The implementation of EnviroNet requires the selection and design of hardware and software resources. The following sections start with a model of the EnviroNet application that will direct the subsequent research on technologies that provide location awareness. It also includes a section justifying the decisions taken in the selection of technologies. The report concludes with the application architecture behind EnviroNet’s proof of concept.
System Requirements
Being the EnviroNet project a web based application; its technical implementation at the highest level of abstraction implies a Client-Server architecture, which involves three main elements:
• A location aware mobile device running a web browser rendering the EnviroNet user interface and capable of transmit user location.
• A web application server able to run EnviroNet.
• Client and Server communicate through the Internet.
The model will allow EnviroNet to be scalable and platform independent. Furthermore, it sets the framework to realise the feasibility study outlined below and therefore to choose the hardware and software required to proof the concept behind EnviroNet.
The Server
On the server side the web application requires a Database Management System (DBMS) to store application data, and a web server able to incorporate middleware scripting so it can interact with the DBMS, process client requests and dynamically create standard web documents. The server also has to have a fixed public IP address in order to be accessible through the Internet.
The Client
Besides a web browser, which is the standard application to render web documents, the client needs to incorporate a Location Aware System (LAS), which accurately identifies user position and transmit these data over TCP/IP, the Internet protocol suite, to the EnviroNet web application in a format that is capable to process. Ideally would run on the background, and will constantly inform the server about client location without the need of the user to input data or notice this process.
Feasibility Study
The Server
This study involves research on appropriate technologies so a decision can be taken according to human and economic resources available.
To implement the server side, the project has at its disposal a Mac OSX Server with public unique IP address. It includes MySQL as DBMS, Apache as web server, and PHP as middleware scripting. Within this framework one of the team members will take the role of developing the server side part of the application by designing the database, create the coding necessary for the middleware part and ensuring that the application performs accordingly.
The Client
On the other hand, the client side is more problematic. Despite of being able of running in any platform, the target client is the mobile phone. The concept behind EnviroNet implies making it as open and accessible as possible. The most ubiquitous mobile device capable of accessing the Internet is a cell phone that implements General Packet Radio Service (GPRS). GPRS is a mobile data service implemented in GSM networks, and supports among other protocols TCP/IP.