Dobby Client Library

Dobby is a map server modeled to a certain degree after the IF-Map server. Unlike the IF-Map server, Dobby is intended to be a more general purpose graph database that applications can then use for whatever purpose they require. Dobby Client Library provides functions to communicate with the server.

This is an open source project sponsored by Infoblox.

Requirements

• Erlang R17+
• Dobby server

Building

% rebar get-deps
% rebar compile

Running

erl -pa ebin -setcookie dobby -name client@127.0.0.1
...
1> net_adm:ping('dobby@127.0.0.1').
pong
2> dby:install(dby).
{module, dby}
3> dby:publish(...).

Examples

Prerequisites:

Pubid = <<"mypublisherid">>.

Adding an identifier:

dby:publish(Pubid, {<<"id1">>, [{<<"key1">>, <<"meta1">>}]}, [persistent]).

Adding a link:

dby:publish(Pubid, {<<"id1">>, <<"id2">, [{<<"linkkey1">>, <<"linkmeta1">>}]}, [persistent]).

Adding list of identifiers and links. This operation is atomic:

dby:publish(Pubid, [
<<"A">>, % identifier with no metadata
{<<"B">>, [{<<"bkey1">>, #{<<"hash1">> => <<"vhash1">>}}]}, % map as metadata
{<<"B">>, <<"C">>, [{<<"linkkeyAC1">>, <<"linkmetaAC1">>}]}, % link with metadata
{{<<"D">>, [{<<"dkey1">>, true}]}, <<"C">>, []}, % identifier metadata and link
{<<"F">>, <<"D">>, delete}, % delete link
{<<"G">>, delete} % delete identifier
], [persistent]).

List identifiers some distance from a starting point:

dby:identifiers(<<"A">>, 2). % identifiers within two links of <<"A">>

Link metadata of links from a starting point:

dby:links(<<"B">>).

Dataloader

The dby_load' module provides functions to load data stored in files. The file format mimics the arguments to dby:publish/3' and uses `dby:publish/3' to publish the data to Dobby:

file = [publishing-elements]
publshing-element = endpoint | {endpoint, endpoint, link-metadata}
endpoint = identifier | {identifier, identifier-metadata}
link-metadata = metadata
identifier-metadata = metadata
metadata = [{key, jsonable}]
key = binary()
jsonable = true |
           false |
           null |
           integer() |
           float() |
           binary() | 
           [jsonable]
           #{binary() => jsonable}

Example:

[
 {{<<"172.31.15.20">>,
   [{<<"who">>,<<"requester">>},{<<"label">>,<<"notfound_einval">>}]},
  {<<"172.31.15.25">>,
   [{<<"who">>,<<"resolved">>},{<<"label">>,<<"CAPILANO.infoblox.com">>}]},
  [{<<"timestamp">>,<<"28-Feb-2015 23:56:01.236">>}]},

 {{<<"172.31.1.161">>,
   [{<<"who">>,<<"requester">>},{<<"label">>,<<"notfound_einval">>}]},
  {<<"199.167.52.73">>,
   [{<<"who">>,<<"resolved">>},{<<"label">>,<<"ww2.paloaltonetworks.com">>}]},
  [{<<"timestamp">>,<<"28-Feb-2015 23:56:03.741">>}]},

 {{<<"172.31.253.125">>,
   [{<<"who">>,<<"requester">>},{<<"label">>,<<"notfound_einval">>}]},
  {<<"17.110.228.98">>,
   [{<<"who">>,<<"resolved">>},
    {<<"label">>,<<"us-courier.push-apple.com.akadns.net">>}]},
  [{<<"timestamp">>,<<"28-Feb-2015 23:56:04.156">>}]}
].

The example creates three links and their enpdpoints.

Origin of Name

The Infoblox OpenFlow controller projects follow a fabric theme. The overall project is called LOOM. Dobby fabric is a type of fabric. Coincidentally it is also the name of a character in the Harry Potter franchise.