1 about this document, About this document -1 – Echelon i.LON SmartServer 2.0 User Manual
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i.LON SmartServer 2.0 Programmer’s Reference
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Introduction to the SmartServer SOAP/XML Interface
The SmartServer contains a powerful microprocessor with a real-time, multi-tasking operating system
that manages its various applications. These applications include alarming, scheduling, data logging
and network variable type translation. Generally, you will configure these applications with the
SmartServer Web pages, as described in the i.LON SmartServer 2.0 User’s Guide. The i.LON
SmartServer 2.0 User’s Guide provides instructions to follow when configuring the SmartServer
applications with the SmartServer Web interface, as well as general information on the different
SmartServer applications, and guidelines to follow when using these applications.
You can also use the SOAP/XML interface provided with the SmartServer to configure these
applications. XML is a universal format used to deliver data through structured documents over the
Web. It allows developers to store data for any application in a standard, consistent way. SOAP is a
for exchanging based messages over TCP/IP networks, normally using HTTP. SOAP
enables different applications and devices to communicate with each other, regardless of platform, by
sending SOAP messages to each other.
The configuration of each SmartServer application is stored in an XML file. The SmartServer reads
these files during its boot process, and sets the operating parameters of each application based on the
configuration data contained in the XML file for that application.
The SmartServer includes a set of SOAP functions that you can use to create and manage the
configuration of each application. Each time you invoke any of these functions, a SOAP message is
sent to the SmartServer. The content of the SOAP message is based on the input you supply to the
function. The SmartServer reads the contents of the message, writes the contents of the message to the
applicable XML file, and adjusts the operating parameters of its applications accordingly. All of this
occurs while the SmartServer is operating.
It is important to note that the XML files described in this document store the configurations of the
SmartServer applications. They do not store the data generated by these applications. The real-time
data generated by the SmartServer's applications is stored in RAM and log data are stored on the flash
disk.
However, this does not mean that application configuration is the only task you can perform with the
SmartServer SOAP/XML interface. The SOAP/XML interface also includes functions you can use to
access, read and analyze the data generated by the SmartServer applications. And so you can use the
SOAP/XML interface not only to configure the various applications of the SmartServer, but to monitor
them as well.
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About This Document
This document describes the XML files that store the configurations of the various SmartServer
applications, and the SOAP functions you can use with each application. The SOAP interface
provided with the SmartServer conforms to the SOAP 1.1 proposed Technical Recommendation:
This document also describes how to configure the SmartServer applications by manually creating and
modifying the XML configuration files. Once you have created the XML files, you can download
them to the SmartServer via FTP. The SmartServer will read the downloaded files and adjust its
operating parameters accordingly the next time it is rebooted.
You can create or modify the files using any XML editor or ASCII text editor. This document
provides examples you can use when creating the XML configuration files for your SmartServer, and
instructions to follow when downloading these files to the SmartServer. The XML files used by the
SmartServer applications conform to the XML 1.0 Technical Recommendation: