Sending notification of updates from server to client

[shnaek]

Hi there,

I am teasing out an issue which I was hoping you guys could help me with. I have multiple smart clients and one server. Each client has a seperate table depending on where it is. There will be updates for these clients, but only rarely - perhaps even once a year.

I was coming up with all possible methods for getting notification of updates. The top 3 are....

1. The client contacts server at a specified interval to check for updates..
Possible problems with this approach: extra resources being used by client constantly checking for updates that may only require changing once a year!

2. Server contacts client to notify it of updates
Possible problems with this approach: server will have to keep an up to date list of every client location, port number etc and update its record every time a client makes contact because if the client cannot be found the server will be unable to send out updates.

3. Include a single boolean field in every async response from the server after a successful upload etc. that states whether or not the client needs to contact the server for an update..

Is there a fourth option, or have I covered all my options here?

Cheers!

[the182guy]

When the client connects to the server you could have the server send the latest version number to the client, and then the client can process it and check if an update is required