Echo StreamServer is Real-time as a Service. On demand and in the cloud.
StreamServer allows you to submit large volumes of Activity Stream formatted items at rapid rates and store them permanently. Those Items can then be retrieved using the Echo query Language (EQL). EQL returns a stream of search results in Activity Streams format. That stream can then be updated in real time. Echo StreamServer can handle high volumes of queries and live updates simultaneously which makes it uniquely suited for high performance production environments.
Like other SaaS and cloud infrastructure such as Amazon EC2, Echo StreamServer is white labelled and ready to use on demand and at scale.
StreamServer is designed for developers who need to quickly assemble real-time applications that scale. StreamServer can be used to build social experiences that mix activity data from the web and your applications to create an interactive user experience.
Developers might choose to quickly develop one off solutions or create products for re-sale in our app store.
Large customers already use StreamServer such as Thomson Reuters, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated, Washington Post and others. They have developed custom applications using it as their real-time backend infrastructure.
Some independent developers such as 3ones and Arktan are developing productized client applications like a media gallery, forum or data connectors.
Service providers like JanRain, Badgeville, or Klout are extending their technology to interoperate with StreamServer using Open Standards to offer customers a more complete stack of technologies.
Example of items include: User activities (purchase transactions, user actions, comments, ratings etc), event updates (system updates, financial updates, etc), information (news, reviews, etc) and more.
What is EQL?
EQL is the Echo Query Language. It is used to construct a query that produces a search result of items from StreamServer.
The query language is extremely flexibility. For example, you can request all items that are children of a given URL (all items having that URL as a target/parent), which have a moderation state "ModeratorApproved", marker "featured", and tagged "SuperBowl". The query will return a live stream of items. You can then request a 'Live Update' within 5 minutes of the initial query to check for any changes to the search result set.
Item is in the Echo StreamServer can be transformed to change any of their metadata after the fact. This includes adding annotations in the form of Markers and Tags.
Client applications provide user experiences on the API. Some client applications (Echo Stream Client, Echo Submit Form, Echo Counter etc) are provided at no charge and are open source.
Some other applications (Photo Uploader, Photo Gallery, Forum etc) are developed by independent 3rd parties and are available for a fee.
Both types of apps are available from the App Store.
The open sourced Echo Bundle Applications are build on the Echo Application Framework which include a plugin architecture. Those clients, their plugins or custom plugins you write can be used out of the box, and can be enhanced to meet many of your custom requirements.
Developing plugins allows you to create new behaviors and features.
Echo StreamServer pricing model is based on Search API usage. Different packages are available. The larger the package, the lower the price per query. The submission of items is free. 3rd party applications are also available for a subscription fee. Contact us for more information.
Where do I start?
The "Quick Start" page provides some steps to get started.
