RS232 to Web services protocol converter
Summary
Domain Analytical Instruments
Skills PC software (.NET)
Team Size Self only
Duration 2 weeks (including troubleshooting protocol due to incomplete documentation

Objective: There was a need to create a protocol converter so that the latest GC can be interfaced with 20 years old legacy system.

Challenges:
  1. The legacy system was based on Solaris OS. Hence there was limited flexibility to change the system module.
  2. The documentation for the latest GC was not just incomplete but was inaccurate at various instances
  3. The protocol architecture and sequencing was completely different. Hence a lot of processing was required to be done to match logical functionality.

Solution: Used a separate PC and wrote a protocol translate. The application would take command over RS232 and would call appropriate web services of the latest GC. The application also did logical conversion of the functions and sequences while storing some of the interim states and id's.