Market Data Services
Begun in 1993, this project has expanded to include system development on a 28 server cluster capable of hosting/delivering data to over 60 connected users per server.

QNX was chosen as the operating system due to its high performance and unparalleled InterProcess Communication capabilities. QNX's kernel based IPC has allowed us to truly implement cluster-wide object oriented parallel processing.

Server process are discrete and varied, can be stopped and started at will without system failure. This allows continuous product evolution and slipstream integration of new features and services.

The primary use of the the Server Cluster was for the with the reception and re-transmission of real-time stock market data and news. Fast tracking the project called for an innovative approach to system development and programming.

The initial objective was interactive data delivery to a connected client base of 250 subscribers via wide area networking. Compuserve Network Services was chosen as the WAN provider. Rather than the conventional approach of using minicomputers for multi-terminal access, the early decision was to model the system as a collection of commodity hardware components with a strong operating system tying them together.

This commoditization of the hardware, coupled with a distributed server process philosophy provided a degree of flexibility in initial product launch and subsequent system expansion. As the user population, system services, and connection methods increased, the cluster and supporting server process were able to keep pace.

The system was initially configured with 6 Intel 486-based PCs, and has now expanded to 28 Pentium based PCs, networked via 100tx ethernet through a HP ProCurve 4000 switch, and connected to the Internet via redundant T-1s. All system upgrades were performed on the fly with no downtime for customers. Server processes were simply rearranged around the system in turn to make each node available for upgrade.