Oracle ADF Architecture TV - Design - Architecting for ADF Mobile Integration

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Real World ADF Design & Architecture Principles

Architecting for ADF Mobile Integration

15th Feb 2013 v1.0


Learning Objectives

•  At the end of this module you should be able to:

– Understand where ADF Mobile fits into the ADF ecosphere – Describe ADF Mobile's capabilities and its platform –  Identify challenges of integrating mobile into the enterprise – Consider if ADF BC web services SDOs are suitable for the ADF

Mobile platform and how they can be integrated

Image: imagerymajestic/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net


Program Agenda

•  Introduction to ADF Mobile •  ADF Mobile Framework •  Application Design Considerations •  Mobile 2 Enterprise Integration Challenges •  Reusing ADF Business Components & SDOs


ADF Mobile Benefits

•  Mobile-enables Oracle Fusion Middleware and applications –  Without complexity and expense of integrating separate "mobile

platform"

•  Build-once, deploy to multiple platforms –  Common metadata-based application definition –  Device specific deployment packages generating native application files

•  Tight device services integration –  Call to on device services such as GPS, camera, contacts and more –  Leverages open-sourced PhoneGap in the native application container


ADF Mobile Benefits

•  Native device user experience – Delivered through HTML5 UI components –  Full support for animations, gestures, and touch interaction –  Interactive data visualization components

•  Enterprise-grade Mobile application security – SSO and OAM/OID integration – End-to-end encryption, for local database, communication

channels, and cached credentials – Access control for application features


ADF Mobile Benefits

•  Leverage existing skills –  In Java and Web technologies – Same development paradigm as ADF for server/Java EE

applications –  Lowers TCO and learning curve


Oracle’s Mobile Approach §  Deliver one common platform

for both desktop-based and mobile enterprise apps

§  Reuse your development skills and tools – Java and Web-based Development Skills

§  Minimize development cycle and cost

§  Extend enterprise apps and data to mobile clients

§  Support multiple channels and platforms

ORACLE MOBILE APPS

ORACLE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK

ISV / CUSTOM APPS


Description Benefits Scenario

ADF Faces Rich Client Components

For desktop browser apps that are fully functional in iPad and Android tablet browsers

•  Single codebase

•  Simplest rollout, maintenance, portability

Laptop/Desktop Replacement

ADF Mobile Browser

For web pages that adapt to the mobile browser where they are viewed

Supports broad range of mobile browsers (smartphones and feature phones)

Mobile Approval and Search

ADF Mobile For mobile apps that install and run on iOS and Android devices

•  Access to local storage and device services (camera, contacts, etc.)

•  Offline Access

•  Highly interactive and native look & feel

Mobile Worker

Mobile Approval and Search

Mobile Development with Oracle ADF


Java HTML5

Use Existing Skills Set

Built On Standards

Use Exis:ng Skills Set

Built On Standards

Oracle ADF Mobile

Simplify Development Write Once, Deploy to Many


Integrated Development Environment

§  Declarative and visual development

§  Integration with Apple Xcode and Android SDK

§  Consistent tooling §  Task Flows §  Data Controls §  Packaging §  Deployment §  Debugging

12 Copyright © 2013 Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 12 Copyright © 2013, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Given we’ve now ADF Mobile, does this mean we can go without ADF server-based applications altogether?

Could this be the replacement for ADF Swing?

Exercise



ADF Mobile Suitability •  Not designed to replace native development platforms (eg. XCode)

–  Extremely unlikely that somebody will build ADF Angry Birds –  Its cross platform nature makes it a generalized development platform, not an

optimized one

•  Ideal for small mobile applications –  Unlikely to replace full blown enterprise

applications –  But may provide many small apps that interface

remotely

•  Mobile UI is not suitable for extensive data entry applications


Program Agenda



Framework Overview

•  Thin Native container on each platform, allows for –  Native application install –  Device interaction via PhoneGap

•  HTML5/JavaScript Frontend •  Java Backend

–  Embeds a light headless JVM

•  Content packaged as reusable modules –  Implemented as local or remote

content


UI Content options

•  Local AMX File –  JSF-like file built visually in JDeveloper –  Converted at RT HTML/JS on device

•  Remote URL –  ADF Trinidad for Smartphones –  ADF Faces on Tablets –  Any third-party site

•  Local HTML File –  Supports third-party HTML5 frameworks


Access and Security

•  Authentication: –  Out of the box integration with Oracle IDM –  Offline authentication –  Single login across Features

•  Access Control: –  Role based access

•  Encryption: –  Credential store –  Local data –  Communication channels


Device Services

How It Works?

