eae 2023 build a mobile app with eportal and eae · • support eportal value-added capabilities...

EAE 2023Build a Mobile App with ePortal and EAE1:30 pm Wednesday, May 16, 2012Alan HoodConsulting Engineer, Global Technology Centre SolutionsUnisys Corp.

© 2012 Unisys Corporation. All rights reserved. 2

AGENDA

• Mobile devices and ePortal• Benefits for AB Suite/EAE Users• Use Cases• Mobile Examples


I want access to everything now … wherever I am, whatever time it is, using whatever device I have. And of course I want an intuitive interface and transparent security

I want to enable our employees and provide customer access, but I need to ensure that corporate data, networks and systems are totally secure all the time

Differing views


Uses for mobile devices

• Smartphones have become almost ubiquitous– It’s getting harder to find “just a telephone”

• iPads and Tablets allow user friendly management of large volumes of data

– Provide Sales, Services, and Decision Makers with immediate, up to date access to critical information –anywhere, any time

• Intuitive and user friendly– Quickly scroll though large lists with a flick of a finger

• Combine corporate data with local information and 3rd party applications

– Pictures captured and sent via mobile e.g. for insurance, health documentation

• Many users want the “hip” of iPads and iPhones

– They see them used on TV and wonder why they can’t have the same cool tech


However… a few questions to ask yourself first

• How can you know which devices to support?– Different device types generally require

completely different development skills and tools

• Will the “hot” device today still be hot in two years?– Not long ago Blackberry was the one

everyone wanted. Now it’s iPhone or Android. How far behind is Windows 8? After that?

• Can you afford to take the risk that what you develop today will still be viable, and popular in the future?

• Have you considered the security issues with native apps?


Unisys ClearPath ePortal

• ClearPath ePortal is an end-to-end, integrated solution for rapidly extending ClearPath applications to the web, mobile and web-services technology

• ePortal provides fast development of modern client interfaces for ClearPath MCP and ClearPath OS 2200 applications, written with COBOL, Algol, DPS, SDF, Open DTP… and now Enterprise Application Environment and Agile Business Suite


Components of ClearPath ePortal

ePortal Developer (Development)

ePortal Manager (Administration)

ePortal Platform(Deploy and Runtime)


Specialty Engine Deployment

• Deployed onto a purpose-built hardware environment– Scalable architecture to allow

additional processing capacity to be simply added (Enterprise)

– Full integration with mainframe environment • Provides highly secure

environment and simplified operational management of the ePortal environment


ClearPath ePortal Developer

• Extends Microsoft’s Visual Studio

• Leverages best-of-breed, visual environment for building solutions


AB Suite / EAE

Connector

ePortal Platform

IIS

IspecModel

Classes

Web Pages

Mobile Pages

Web Services

IspecXML

AB Suite/EAE ePortal Client

ClearPath System

Host ProgramGenerated byAB Suite/EAE

Service Provider

Service Consum

er

Service Consum

erService Provider

HTTPHTTPS

AB Suite / EAEData Source

UTS or T27 Data Source

CobolData Source

ePortal Presentation

Project

ePortal Developer

RAS

CE Generate Framework

IspecDefinitions

ePortalGenerator

Host CodeGenerator

Other Client Generators

Builder

Development

Runtime

AB Suite / EAE Integration with ePortal


ePortal

IIS

Mobile(iOS, Android,

Blackberry)

OrchestrationWeb AB Suite / EAE

Connector

Service(SOAP, REST)

ClearPathMCP/OS 2200

ePortal Platform

Terminal Connector

COBOL Connector

ePortal Runtime


ClearPath ePortalSmart phone integration / web services

Current Messages & Client Interactions

TransformedApplication

ClearPath ePortal

iPhone ClearPathApplications

Enhanced Enterprise Features

Presentation GenerationData TransformationMessage CoordinationSecurity/EncryptionDeployment AutomationHigh Availability

Orchestration


ClearPath Applications

SmartPhone / Tablet

Service Provider

Service Consumer

Service Consumer

Service Provider

Browser

Enterprise Service Bus

ClearPath ePortalApplication Modernization


Benefits for EAE and AB Suite users

• AB Suite/EAE users can use ePortal to:– Enhance/extend existing AB Suite/EAE applications

