What Mechanism Does the New RTD Architecture Use?
RTD uses a hybrid push and pull mechanism. This effectively gives it all of the advantages of both push and pull mechanisms and none of the disadvantages of either mechanism. You can think of this hybrid push and pull mechanism as a polite conversation between the RTD server and Excel. When the RTD server wants to give Excel an update, it notifies Excel by giving it a tap on the shoulder (this is the push). The RTD server can tap Excel on the shoulder whenever and as frequently as it wants. Excel just notes that the RTD server wants to give it an update. When Excel is ready for the update, it grabs the update from the RTD server (this is the pull).