Phone Gap

Device Native Container Web View

Server HTML

ADF Mobile XML View

Java

Managed Beans

ADF Model

Third Party Web Sites

ADF Faces RC

ADF Mobile Browser

Mobile Device

Web Services (SOAP & REST)

Local HTML

HTML5 & JavaScript

Configuration Server

ADF Controller

Local Data

Credential M

anagement,

SSO &

Access C

ontrol

Application

Configuration

Server


Program Agenda



Architecture “Within” ADF Mobile Apps

Image: fotographic1980/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net


ADF Mobile is a relatively new technology. Best practices and

architectures are still up for discussion at this stage.

Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net


Program Agenda



Mobile 2 Enterprise Integration

•  Mobile 2 Enterprise –  Beyond the architecture within a

mobile application –  How does the mobile application

consume & communicate to remote enterprise services?

–  How does mobile fit into the larger enterprise architecture?

Image: Pong / FreeDigitalPhotos.net


Mobile 2 Enterprise Integration

•  Technically mobile’s can consume numerous technical protocols –  Within an enterprise domain this will typically include:

• Remote web pages • Web services

–  ADF Mobile v1.0 is capable of using both of these •  In built browser to access remote web pages • Good support for SOAP based web service, reasonable support for REST


Mobile 2 Enterprise Integration Challenges •  The nature of mobile devices are they are

“mobile” –  Mobile devices cannot be easily maintained by the

enterprise –  Enterprise workers may be offsite for days/weeks/

months –  Some applications are designed to go “off-line” or

survive “wifi” and connection dead-spots

•  If the enterprise services need to be upgraded and APIs change –  Presents challenge as the mobile application may

not be easily upgraded

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Providing Stable Enterprise Services

•  Unless you can guarantee –  Ability to upgrade mobile applications on service

upgrades –  Or stable APIs of the enterprise services

•  You must consider your strategy to supporting multiple versions of these services –  Not all changes will require supporting multiple

versions of your services –  But changes to APIs and protocols will

Image: Stuart Miles/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net


Versioned Web Pages

•  The stability of web pages is not as important as web services •  Web pages are typically read by a human, not the mobile application •  Exceptions

–  The page requires URL parameters and the API changes –  The application is scrapping the returned HTML and the structure changes

•  Your options are different deployments with different URLs •  Through different servers • Or versioned URLs


Versioned Web Services

•  Options: –  Different deployments with different URLs

•  Potentially different servers •  Or versioned URLs

–  A variable xsl:anyType payload structure with the disadvantage the payload can no longer be validated at runtime via the XSD •  Not supported by the ADF web service data control

–  Regardless of the technology you may need to provide stable protocol versions too (e.g. HTTP v1.1, SOAP v1.2)

–  Typical solution for web services is an Enterprise Service Buses (ESBs) –  Alternatively you may require to maintain multiple running environments

•  Be wary of the license costs


Web Service Auxiliary Services – Use-By-Date

•  While you can’t necessarily control mobile application upgrades –  Helpful to push users to new versions when

they connect –  So you can eventually disable older services –  Solutions:

•  Build-in a use-by-date disable function into your mobile app

• Or provide a mechanism for the mobile application to determine a new version is available

Image: Salvatore Vuono/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net


Web Service Auxiliary Services – Heartbeat

•  For debugging and service sanity point of view •  Useful to have a web service that reports “we’re up!” •  Exercises the complete stack of software behind the web service

Image: jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net


Program Agenda



Reusing ADF Business Component & SDOs

•  Existing ADF web-server systems may have considerable investment in ADF BC and the embedded logic –  It would be advantageous to reuse this

•  While ADF Mobile & other mobile technologies can’t reuse ADF BC directly •  ADF BC can be published on servers to reuse externally as SDOs

–  11g – SOAP based, 12c+ will also support REST


Exercise


While we can reuse ADF BC, questionably what should we

reuse and how should the ADF BC project be structured

for reuse?


Exercise


Given what we've learned, if we want to support both a

web application and a native mobile application, do we

need to change our application architecture?


Conclusion

•  ADF Mobile presents an excellent opportunity to leverage existing skills and solutions to deliver mobile solutions for the enterprise

•  However even though the scale of mobile applications is small, they present there own challenges beyond the mobile itself, enterprises need to form and document a working mobile strategy


Further Reading

•  ADF Mobile Website http://bit.ly/adfmobile •  ADF Mobile Developer's Guide http://bit.ly/adfmobguide111230

•  ADF Mobile UX Guidelines http://bit.ly/adfmobileuxguidelines


Technology

Oracle ADF Architecture TV - Design - Architecting for ADF Mobile Integration