• Re-engineer/alter/customize user experience (orchestration –consolidated, customized presentation flows, etc. )

– Extensive leveraging of Microsoft technologies– Gain access to ePortal unique features/technologies:

• Web presentations –Provide rich user experiences (RIA)• Web Services – Easily access the latest services technologies

(WCF/SOAP, RESTful, etc.)• Create applications for mobile devices (iOS, Android, BlackBerry, etc.)• Well positioned to exploit future ePortal presentation technology


Benefits for EAE and AB Suite users (Cont.)

• Deployment/Runtime– Leverage Specialty Engine Technology for Deployment

(Business/Enterprise)• Point-and-click deployment, automated management, configuration,

security, scalability, non-stop/high availability, etc.

• Provide a consolidated presentation development and runtime platform for ClearPath development


Use Case Examples

• AB Suite/EAE user that wants to extend a portion of an existing application to smart phone users– May want to re-engineer the flow of the application– May want to consolidate/filter existing AB Suite/EAE screens and functions– May want to create several versions of the application targeting specific

groups of users

• AB Suite/EAE customer wants to expose all or a portion of an existing application as a SOAP or RESTful web service

• Create one or more bundles with Ispecs needed for new client interfaces

• Generate ePortal client bundles, import as AB Suite/EAE Data Source

• Orchestrate, define, test, and deploy new client project(s) as ePortal applications

No Change to back end application


Use Cases (Cont.)

• AB Suite/EAE user that wants to take advantage of appliance-based deployment for scalability, availability, simplify/lower cost of deployment/on-going management

• A ClearPath customer with a mixture of COBOL and AB Suite/EAE applications wants to consolidate on a single runtime platform and presentation development paradigm

• Develop graphical user interface largely with AB Suite/EAE Developer, generate as ePortal client (web presentation)

• Deploy using ePortal Platform


Capabilities of ePortal integration with EAE/AB Suite

• Provides import of ISPEC definitions for generation of new mobile, web service or web browser presentations– All current and future presentation types are supported

• Existing AB Suite/EAE Painter form layouts are preserved– Presentation layout and styling defined in the painter is preserved

for web applications

• Unique capabilities of AB Suite/EAE applications are preserved and enhanced– Teach screens, dynamic/static lists, dynamic highlighting, Form

Selection, etc.– Enhance static and dynamic list handling, copyfrom conversion to

data bound controls, reconcile/merge ispec changes, etc.

• Augments, does not replace, AB Suite/EAE functionality


Capabilities (Cont.)

• Benefits– Users can maintain and leverage investments made to large-scale,

application screen interfaces– Users can rapidly begin testing and deployment of existing web

applications using ePortal technology– Customers can standardize on ePortal as a single tool to provide

mobile access, web services and web-based user interfaces developed in EAE/AB Suite and 3GL technologies

Various Mobile Presentation Examples


ePortal Presentation Example

ePortal WebApps

ePortal Mobile Presentation ExampleUsing AB Suite/EAE ePortal Client Interface


AB Suite

ePortal Mobile Presentation Example

Generate ePortal ClientEAE



Create ePortal AB Suite/EAE Data Source Project in Visual Studio 2010



Import AB Suite/EAE Ispecs – Ispec import wizard



Add Mobile Presentation Project



Optional – Visually orchestrate new user experience



Design generated application using Visual Studio 2010



Test using local workstation / View in Browser


Summary

• Support ePortal value-added capabilities– Rapid, high-fidelity mobile interfaces for smart phones and tablets– Advanced web services generation– Specialty-engine deployment and management

• Enable easy import of existing AB Suite/EAE web presentations

• Retain most features while leveraging ePortal features such as orchestration, Visual Studio development, custom controls


ClearPath YouTube Channel – 50 Videos!

www.youtube.com/UnisysClearPath

Technical how-to videos Playlists

• ClearPath ePortal for OS 2200 new!

• ClearPath ePortal for MCP new!


Thank you

eae 2023 build a mobile app with eportal and eae · • support eportal value-added capabilities...

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