Frequently asked questions
From abiquo
Who is abiquo?
Abiquo is a company founded in 2006 and established in Barcelona. Abiquo Platform is the first general purpose distributed platform available in the world. Abiquo allows the integration of any type of electronic device in the network, providing the tools to develop services and applications that use the information and functionalities generated by each device.
Whom is abiquo for?
Grid computing is the technology that allows the integration of heterogeneous resources in the same network. Nowadays, grid computing is used to solve intensive computing processes (using computers). We go one step further allowing to integrate any device.
What is grid computing?
Grid computing is the technology that allows the integration of heterogeneous resources in the same network. Nowadays, grid computing is used to solve intensive computing processes (using computers). We go one step further allowing to integrate any device.
What is the platform?
The platform is composed by a distributed core node, called framework, a lightweight middleware running in every node and an SDK to generate new resources from an XML description.
What is a framework?
A framework is the component providing access to the resources and acting as the keeper and the major of the grid. It includes an intelligence layer for distributing the available resources amongst several concurrent services.
What is a middleware?
A middleware is the component installed in every grid node exposing its available resources and taking care of executing the tasks commanded by the framework.
Which are the differences between abiquo and the other solutions?
Simplicity and flexibility, at all levels. The installation of the whole system should not take longer than an hour and getting yourself ready to develop a new service or resource should not take longer than a morning. After one morning and one hour you will find yourself with a platform able to fulfill your wildest and weirdest dreams.
What can I do with it?
The platform is oriented to M2M communications and intensive computing, although anything that crosses your mind should be possible to make it with our technology.
I am interested in being part of the abiquo community. What should I do?
Our arms are always open to new community members. You can see getting involved point. If you feel like collaborating join our mailing lists, new points of views, critics and improvements will be welcomed.
Why C++ for the middleware?
The middleware is intended to be portable and run in every architecture, even in small embedded devices. Therefore, C++ was the best choice.
Why Java for the framework?
Java is one of the most spread languages nowadays, its portable and open source. All this coped perfectly our requirements and philosophy.
What type of devices can I use?
In our labs, we tested it intensively in computers (Linux, Mac and Windows), virtual machines and several TCP/IP, ZigBee and Bluetooth routers (ARM and MIPS architecture).
Is there an API for another languages?
Actually, the API is written in Java, but migrating to other platforms is fairly easy, in fact we are planning to do it in the near future. We also offer this possibility to community developers.
Are there middlewares in another languages?
There is a first version of a middleware in PHP, developed as a concept proof. We also encourage the community to develop new middlewares in new languages, if we can do it, you can do it.
Are the binaries for Windows not available?
It is working fairly well in Windows through cygwin and fixes to achieve a native windows version are being done as you read.
What are the license limits?
It's a Common Public Attribution License (CPAL). See the license for details
Can I use the platform in comercial projects?
There is no problem. The license allows you to do what you want with our software. Altought, we would like to know what people is doing with it. Just remember to add a reference to abiquo in your application. See the license for details.
Can I use the plaftorm in my non-comercial project?
Of Course. Remember to add a reference of abiquo in your application. See the license for details.
What kind of support Abiquo company offers?
Abiquo company offers consultancy services for integrating abiquo platform in the IT infrastructure of our costumers and develop applications on-demand to accelerate complex processes.
What are your next steps?
Our idea is to work hard in the next months, years to become the Open Standard needed by the M2M market to integrate any kind of resource and develop complex distributed applications.
Who's your daddy?
We hope you know who your daddy is! Thank you for reading this.
