Thanks for the quick response,
I have been looking at the management interface as a tool for this API.
But I am new to OpenVPN, and I am not sure if it has all the essentials
at this stage to qualify as a full-blown interface, or if it is a tool
in development. I thought maybe I could be enlightened here.
I have found that an API is a nebulous concept. It is quite difficult to
find a concrete definition. Here is how I have decided to define an API
in my paper, using API design material provided by the Netbeans site
(there is remarkably little written about how to go about designing an
API. I suspect it is one of those things that is so intrinsic to what
programmers do, that they don't often stop to think about it. Maybe it's
only a topic for academics):
“The API is everything that another team or application can depend on.”
Also, it can be seen as an “interface between the internals of an
application and a programatic (sic) usage of its functionality”.
(Netbeans) To be more specific, the everything mentioned above includes
method and field signatures, files and file content, environment
variables, protocols, program behaviour, and localization issues
(regarding culture and language, often referred to as L10n)
I was hoping to get feedback from OpenVPN developers about what kinds of
controls/communications/data flow would be necessary between the OpenVPN
software and a program trying to automatically maintain VPN connections
over an extended period of time. I have been looking through the source
code, trying to piece together the method and field signatures, files
and file content, env vars.etc., with some success, but I thought some
feedback from those who know it intimately might help me decide what are
the vital bits of functionality which should be accessible to an
interface with this other program, and where in the source code to look.
The ssl.h header file has been good to me in terms of understanding
security protocols. I am looking through others at the moment. I have
some ideas, but I'm new here, and was hoping to draw on some willing
expertise. Perhaps the management interface does contain all that is
necessary. My research in API design suggests that it is best to start
small - get only the absolutely necessary interface components defined
first, and then add carefully with experience. It is easy to add to an
API, it is impossible to remove. So the question is, what are the bare
essentials for another program to interface with OpenVPN, and where can
their implementation be found in the source code? I thought the
perspective of developers would make for some valuable research, hence
my email.
Is that any more clear? Anyway, Once again, any feedback is welcome. If
this is an unwelcome discussion, please let me know, and I'll quietly go
back to lurking.
Thanks again,
Mike
Alon Bar-Lev wrote:
I don't understand what you are calling an API, but please refer to:
http://svn.openvpn.net/projects/openvpn/trunk/openvpn/management/management-notes.txt
Maybe it will answer some of your questions.
On 9/16/06, Mike Martin <mike.mar...@senecac.on.ca> wrote:
Hello,
My name is Mike Martin, and I am currently working on my M. Sc. I am
writing a research paper investigating the feasibility of developing an
API for a VPN, as discussed in the following quote:
"It would be nice if the Grid application could access the VPN console,
re-affirm credentials, and register for notifications through an API
like the GSS or the Advance Reservation API listed above."
-Volker Sander (ed.) (2004) /Networking Issues for Grid Infrastructure/.
Global Grid Forum Document Series GFD-37. Available from:
http://www.ggf.org/documents/GFD.37.pdf
I started this knowing very little about VPNs, or about API design, but
my research has led me to believe that OpenVPN would be the best tool
for the job (I am a firm believer in Open Source Software). I am
wondering if any OpenVPN developers would be willing to fill out a short
(from my perspective) questionnaire regarding the requirements for such
an API for OpenVPN, either for Grid applications specifically, or for
any client application in general, as I have come to the conclusion that
an API should not be specific to the client application, but should be
as general as possible. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.
If anyone is interested in participating, please email me off line so we
don't clutter your mailing list - unless there is such great interest
you would like to see it in the discussion.
I am a professor of Computer Studies at Seneca College in Toronto:
mike.mar...@senecac.on.ca
Thanks, you guys have created a great piece of software,
Mike
P.S. We are having our annual Open Source Software Conference in
October. Here is the url:
http://cs.senecac.on.ca/fsoss/2006/
It would be good to see OpenVPN people there. Next year I would like to
do a presentation about OpenVPN, because I am getting so tired of
everyone thinking IPSec is the only high quality VPN technology. They
all suffer from the same misconceptions about SSL VPNs that are
discussed by Charlie Hosner in his SANS paper. I feel like a prophet
lost in the wilderness.
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Get stuff done quickly with pre-integrated technology to make your job easier
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