Question

I have created WCF server and client applications. On the server side I need to know when the application is running.

I have created a WCF method and try to call it like this:

var myEndpoint = new EndpointAddress(url); //I generate HTTP url to endpoint here
var myBinding = new WSHttpBinding { Security = { Mode = SecurityMode.None } };

var myChannelFactory = new ChannelFactory<IMycontract>(myBinding, myEndpoint);

ISqlExpressSyncContract client = null;

try
{
    client = myChannelFactory.CreateChannel();
    client.IsAvailable();
    ((ICommunicationObject)client).Close();
    return true;
}
catch (Exception)
{
    if (client != null)
    {
        ((ICommunicationObject)client).Abort();
    }

    return false;
}

The code works but the timeout is too long when it isn’t available. I tried using UDP discovery like provide here http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/ee335779.aspx. But it has the same problem when the client is not available.

What the best way to implement logic to fast ping each client and check their availability status?

Answer 1

Try lowering the timeout value like so:

myBinding.OpenTimeout = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5);

This timeout value is for opening the communication channel. If needed, you can also tweak SendTimeout, ReceiveTimeout and CloseTimeout, all of them also on the binding object.