Embedded Components and Tools Blog Center

Ron Fredericks writes: Recently I came across a reference to an article I wrote for ISA, sponsored by Visuality Systems, on Brian Mork’s Increa Technology Blog. The article presented the emerging use of the Common Internet File System (CIFS) for connecting industrial instruments from the plant floor to the engineering work stations and on into business operations.

Embedded Components, Inc. has a short [and free] online lecture introducing the CIFS protocol to the embedded device manufacturing community. The CIFS protocol is likely the most ubiquitous file sharing middleware used in the desktop and enterprise computer markets today. Wow! If its so common why haven’t I seen it? Its embedded so it just works in the background.

What is the CIFS standard?

• Samba for UNIX users sharing MS Windows files and more
• Microsoft CIFS made for DOS and embedded in Windows
• SNIA: The open standard

What is the new event presented in this online lecture?

• CIFS NQ is available for {many embedded and real-time operating systems such as VxWorks, Integrity, and threadX} now
• Prior to CIFS NQ, there was no practical way for an embedded designer to take advantage of this very easy to use and very common desktop computer protocol

References:

• Get the CIFS NQ source code from Visuality Systems
• Watch the lecture: Introduction to the Common Internet File System (CIFS)
• Wikipedia: Server message block or SMB

Technorati Tags: Ron Fredericks, Visuality Systems, Brian Mork, Increa Technology Blog, Common Internet File System, CIFS, Embedded Components, embedded device, middleware, Samba, Microsoft, DOS, Windows, SNIA, open standard, CIFS NQ, VxWorks, Integrity, threadX, protocol, Server message block, SMB

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 6th, 2006 at 10:53 pm and is filed under Component Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.