On IRC, Bruno raised a valid concern: The earlier version had "use cases"


I updated the GIST (https://gist.github.com/matzew/b918eb45d3f17de09b8f) and added:
* more definitions
* usage scenarios
* use cases


-Matthias







On Mon, Apr 29, 2013 at 3:27 PM, Matthias Wessendorf <matzew@apache.org> wrote:
Hi,

I started a GIST to convert the different gists and readme's into a server-side spec
(https://gist.github.com/matzew/b918eb45d3f17de09b8f)


* Regarding the "mobile variant instance": 
We need to decide, what a SimplePush client may need on-top of the data, described below (and in the gist). (since they have clientIDs + channels)

* Similar... we need to reflect the "" on a "selected" (and broadcast) send as well.

* Sec: there is a different meeting, on the sec - content will be integrated (or linked from this spec)


If this doc, looks good, I will submit it as a PR so that we get it on the homepage


Next:
CLIENT SPEC is coming later today (or tomorrow)

Thoughts ?
Matthias





AeroGear Unified Push Server (Draft 0.0.3)

The AeroGear Unified Push Server is a server that allows sending native push messages to different mobile operation systems. The initial version of the server supports Apple's APNsGoogle Cloud Messaging and Mozilla's Simple Push.

Motivation / Purpose

Goal: Any (JBoss/AeroGear powered) mobile application, that is backed by JBoss technology (e.g. admin console, Errai, drools, etc.), is able to easily work with mobile push messages. For a JBoss "backend application" it should be as simple as possible, to send messages to its different mobile clients.

Definitions

Before we get into details, it's important that we have a good lexicon.

Push Application

A logical construct that represents an overall mobile application (e.g. Mobile HR).

Mobile Variant

A mobile variant of the Push Application. There can be multiple variants for a Push Application (e.g. HR Android,HR iPadHR iPhone freeHR iPhone premium or HR Mobile Web).

Mobile Variant Instance

Represents an actual installation on a mobile device (e.g. User1 connected via MobileWeb or User2 runs HR iPhone premium on his phone)

Overview

The AeroGear Unified Push Server contains three different components:

  • Registration: Registry for Push ApplicationsMobile Variants and Mobile Variant Instances
  • Storage: A database, storing the registered applications and instances
  • Sender: Receives messages and sends them to different Mobile Variant Instances

The graphic below gives a little overview: components

Functionality

Registration

Three different registration types are provided by the AeroGear Unified Push Server.

Push Application Registration

Adds a logical construct, that represents an overall mobile application (e.g. Mobile HR). The Push Application contains the following properties:

  • Name
  • Description
  • A collection of Mobile Variants

The server offers an HTTP interfaces to apply a Push Application registration:

curl -v -H "Accept: application/json" -H "Content-type: application/json"
    -X POST
    -d '{"name" : "MyApp", "description" :  "awesome app" }'

http://SERVER/applications

The response returns an ID for the Push Application.

Mobile Variant Registration

Adds a mobile variant for an existing Push Application. There can be multiple variants for a Push Application (e.g. HR Android, HR iPad, HR iPhone free, HR iPhone premium or HR Mobile Web).

The server supports the following variant types:

  • iOS
  • Android
  • SimplePush
iOS Variant

An iOS variant represents a logical construct for one iOS application (e.g. HR for iPhone or HR for iPad ). The iOS variant requires some APNs specific values:

  • APNs Push Certificate file
  • Passphrase

The server offers an HTTP interfaces to register an iOS varian:

curl -i -H "Accept: application/json" -H "Content-type: multipart/form-data" 

  -F "certificate=@/Users/matzew/Desktop/MyCert.p12"
  -F "passphrase=TopSecret"

  -X POST http://SERVER/applications/{PUSH_ID}/iOS

NOTE: The above is a multipart/form-data, since it is required to upload the "Apple Push certificate"!

The response returns an ID for the iOS variant.

Android Variant

An Android variant represents a logical construct for one Android application (e.g. HR for Android). The Android variant requires some Google specific values:

  • Google API Key

The server offers an HTTP interfaces to register an Android variant:

curl -v -H "Accept: application/json" -H "Content-type: application/json"
  -X POST
  -d '{"googleKey" : "IDDASDASDSA"}'

  http://SERVER/applications/{PUSH_ID}/android 

_The response returns an ID for the Android variant.

