Components
The Ensim Unify Application Manager SDK is comprised of:
- Ensim Unify libraries needed for application manager development
- A detailed library of reference documentation
- Documentation about Ensim Unify architecture, libraries, and guidelines to build a service manager
- A sample application manager with extensive code examples for reference
- Tools for easy development and debugging
Features of the SDK:
The Application manager SDK provides a flexible and extensible framework to quickly enable applications for service delivery. Using the Ensim Unify platform and Application manager SDK for delivering a service dramatically shrinks the new service development and deployment cycle allowing service providers to quickly add high value services.
Provisioning
The provisioning component of the Ensim Unify platform provides a flexible mechanism to automate provisioning of resellers, organization, and users. The platform also includes template management which allows service providers to bundle custom offerings using one or more application managers. As an ongoing operational task the platform provides an easy implementation of move, add, change, and disconnect capabilities for the application. Besides these generic use cases, the platform has integration points for any application-specific use cases.
Capacity Management
The capacity management provided by the Application Manager SDK allows developers to define granular control and management of capacities associated with delivery of applications. Each of these controls can be hierarchically applied to all manageable entities and roles in the system.
Delegated Administration
The access management interface from the Application Manager SDK allows developers to define authorization attributes for each operation. The Ensim Unify platform then uses these attributes to do authorization checks before initiating any operation task. Developers can use this framework to implement the delegated administration requirements for their application.
Channel Enablement
Any application enabled on Ensim Unify using Application manager SDK automatically gets the n-tier channel enablement for their application. Service providers can resell wholesale capacities for the application to their resellers using the same platform.
Metering and Reporting
The Unify Application Manager SDK provides a framework and guidelines for developers to implement data collection for capacity usage. The data collected by the applications is periodically aggregated by the Ensim Unify platform and hierarchically organized into relevant billing reports for every level of administration in the system. These reports can be used by the service provider and resellers to bill their customers based on the usage capacities.
Order and Billing System Integration
The billing integration framework allows service developers to publish a Web Service API for rapid integration with any order or billing management system.
Health Monitoring
Developers can register a set of services for each application with Ensim Unify. The health monitoring component of Ensim Unify constantly monitors these services. Any disruptions in the availability of services are reported to the service provider.
Management Portals
Ensim Unify has management portals at four levels — one for each role (service provider, reseller, organizations, and end-user). The Ensim Unify portal provides a single interface for management of all applications delivered through Ensim Unify. Using the rich user interface (UI) library of .NET controls included in the Application Manager SDK, developers can quickly build a consistent administration interface for their application. These controls come with basic UI validations making it very easy for developers to build even complicated use-cases. The portals, including the application specific UI, can be completely branded and customized by service providers, resellers, or organizations.
Development Tools
The Application Manager SDK provides a set of libraries for the most common management tasks related to the file system, databases, Microsoft® Windows® registry settings etc. These libraries hide the complexity of generic programming APIs and publish an easy to use interface for application developers. Helper libraries are available for:
- Windows registry management
- File system management
- Database management
- IP address allocation — very useful if the application needs an IP address for each provisioned customer
- DNS management, if application-specific DNS records need to be created or updated.
WSE 3.0 Compliant Web services
Application manager SDK developers can add a WSE 3.0 compatible Web service API. This allows Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) to quickly integrate their application manager functionality to any billing or order management system.
Multiple Language Support
Ensim Unify is deployed for service providers all over the world. It is critical that all the service managers that are enabled on Ensim Unify provide multiple language support similar to the multiple language support provided by the platform. The latest version of the SDK provides complete step-by-step instructions for developers to implement the internationalization process for their application managers.
Upgrade and Hotfix (Update) Framework
The Unify Application Manager SDK provides guidelines and tools to enable service providers to upgrade their existing deployments based on previous versions. The Application manager SDK Hotfix Framework enables developers to release maintenance patches on the control panel servers, provisioning engine servers, and hosting servers.
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