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  1. #1
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    Software architecture dilemma

    Hello,
    I have a software and I cannot decide which approach would be the proper method. I blame on lack of experience!

    So I have a Windows Service running in the background, and it's populating a database every 1/2 a minute. The Db is a flat file DB (Sql CE), which might/might not be replaced with a server DB.

    Then there is GUI that needs to query the DB, and display the result in human readable form. Preety standard right..!

    So here is my dilemma, would it be better for the GUI to access to DB directly to get/insert data, or connect to the Windows Service using WCF and make requests that way?
    I should mention, the Windows Service would already have a WCF service running, to service a silverlight version of the GUI.
    Thanks in Advance...

  2. #2
    Arjay's Avatar
    Arjay is offline Moderator / EX MS MVP Power Poster
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    Re: Software architecture dilemma

    I'd opt for Option 2.

    Keep in mind that the Windows service will need to host a 2nd WCF service (along with the wcf service that is used by the silverlight app).

    The Client Windows app would talk to the 2nd wcf service (which would talk to the db).

  3. #3
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    Re: Software architecture dilemma

    Thanks for the reply,
    What's the benefit of choosing opt 2? It would slow down transactions, and introduce complexity (if all ports are closed on the client machine WCF wouldn't work).

  4. #4
    Arjay's Avatar
    Arjay is offline Moderator / EX MS MVP Power Poster
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    Re: Software architecture dilemma

    Option 2 allows for scalability and a layer of abstraction.

    Currently, the WCF service and database are hosted on the same machine.

    You mentioned that you might want to host the db on a server in the future. When you move to that, you might have security concerns (use integrated security? Sql un/pw?). If the database changes, do you want to have to change all the clients?

    With a WCF service between the client and the db, you have much more flexibility in terms of transfer protocol, security and abstraction. You might choose to change the database underneath the service. This could be transparent to the user.

    With a WCF service, you also have clustering options and can easily cluster the WCF service across nodes (and also cluster the database).

    Finally, you mention that the app only updates the database every 1/2 minute. This is practically no load, and adding WCF layer isn't going to impact performance, so why not build the system with the scalability and flexibility that a WCF service will provide?

  5. #5
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    Re: Software architecture dilemma

    Thx for the reply.
    Good points. I'm not too familiar with security concepts, but I understand the abstraction idea.
    The only reason why I'm hesitant to do so are two reason:
    - introduction to complexity
    - Windows App would be dependent on the server app

  6. #6
    Arjay's Avatar
    Arjay is offline Moderator / EX MS MVP Power Poster
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    Re: Software architecture dilemma

    There is a slight bit of added complexity, but WCF services are quite easy to maintain once you go through the initial learning curve. In this case, the WCF service is little more than a wrapper to the database (and the abstraction it provides is a good thing).

    The client app is always going to be dependent on the layer it connects to. The question is do you want it to be dependent on something that may likely change (i.e database schema may change when new functionality is added or changed)?

    The abstraction that the extra WCF service layer provides allows you to change the database schema without impacting the client. You could even change the complete data storage mechanism without the client knowing.

    Btw, I tend to think in terms of enterprise systems when I code, so that means I use stored procedures to communicate with the database, rather than direct table or LINQ access. I also don't ever have clients communicate with a database directly, because this approach ties me to the database. If I changed the db schema and didn't use stored procedures, all my clients would have to be recompiled.

    With a WCF service layer, often times you can make database changes without impacting the clients. When new functionality is added, the WCF contracts allow versioning so old clients can contact a newer WCF service without breaking and updated clients can get the newer functionality. This flexibility greatly helps during deployment and offers staged deployment scenarios.

    A few years ago I did some custom work for a customer who owned a grocery store. He wanted some employee scheduling software that used a biometric hand scanner to log employees in/out.

    Employee info/timeclock data was stored in a Sql db and there was a Windows service to retrieve the timeclock data from the hand scanner as well as a WPF app that allowed users to schedule employees, create shifts, etc.

    The Windows service and WPF app talked to WCF service(s) rather than the db directly.

    About a year after I wrote the system, he added a 2nd store. The 2nd store was on a different network domain than the 1st store. It was painless to setup the scanner windows service and WPF app in the 2nd store. Had I chose to not use the WCF service layer, it wouldn't have been so painless to bring the 2nd store online.

  7. #7
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    Re: Software architecture dilemma

    I'm sold, thank you very much for sharing your experience that was very helpful. btw, How long did it take you to finish that project? And if you don't mind me asking, how much would a project like that cost the client?

    A quick question though, would there be port opening issues using WCF? because my clients IT department has blocked all OUTBOUND/INBOUND ports to that computer, and there a software firewall on that machine as well that blocks all ports. Do I have to open a port on that machine, in order for another process on the same machine to access the WCF service?

  8. #8
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    Re: Software architecture dilemma

    hey Arjay,
    I created by project and you were right, using WCF requires a bit more work, but easier to maintain and adds the advantage for my GUI to work from a remote location.

    HOWEVER, I'm seeing some weird behavior when using EF with WCF.
    So I have a method on the WCF server named Get_DownloadObjects(A,B,C);
    which returns a list of Entity objects.

    The service UPDATES and ADDS a series of Download Objects in rows , and the GUI using WCF calls this method (Get_DownloadObjects..) to get the list. HOWEVER, The returned item does not reflect the actual values presented in the rows! When a row is added, the function returns the list plus the new row that was added. However, if a value is changed in a row it wont return the changed value.

    Hopefully I explained well what my problem is..

  9. #9
    Arjay's Avatar
    Arjay is offline Moderator / EX MS MVP Power Poster
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    Re: Software architecture dilemma

    The WCF service is simply going to return what you tell it to. Set breakpoints on the add and list return methods to find out what's going on. Are you caching any of the data in the service?

  10. #10
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    Re: Software architecture dilemma

    I figured it out.
    I have to call refresh.(refreshmode.ClientWin, objects). and that works!

    EF 3.5 and SSCE 3.5 suck bad.
    I wish Microsoft sticks with ONE version of a framework, and fixes it's bugs before moving to another version.

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