Is combining Parse.com API with Pubnub a viable option for large scale Real-Time Messaging and obtaining the combined toolset?

Question

Essentially combining Parse with Pubnub, Pusher or similar, Instead of building a custom backend from scratch.

I'll be working on a real-time messaging system with facebook login and file storage/sharing. In theory I could use a combination of Parse and something like Pubnub to cover backend requirements. Were:

Parse takes care of:

• Login
• File Storage
• Push-notifications(closed app)

And Pubnub takes care of:

• real
• time delivery of messages...

Requirements:

I need a system that can extend to millions of users if needed and can be deployed quickly In general a solution that will fit this criteria and specs.

Criteria:

• Quick deployment by one or 2 developers.
• Can expand to millions of users.
• High reliability

Specs:

• FB Login
• Realtime Msg delivery
• Push for closed app delivery
• Shared file & image storage

Any feedback if this as a first stage deployment would work well and any pitfalls would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

I'm a little biased but check out StackMob (www.stackmob.com), with the StackMob Marketplace you get direct access to PubNub with no need to create a second account. There are also a lot of other great services in the marketplace to add functionality such as SendGrid.

All the features you are looking for are out of the box even the separate development and production accounts. Something you don't get with Parse. With a simple click of a button you can move Schemas and custom code from development to production.

We can certainly support the users you are talking about. We have 7 games from Atari on the platform and other big enterprise like Land O Lakes and Adidas Japan. We also have a great track record when it comes to reliability.

Answer 2

Sounds good, but 2 systems (Parse and PubNub) contradict your criteria Quick deployment by one or 2 developers.

There is reason to find one system which satisfies all your requirements.

You could loot at QuickBlox backend - your own cloud backend It has 7 modules(sets of API) for different tasks. You may be interested in:

1. Users module - it has Facebook/Twitter login
2. Messages module - this is Push Notifications. It supports iOS, Android, BlackBerry, WindowsPhone push notifications
3. Content/CMS module - it allows to store/share/stream any type of files, any size (up to 5 TB!)
4. Chat module - realtime message delivery. QuickBlox Chat is a quick and reliable chat solution which combines benefits of scalable cloud hosted XMPP chat server, seamless Single Sign-On authorization via Users module, incoming IM / chat alerts via Push Notifications and file attachments via Content.

I recommend look at it, it also have lots of great features such custom API creation via Custom Objects module

Also, there is Enterprise solutions - QuickBlox this is white box, so you can deploy it to your own server and re-sale to other clients if you want

Answer 3

The short answer:

no.

The details:

Anyway you hash it, it's too expensive to setup a chat with any of these systems since their BaaS model is based on charging on a per number of calls basis.

I had to work out a lot of the logic my self using parse.com and now that I'm implementing an XMPP solution, the quantity of work is the same to get something working.

My alternative solution:

Use an open source xmpp server like ejabberd on something like AWS and then use one of the APIs to connect to it.

Contact me of you need more info on my experiences:

@andrescanella