been shown to handle more than 30,000 simultaneous users, sending more than 30,000 messages per second, on a simple desktop with just 3GB of memory. The software can also be distributed over multiple servers, while still providing seamless system communication.
“Traditional data synchronization models rely on a Web browser to periodically check with the server for new information. But for companies needing information to be communicated in real-time – such as streaming stock figures, multi-user collaboration, or live auction sites – WebSync is able to push data directly onto Web pages as the information becomes available,” Venema says. “This greatly reduces server load while providing instantaneous data to the user without the overhead of polling.”
WebSync is fully compatible with more than a dozen browsers, including iPhone and Android. In addition to the full WebSync Server, there is also WebSync On-Demand, which provides users with HTTP push technology without download, installation or hardware, and is geared toward smaller corporations who do not want to host their own Comet server. WebSync comes with an embedded JavaScript client for Web browsers and an extensive software development kit for integration with additional applications.
Frozen Mountain (frozenmountain.com) is currently developing a separate suite of products built on WebSync that can easily be integrated with existing Websites – including a live panel discussion package and collaborative “whiteboard.”
Frozen Mountain develops products using an “ear-to-the-ground” approach that ensures software solutions provided are relevant and effective in meeting the business needs of an evolving Web environment. Frozen Mountain has offices in Vancouver, British Columbia and Raleigh, North Carolina.