Is it possible to implement compression like gzip with the labview web server?

[carterc]

I am currently implementing a web page to be served by the NI sbRIO 9636.  I was able to get html, css, and js served just fine.  I am curious if there is a way to implement gzip compression to help with page load times?

[mikeporter]

No, to do things like that you will have to use a real web server. The good news though is that its not very hard, and very robust -- unlike the LV web server.

Mike...

[carterc]

So you are saying it is possible to install a web server like apache on an NI board?  Any resources you recommend for someone like myself to learn the basics of what is possible with the NI boards?   

[mikeporter · Accepted solution]

Ok, a couple points:

1. I have heard it discussed that you can in theory install a webserver on the Linux-based cRIO. But there is a great big caveat: I have never done it, or spoken to anyone who did so I don't know how well it would actually work.
2. Given the inexpensive price of hardware these days a safer alternative would be to include a separate computer the sole function of which is to host the web interface. There are many small computers that would be ideal for this application -- many of which were originally designed to work in home-theater applications.

The point of my post was that there are certain limitations in the LV webserver that you may have to find your way around.

Mike...