K.A. Hawick and H.A. James (UK)
wireless; mobile computing; middleware; 802.11b Wireless ethernet; Bluetooth; DISCWorld.
Mobile systems such as handheld PC’s are becoming com modity items but are sold with relatively simplistic mobility support software. It is advantageous to consider a interop erable middleware solution to this support need which is independent of any particular operating system. Our DIS CWorld middleware environment was originally designed as a grid enabling system on fixed networks, but due to its compact footprint and implementation in Java, it lends itself well to the support of mobile devices on a wireless network. We describe how our system addresses mobile wireless issues and the problems of: disconnection and temporary nomadic operations; variability and volatility of bandwidth; user transparency; asynchronous communica tions and data replication management. We are investigat ing WaveLAN and Bluetooth wireless interoperability with our system. We discuss the general problem of where mo bility support management features should appear in a gen eral software stack model.
Important Links:
Go Back
