Distrix 2.1: Pluggable Encryption and Extensibility Simplify Multi-Platform System Development

Jan. 18, 2011 - PRLog -- Vancouver, BC – January 18, 2011 – Spark Integration Technologies, Inc., an award-winning developer of integration software for developers and integrators of electronic systems announces the latest update to Distrix, Spark’s distributed information exchange software. Designed for environments where information needs to be exchanged using multiple protocols, Distrix 2.1 now supports user extensibility for network communication and encryption protocols, additional operating system platforms and programming languages.

Distrix 2.1 delivers a new pluggable encryption architecture that greatly simplifies the development of secure, real time distributed systems. Developers can implement and update encryption protocols without re-engineering a system’s design, providing substantial savings in re-coding and re-testing. The Distrix open encryption protocol interface allows developers to add their own proprietary or commercially available algorithms. Spark provides pre-configured support for X.509 through OpenSSL.

Developers wanting to use their own protocol stacks for distributed system communication are supported by the new open communications protocol interface. Distrix has out-of-the-box support for common protocols such as TCP, UDP and Serial. With the communications protocol interface, developers can easily add their own protocols such as Bluetooth, ZigBee, BACnet and CAN to Distrix for specialist applications. The Distrix built-in protocol handlers enable systems to fall back to alternative communication paths dynamically.

For embedded system developers Distrix now fully supports deployment on ARM 7 and ARM 9 hardware architectures including board support packages for bare metal and RTOS-based deployments. Distrix operating system support for runtime information exchange has been extended to include OpenRTOS 6.1 and RedHat Enterprise Linux 5.5 operating systems. These additions extend the flexibility that system designers have when choosing architectures for distributed, mixed-environment systems.

Distrix System Builder now provides full support for C# and Python developers to simplify information exchange in systems containing embedded devices and graphically rich user interfaces. Distrix can be used with many different programming languages allowing developers to focus on building distributed systems using tools they are familiar with instead of having to learn new languages. Distrix System Builder now provides support for C++, C, Java, C# and Python.

Distrix System Manager now provides additional views for a running Distrix system. With the introduction of the Runtime Information Model viewer, developers and operators can see exactly how information flows around their system when new publishers and subscribers join or leave.

“Interoperability challenges affect developers and integrators across a wide range of use cases in civilian and military applications. The new extensibility features of the Distrix platform have been driven by customer feedback and we’re excited to be providing solutions to customers in very different scenarios. ”, said Chad Trytten, CEO of Spark Integration Technologies, Inc. “With Distrix 2.1, Spark is cementing its position as the leader in reliable, secure and extensible distributed information exchange software.”

A free, fully functional, 60-day trial of Distrix can be downloaded directly from Spark’s website at www.sparkintegration.com. Full documentation including tutorials, design guides and developer API is also available from the website.

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Spark Integration Technologies provides award-winning system software, graphical development tools, and technologies for developers and integrators of electronic systems.

Distrix is a platform-independent, information exchange software framework that substantially simplifies the development, integration, and deployment of complex, dynamic, real-time systems. This has allowed Spark's customers, who include the US Department of Defense and manufacturers of electronic products, to deal with complex interoperability problems and rapidly create and enhance capabilities in areas of cutting edge technology such as unmanned systems, communication systems and smart, sensor-based systems. For more information, visit www.sparkintegration.com.