McLaren F1 and Node.js

Pete X. Graham
Technical Lead - Pirata

pete.graham@piratalondon.com

mclaren.com/formula1

• High traffic/profile
• Big build CMS
• Realtime system. Telemetry about race cars
  • Speed
  • Throttle
  • G-force
  • Position on track
  • Laptimes
  • Commentary

Evolution of Site

• 2010 site http://vimeo.com/11238103
• 2011 site http://vimeo.com/30428042
• 2012 site?

Long Term Project

• On going Updates
• New functionality
• Redesign approx every year
• Careful with technology choices
• Strive to improve coding/testing/architecture

Current Technologies

• LAMP stack
• PHP and Zend Framework backend with Doctrine
• Custom Daemon
• Nginx message module

Architecture Diagram

Why Node.js?

• Node.js Is Bad Ass Rock Star Tech
• Made for realtime event based systems
• Scales well?
• Websockets

Node and LAMP

• Can they complement each other?
• If we use node to what extend do we use it?
• Initially could keep Nginx server

Code Needs to...

1. listen to feed
2. connect to mysql database. read/write.
3. publish to client/nginx
4. save images and push to CDN?

RISK!

• If it's not broke...
• Simulate multiple users?
• How to load test/benchmark current solution?

What next?

• Write node backend
• Beta.mclaren.com (domain may differ)
• Release as open source?
• Replay functionality? Not possible with current system.
• NASA/TFL style open APIs (Mongo DB)

Thank You

Pete X. Graham
pete.graham@piratalondon.com
https://github.com/pxg