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Lesson 7 Push or pull
Objective Define the differences between push and pull technologies.

Push or Pull Technologies

There are two prime methods of communicating data and information between two or more parties in the context of eBusiness. They are the pull or client pull technologies, and the push, or server push technologies. The table below compares the two.

Methods of communicating data and informationPull or client pull technologiesPush or server push technologies
DescriptionThe user may be an individual or a corporate system Data is retrieved from another source Content may be variable and dynamic or static The userrequests or "pulls" the data from another sourceThe user may be an individual or a corporate system The user may have initially requested the information Content is typically variable and oftendynamic Content is sent or "pushed" automatically at periodic intervals from one or more central sources to one or more users
For exampleUser accessing and retrieving individual pages of information from a Web siteShared price updates Auction bid updates Regular news updates

Hybrid push/pull approaches

Hybrid approaches to this area can combine both techniques.
The hybrid approach combines both pull and push techniques, and occurs most typically during a two-way online transaction where the server system responds to the client/user-entered data with specific responses according to the data entered. The hybrid approach can also be applied to deliver linked sequences of information quickly.
For example, when one page of information is retrieved, additional pages of subsequent information can be downloaded to the client in anticipation of their subsequent viewing. Should the client user wish to view those pages, they are stored in the client's "cache" of pages held on the client access device (for example, a P.C.) for instant local retrieval without the need for the user to request and wait for subsequent telecommunications network transmission.

Hybrid push/pull approach to communication and information exchange.

Early innovative examples of this server push approach were pioneered by such as pointcast and marimba. In the next lesson you will learn about intranets, extranets, and VPNs.

ecommerce Business Model