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Introducing Oracle Application Server Wireless

1.1 Overview

Oracle Application Server Wireless (Wireless) is the wireless and voice platform of Oracle Application Server (OracleAS), which enables enterprises to realize their mobile strategy through the development and deployment of wireless browsing applications, voice applications, asynchronous applications, J2ME applications, and notifications.

Wireless is also the voice and wireless platform for the mobile extensions of the Oracle E-Business Suite, the wireless and voice components of the Oracle Collaboration Suite, and the foundation for custom and partner wireless and voice solutions.

Through the Oracle Application Server Wireless platform, devices can use any protocol to receive and deliver requests as well as and deliver content to any device. The request types handled by Wireless include:

• HTTP

• Async

• Messaging

Handing HTTP Requests

Many devices with gateway support request applications through the HTTP protocol. These devices include WAP phones with WAP gateways and fixed voice lines with VoiceXML gateways. Wireless executes this request as follows:

1. The Load Balancer dispatches a request sent from the external gateways to Oracle HTTP Server. Generally, the Load Balancer supports a "sticky" session, meaning that the Load Balancer only handles requests from a new session; otherwise, the requests of an existing session are delivered to the same Oracle HTTP Server. The Load Balancer provides the hardware load-balancing solution.

2. The Oracle HTTP Server dispatches the received request to the OPMN Worker, or to the Multi-Channel Server directly (based on the configuration). Requests are routed to OPMN worker for OC4J-based software load balancing). Otherwise, the request is dispatched directly to the Wireless Web Server

3. The OPMN worker dispatches the request to the appropriate process based on the process load (if the request is the first one of the current session). Otherwise, the OPMN worker dispatches the request to the Wireless Web server process to which the request session has been assigned.

4. The Multi-Channel Server processes receive the request. If the response for the request from this particular requesting device is cached by the WebCache, then the response is returned immediately. If the request is to access a privileged service, then the Wireless Web Server redirects the request to SSO (Single Sign-On). Otherwise, it proceeds to step b below.
   1. SSO performs the sign-on process using the Wireless Web Server process. After the sign-on succeeds, the original request resumes.

   2. The Multi-Channel Server dispatches the original request to the mobile application provider to request the mobile content in mobile XML.

5. The mobile application provider (which are the external mobile applications) processes the request and returns the mobile XML to the Wireless Web Server process. Oracle Portal is another mobile application provider.

6. Multi-Channel Server adapts the received content to the network and device and returns to the request device.

7. The mobile content is visible on the requesting mobile device in its native form.

Handing an Async Request

The Wireless server can also process requests from non-HTTP based devices, such as SMS device, Pager, or Email. The request is handled as follows:

1. The Messaging Server receives an application invocation request message and dispatches it to the Async Listener, which runs inside the Wireless Runtime Server process.

2. The Async Listener preprocesses the request. The response is returned immediately. If the request is to access a privileged application, then the Multi-Channel Server will redirect the request to SSO. Otherwise, it proceeds to step b below.
   1. SSO performs the sign-on process using the Wireless Web Server process. After the sign-on succeeds, the original request resumes.

   2. The Wireless Web Server dispatches the original request to the mobile application provider to request the mobile content in mobile XML.

3. The Async Listener adapts the received response into the native format of the requesting device and sends the adapted response to the Messaging Server.

4. The Messaging Server dispatches the response to the requesting device.

Handling a Messaging Request

The Wireless platform can also push any message to any device using different protocols. Out-of-the-box, any message can be pushed out as an SMS message, an email, a voice mail, a fax, or it can be pushed to the Oracle Mobile Message Gateway. The request is handled as follows:

1. Messaging applications, including the XMS Server, Notification Engine, or external applications, compose a message and send it by calling push APIs.

2. The Messaging Server asynchronously delivers the received message to the delivery provider through the specified protocol.

3. The Messaging Server also asynchronously queries the delivery status (if supported by the provider).

4. The messaging applications can either pull the delivery status or be notified.

1.2 Using the Wireless Tools

Wireless provides a complete set of Web-based tools, which provide functions for developing and publishing mobile applications, creating mobile users, providing help desk support to mobile users, and managing the Wireless server. These tools each include step-by-step wizards, which enable users to quickly accomplish any task. The wizard pages include inline hints and tips which provide information for new users to quickly learn the tools. In addition, the online help enables experienced users to utilize the advanced features.

