ActiVECOM: An inter-working framework for Corba and DCOM based on a generic protocol

The constant rising of networks and the decrease of computer system costs have enforced the development of distributed platforms. Microsoft dcom (distributed component object model) and omg (object management group) Corba (common object request broker architecture) are two major solutions to develop distributed applications. However, heterogeneity of these platforms is a fundamental problem which prevents applications to inter-work because they depend on their platform support. Then, each of them introduces its own functionality from several perspectives: they define distinct Idls (interface definition language), distinct system mechanisms (for instance, object binding is based either on object references or on interface binding handles) and distinct communication protocols: orpc (object remote procedure call) for dcom and hop (Internet inter-ORB protocol) for Corba. While the commonly used approaches are based on bridges or on parsers, we propose, in this paper, an alternative approach to enable inter-working between Corba and dcom applications. Actually, we present a model called “activecOM” which provides native interworking between Corba and Dcom. In particular, an original solution — called grip for generic remote invocation protocol — obtained by combination of hop and orpc internal protocol behaviours is described. The grip protocol inherits both the robustness of orpc and the simplicity of hop. It also preserves compatibility with those solutions and enables interoperability without the use of bridges.