Data Connectivity
The DataPool is Inspire’s real-time data engine. It ingests data from external sources, stores it, and pushes updates to display devices in real time.
Architecture
Data flows through Inspire in four stages:
Source (database, API, file) -> Connector -> DataPool -> Renderer (display)| Stage | Description |
|---|---|
| Source | Your external data — databases, APIs, files, webhooks |
| Connector | Configured in Inspire to poll or receive data from the source |
| DataPool | Central data store with real-time push capabilities |
| Renderer | Display client that receives updates via SignalR WebSocket |
Data Model
The DataPool organises data in a hierarchy:
| Level | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Stream | A named data collection | sales, weather, social-feed |
| Item | A single record within a stream | A sales region, a city, a post |
| Field | A named value within an item | revenue, temperature, author |
Fields hold typed values: string, number, boolean, date, or JSON.
Real-Time Push
When data changes in the DataPool, updates are pushed to all connected renderers via SignalR:
- No polling from display devices
- Sub-second update latency
- Efficient delta updates (only changed fields are transmitted)
- Automatic reconnection on network interruption
Snapshots
The DataPool records historical values as Snapshots. This enables:
- Time-series charts showing data over time
- Rolling window calculations (e.g. “last 24 hours”)
- Timeline scrubber in the DataPool Explorer
Snapshot retention is configurable per stream.
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