I have a Windows Service application that retrieves files via a Web Service on a schedule and it delivers these files to one or more folders on the target system or network, depending on user configuration. I’ve had a request to add a user notification piece to this app. This calls for a separate application that will interact with the Service. For a number of reasons, primarily related to security, the Service cannot interact with the desktop directly.

At this stage, all the notification program needs to do is appear in the notification area of the task bar and popup a little window like Outlook does. Later, we might add additional functionality to it if clients want it.

Remoting is one possible method I thought of. Lower level methods might also be an option. Something file-based might be another possibility. The communication in my case only needs to be one way, from the server to the notifier (I already have an administrative app for controlling the service). Another requirement is that a non-local-administrator user should be able to use the notification program.

I was wondering if anyone had coded a set of applications like this, a Windows Service and a Notifier, and what method you used to communicate between the two?

I mainly want to kick around some ideas to see which option would be the best approach.