xml-dev - Re: negotiating XML (long)

["Subodh Nijsure" <subodh@best.com>]

> I'm not sure that MEGAPARSER is a huge problem for larger applications,
but
> cases where network dependencies must be minimized, processing kept simple
> (think embedded systems), or reliable transfers guaranteed all seem like
> they might be common beneficiaries of such an infrastructure.

Indeed are there small enough parsers that are suitable for embedded
systems?

I am trying to design a new router/switch where we are thinking of creating
router configuration based on XML rather than usual text files.

/Subodh

p.s.

Anybody out here using XML to describe router/switch configurations?

Problem domain -- Most routers/switches have their own little configuration
files
and every vendor typically comes up with their own syntax to describe how an
ethernet interface address is to be configured. I am wondering if anybody
out
there has designed system where router/switch was using configuration files
written in XML to configure these types of devices? Anybody done XML parser
and generator in embedded device?

Example say we have "box" that has two ethernet devices and it can have
IP address, subnet mask and MTU as its parameters.

I could write XML file like --

<configuration-file>
<interface name="Interface1">
  <IPAddress  value="10.1.1.1"/>
  <SubNetMask value="255.0.0.0"/>
  <MTU value="1500"/>
</interface>
<interface name="Interface2">
  <IPAddress  value="10.1.1.2"/>
  <SubNetMask value="255.0.0.0"/>
  <MTU value="1500"/>
</interface>
</configuration-file>

And DTD file as

<!ELEMENT configuration-file (Interface+)>

<!ELEMENT Interface(IPAddress, SubNetMask, MTU)>
<!ATTLIST Interface
        name    CDATA    #REQUIRED
>

<!ELEMENT IPAddress EMPTY>
<!ATTLIST
        value   CDATA    #REQUIRED
>

<!ELEMENT SubNetMask EMPTY>
<!ATTLIST
        value   CDATA    #REQUIRED
>
<!ELEMENT MTU EMPTY>
<!ATTLIST
        value   CDATA    #REQUIRED
>



Advantage of this approach is I can use Java application to parse XML files
have gui
modify that IP address, when user hits enter, generate new XML doc and send
it to
the router/switch... Now if third parties want to configure/provision this
router/switch all they
have to do is read DTD....

For folks who have been doing XML for long time is this type of application
you would
recommend using XML for?

.



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