Out of the box, Wireless provides the following tools:

• Service Manager

• System Manager

• Content Manager

• Foundation Manager

• User Manager

Wireless also provides the Wireless Customization Portal, which enables end-users to personalize Wireless applications and manage their personal profiles, including their devices and Location Marks. The Customization Portal can be used as the out-of-box Web-based portal along with the device-based portal.

The Wireless Tools are role-specific;Wireless users can only access the tool which corresponds to the role or roles that they have been granted. These user roles, which are described in Table 1-1, span all of the Wireless resources, from server management, application development, application publishing, and help desk to subscription to the Wireless applications. Because these tools are Web-based, they require no client-side installation. After installing and starting the Wireless server, multiple users can access the Wireless tools through normal desktop browsers.

You do not need to manually configure any server files or code with APIs to access the out-of-box features of the Wireless server, unless you want to expand the Wireless server functions.

Table 1-1 Wireless User Roles

User Role	Description	Available Tools
Application Developer	Users assigned the Application Developer role perform the following functions: Create, modify, delete and test applications. Publish applications to the Application Developer's folder. Create, modify, and delete notifications. Create, modify, and delete data feeders. Register and delete J2ME Web services. Develop preset definitions.	Service Manager
Foundation Developer	Users assigned the Foundation Developer role perform the following functions: Create, modify, and delete devices. Create, modify, and delete transformers. Create, modify, and delete regions. Create, modify, and delete digital rights policies. Create, modify, and delete API scan policies.	Foundation Manager
Content Manager	Users assigned the Content Manager role perform the following functions: Manage application folders and bookmarks. Create application links based on Application Developer-created applications. Create notifications based on alerts (deprecated in this release). Create application categories and associate access points with them. Create a user-home folder rendering scheme, such as setting the sorting order for applications.	Content Manager
System Administrator	Users assigned the System Administrator perform configuration management and performance monitoring for various Wireless servers. The Wireless servers are deployed both as OC4J (Oracle Containers for Java) applications and as standalone Java applications.	System Manager. This tool is packaged with Oracle Enterprise Manager and is accessed through the Application Server Control.
User Manager	Users assigned the User Manager role perform the following functions: Manage users by providing such Help Desk functions as editing a user profile, resetting passwords and PINs, and creating or deleting users. Manage user access privileges. View application links assigned to users. Manage user devices. Search for users. View overview information of users.	User Manager
End User	Users assigned the end user role are the consumers of Wireless services. End-users create their own accounts when they register with Wireless using the Wireless Customization. End users can also customize their own applications either from a desktop or from a device. Customization for end-users includes: Customize applications, download J2ME applications, subscribe to notifications. Manage devices. Manage location marks and location settings. Manage contact rules. Mobile studio users also have the end user role; a user belonging to the StudioUser group can access the Mobile Studio. Every Wireless user is granted the Mobile Customer Role by default. This role is implicit to all users.	Wireless Customization Portal Mobile Studio (for users assigned to the StudioUser group)

1.3 Wireless Module Applications

OracleAS Wireless includes pre-built Wireless module applications. These are applications which you configure using the Content Manager, include the following:

PIM Applications

The PIM (Personal Information Management) applications (also known as Collaboration Applications) enable customers to integrate corporate email, directory, address book, calendaring and instant messaging applications into their mobile enterprise portals.

Location-Based Applications

There are Location Based applications include the Location Picker, Driving Directions, Maps, and Biz Directory (business directory).

The Location Picker application enables users to pick and manage their frequently-accessed locations. Other pre-configured applications, such as Driving Directions and Maps applications, use the Location Picker to acquire a location from the user.

Oracle m-Commerce

The Oracle m-Commerce applications securely store user profiles, and supply information authorized by users of third-party applications. These applications communicate with on-line payment mechanisms to complete transactions.

1.4 Using This Guide

This guide describes how to get Wireless running by using the Wireless tools to configure the underlying Wireless stack and the module applications.