The Task Remote Asynchronous Message Exchange Layer (Tramel) software reduces the costs of distributing application programs across computer networks, including the Internet. Tramel implements robust, reliable, simple, highly portable interprocess communication, such that distributed application programs can tolerate extreme deterioration of communication links and elements of such a program can be stopped, moved to other computers (including computers with different operating systems), and restarted, all while the program is running and without alteration of any source code or configuration file. Because Tramel is based on asynchronous message passing, it can tolerate extremely low link performance without sacrificing transaction concurrency or relying on a multithreading system. Tramel manages network connections for an application program, shielding the program from such details as processor architectures, operating systems, and communication protocols. At the same time, Tramel affords monitoring capabilities that can keep application-program elements informed of the current configuration of the program. Tramel can be executed on any of a variety of computers running the UNIX, VxWorks, or Windows NT operating system.

This program was written by Scott Burleigh of Caltech for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. For further information, access the Technical Support Package (TSP) free on-line at www.nasatech.com/tsp  under the Software category.

This software is available for commercial licensing. Please contact Don Hart of the California Institute of Technology at (818) 393-3425. Refer to NPO-19889.



This Brief includes a Technical Support Package (TSP).
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Communication Software for Distributed Application Programs

(reference NPO-19889) is currently available for download from the TSP library.

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