SNMP vs. IRC – Complexity Over Simplicity
In the past, I've used IRC in my applications to great utility. I created a simple framework that allowed me to have each application instance "pose as" a "user" on IRC, and when the application was running, you could see this in the chat rooms, and you could interact with it by as complex, or as simple, a means as you, the application designed, wanted. The protocol is simple, it's fast, and there's very little administration to the system.
SNMP is not so simple, but it's far more common in the monitoring and control of applications. The question is really: Is the complication worth it? I'm not at all certain that it is.
Several months ago, the decision was made to use Jabber as opposed to IRC. I went along with it as that's the right thing to do. But it's not the choice I'd have made. The ircd is simple, fast, and with a little additional code, you can make it log everything. From that point, you don't have any concerns about compliance, and you're free to use it as needed.
It seems that the powers that be are re-evaluating the Jabber solution as it's a little more complex in it's implementation, and the goal here is not to have something really complex, it's to have something really easy. So I'm hoping that I'll get to finish my IRC client based on the boost asio work. If so, it should be exceptionally fast and easy to use. Both are the hallmarks of a great utility.
I hope I get to see it come to pass.
The complexity of SNMP just seems like massive overkill.