A redundant array of mDNS HTTP servers on the cheap with #CircuitPython #ESP32 @anecdat
In the configuration pictured above, multiple identically-configured Adafruit CircuitPython 8.0.0-beta.0 on 2022-08-18; Adafruit QT Py ESP32S2 with ESP32S2 are used to create a Redundant Array of mDNS http Servers (RADS). The devices could be physically together or scattered around, as long as they are on the same LAN. Once configured, no USB connection is necessary for operation.
Web Workflow automatically connects to a Wi-Fi Access Point based on credentials in a /.env file in the root of the CIRCUITPY drive filesystem, and creates an HTTP Server (port can be changed with CIRCUITPY_WEB_API_PORT= in the /.env file; it’s port 80 by default).
Further, since any one of these devices may respond to http://circuitpython.local:8080 due to automatic mDNS configuration as part of Web Workflow, there is redundancy on the LAN for the features of the code.py server. Typically, hosts will cache the IP address associated with the .local name for about two minutes, so access at any arbitrary time could get a response from any one of the RADS devices. RADS devices can be added or taken away (or go down) at will, but as long as one is up the server features are available.
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