Ticket Scanning App Adds Fast Sync

Since 2009, the CodeREADr mobile app for iOS and Android OS devices has been used at events for online and offline ticket validation. These brandable apps are used by ticketing companies and event organizers globally to read barcode and RFID/NFC ticket IDs, and validate them against databases stored in the cloud or on the scanning device itself.

Validation occurs in real time when validating tickets against an online database. However, when validating ticket IDs stored on scanning devices, the online database hosted in the cloud needs to be periodically auto-synced with every scanning device. Also,  the duplicate statuses of each ticket ID must be synced to indicate whether or not it’s already been scanned. Until now, the entire online database has been auto-synced in the background every 120 seconds.

With CodeREADr’s new Fast Sync technology, the amount of synced data is drastically reduced because only additions, removals, and new statuses are synced, not the entire database. Since the payload of synced data is just a fraction of the previous technology, that allows the syncing interval to drop from 120 seconds to only 30 seconds.

This 75% reduction in the time-to-sync and our Database API enables tickets to be sold just 30 seconds before the ticket holder enters the event. It also helps reduce queues since validation on-device is immediate without Internet latency.

Internet connectivity at events can be slow and unstable when the network’s bandwidth is being used by hundreds or even thousands of devices.  That causes latency with the mobile app user having to wait for the cloud server to receive the post and the app to receive the server’s response. Even with good Internet connectivity, there’s still some latency. When scanning against an on-device database, the validation result is seen instantly.

Another benefit of on-device validation is the opportunity to customize the validation criteria and response without a server. These custom scripts do not need to be hosted in the cloud. Instead, they are hosted within the mobile app itself.

For event organizers, using Fast Sync enables these benefits:

• Selling tickets on-site before and during the event
• Catching fake or duplicate tickets even when Internet connections are slow
• Extending the battery life of scanning devices

Ticketing companies using Fast Sync enable their event organizers to receive the benefits mentioned above. Importantly, they can also dramatically reduce their own data I/O and processing costs when directly updating on-device databases from their own servers.

1. How do I add Fast Sync to my services? When creating an on-device validation service you will see the option to add Fast Sync on the Advanced step. Don’t see it? Simply email our support team via support@codereadr.com and we will add it to your account. There is no premium for Fast Sync with the default syncing interval every 120 seconds. However, there is a data I/O premium for the 30-second interval. Ask the support team for a quote.
2. Can I create an online ticket validation service instead? Yes, you can. We recommend you first check that there will be Internet access where the tickets will be scanned.
3. Does the check-in / check-out service type work with Fast Sync? No, it doesn’t because that service type is online only.
4. Is there a limit to the number of tickets I can validate at a single event? We allow up to a million ticket IDs per service. If you need more, please let us know and we can discuss your options.
5. Can I use the Custom On-Device Validation (COV) feature for special cases? Yes, that’s a standard option for all on-device services.
6. Can I use Fast Sync for unlimited events? Yes, there is no limit.