Connection Contracts

Connection Contracts are used to configure the actors that Data Mover interacts with when acting as a server, allowing it to receive files or make them available for retrieval by the actors.

This server role involves managing the conditions needed to receive and make files ready, ensuring that the necessary data is available when needed.

Connection contracts define:

• the actor that sends files to Data One or collects them from Data One

• the server

• the virtual file system (VFS) and its path.

In input, the Connection Contract defines when and how Data One receives files from the Producer. The Producer, acting as the protocol client, initiates the connection to Data One, which acts as the protocol server​. ​

In output, it defines when the Consumer connects to Data One to retrieve the files. The Consumer acts as the protocol client, establishing the connection, while Data One remains the protocol server.​

The Connection Contract consists of three main components:

1. Contract Clause. This component establishes the relationship between an Actor, a protocol, and the VFS, specifying the dataflow and access parameters.

2. Associated VFS/Rule. This component links processing rules to VFS instructions, determining whether files are uploaded to or downloaded from the system, and specifies the associated metadata.

3. File Processing Rule. This component outlines the processes a file undergoes during transfer, including tasks such as encoding or compression.