SocketBI

SocketBI is a data access framework designed for use in a BI environment. It uses socket communication between client and server.

Server controls access to data. Client controls presentation

Server

The server simply listens for requests on a (TODO: secure) web socket. These requests can be a connection, an authentication message or a data request.

The solution is designed around the server socket API which has been implemented using socket.io running on nodejs.

TODO: Server can send alerts and updates to client asynchronously if the client has registered for them.

Client

Data is fetched by making a call to the socketbi.js API. Server receives the auth credentials and parameters and then gets the data and returns it on the socket.

A socketbi.js client side library is provided. This client side library is intended to make it easier to communicate with the server i.e. connect to the server, authenticate, get a list of datasources and request data.

A client UI is implemented as part of this solution using the client side library. However, it is possible to use the API and the client side library to build a custom client UI.

Plugins

TODO: A customer needs to be able to create datasource and visualisation plugins which can be dropped into the client and server.