====== Communication Endpoint ======

[[dido:99_annexes:annex-b-terms-and-definitions:start|Return to Terms and Definitions]]

===== Discussion =====

A Communication Endpoint identifies a point of information exchange used by one or more Nodes. It gives the architecture a way to describe where information moves without requiring a specific communication technology.

A Node may publish to, subscribe to, send through, receive through, expose, consume, or otherwise use a Communication Endpoint. A Communication Endpoint may carry Data Structure Instances, control instructions, status reports, policy decisions, release records, audit events, provenance records, or evidence-related information.

A Communication Endpoint exists at the conceptual level. Later parts may realize a Communication Endpoint as a DDS Topic, API endpoint, service interface, message queue, event stream, file exchange point, gateway interface, or other exchange mechanism.

===== Definition =====

//point of information exchange used by one or more Nodes//

===== Source =====

Adapted from FX Demo Reference Architecture, Section 2.1.15, Communication Endpoint; generalised beyond DDS and FX-specific communication mechanisms.

===== Note =====

A Communication Endpoint is not a Node, Data Structure Definition, Data Structure Instance, Runtime Plane, or deployment artifact.

===== Example =====

A later DDS-based implementation profile may realize a cash-flow Communication Endpoint as a DDS Topic that carries cash-flow obligation instances.