SimplePush Variant

An SimplePush variant represents a logical construct for one SimplePush application (e.g. HR mobile Web). The SimplePush variant requires some Simple Push Network specific values:

  • URL of the PushNetwork server

The server offers an HTTP interfaces to register an SimplePush variant:

curl -v -H "Accept: application/json" -H "Content-type: application/json"
  -X POST
  -d '{"pushNetworkURL" : "http://localhost:7777/endpoint/"}'

  http://SERVER/applications/{PUSH_ID}/simplePush 

The response returns an ID for the SimplePush variant.

Mobile Variant Instance Registration

Adds an mobile variant instance to an existing mobile variant (e.g. User1 runs HR-iPad on his device). It is possible that one user can have multiple devices. A mobile variant instance contains the following properties:

Required Data
  • deviceToken

The platform specific device token, that identifies the device with the used push network, in order to deliver messages

  • operatingSystem

It is required for the device to submit it's exact name of the underlying OS.

  • osVersion

It is required for the device to submit it's exact version of the underlying OS.

  • Mobile Variation ID

ID received when registering a Mobile Variant. This ID needs to be submitted as a request header (ag-mobile-variant). NOTE: It is possible that this ID goes away, in favor for a digital signature in a future release

Optional Data
  • deviceType

It is recommended to store the (exact) device type (e.g. phone vs tablet).

  • alias

If the business application requires the conecpt of a user, the registration must submit an unique identifier (like a username), to identify the user. It is possible that one user has multiple devices.

Business Data

The above are technical information bits that are required to get a message to the device. This the app wants to send notification based on a criteria, the relevant data has to be stored in the business backend. This way the backend app is very flexible on the criterias (e.g. max salary, geolocation, number of children, etc). All this data is NOT directly related to the technical functionality of sending data. The usage of the AeroGear Pipe is highly recommended to store business data on the business backend.

The server offers an HTTP interfaces to register an mobile variant instance:

curl -v -H "Accept: application/json" -H "Content-type: application/json" 
   -H "ag-push-app: {id}"
   -H "ag-mobile-app: {id}"
   -X POST
   -d '{
      "alias" : "user@company.com", 
      "deviceToken" : "someTokenString", 
      "deviceType" : "ANDROID", 
      "mobileOperatingSystem" : "android", 
      "osVersion" : "4.0.1"
    }'

http://SERVER/registry/device 

NOTE: Platform specific Client SDKs will be provided to submit the require data to the AeroGear Unified Push Server.

Storage

A (configurable) database that stores all registered applications and instances.

Sender

HTTP interface that receives messages for a delivery to different Mobile Push Networks. A few different Sender Types are supported by the push server.

Global Broadcast Sender

Sends a push message to all mobile variants (and all of its mobile variant intances), of a given Push Application:

curl -v -H "Accept: application/json" -H "Content-type: application/json" 
   -X POST

   -d '{"key":"blah", "alert":"HELLO!"}'

http://SERVER/sender/broadcast/{PushApplicationID} 

Sends a JSON map to the server. If platform specific key words (e.g. alert for APNs) are used, they are honored for the specific platform. This transformation is done by the AeroGear Unified Push Server.

Variant specific Broadcast

Sends a push message to only one mobile variants (and all of its mobile variant intances).:

curl -v -H "Accept: application/json" -H "Content-type: application/json" 
   -X POST

   -d '{"key":"blah", "alert":"HELLO!"}'

http://SERVER/sender/broadcast/variant/{MobileVariantID} 

Sends a JSON map to the server. If platform specific key words (e.g. alert for APNs) are used, they are honored for the specific platform. This transformation is done by the AeroGear Unified Push Server.

Selected Sender

Sends a push message to a selected list of identified users (regardless of their variant):

curl -v -H "Accept: application/json" -H "Content-type: application/json" 
   -X POST

   -d '{
       alias: ["user@foo.com", "bar@moz.org", ....],
       message: {"key":"blah", "alert":"HELLO!"}
       }'

http://SERVER/sender/selected 

The alias value is used to identied the desired users. The payload (messages) is a standard JSON map. If platform specific key words (e.g. alert for APNs) are used, they are honored for the specific platform. This transformation is done by the AeroGear Unified Push Server.





--
Matthias Wessendorf

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