10 Reasons to Deploy Your Existing Applications as Rich Internet Applications with Magic xpa

10 Reasons to Deploy Your Existing Applications as Rich Internet Applications with Magic xpa

                                  Rich Internet Applications Extend Your Reach

With Magic xpa, Rich Internet Applications extend the reach of your business applications to locations anywhere on the Internet. Satellite offices, home offices, and your traveling workforce can simply connect to the Internet and access their applications.

           Rich Internet Applications Can Go Mobile

In addition to being able to access applications from desktop and notebook computers, Magic xpa RIA applications can be deployed on Windows Mobile devices, which opens up your business applications to your mobile workforce and field workforce in even more exciting ways.

          Rich Internet Applications Are Rich, As In Interactive

With a whole host of highly-interactive user interface controls built-in to Magic xpa, your applications have the kind of responsive up-to-date look and feel that users expect and need. This enhances the user experience leading to greater employee, trading partner and customer satisfaction.

Rich Internet Applications Are Rich, As In Media Intensive

In addition to all of the native graphical file formats supported from within a Magic xpa "form" or "sub-form", the Magic xpa RIA client can see all types of media types within a so-called "browser-frame." It allows you to display the kinds of rich media (pictures, sound, animation, video, etc.) that you are used to seeing in a web-browser without the overhead and anarchy of the browser itself. Which reminds us…

               Rich Internet Applications Are Browser-Free

Web browsers impose all kinds of interaction uncertainties and security concerns. The advantage of Magic xpa’s approach to RIA is that is browser-free. You don't have to worry about other windows popping-up, the back button, or security violations due to the end-users manipulation of the security settings on the browser or their appetite for cookies, exposure to viruses, adware and other risks.

 Rich Internet Applications Don't Require Terminal Servers (such as Citrix)

Since Magic xpa extends your reach across the Internet, you won't need layers of expensive third-party technology just to let your users see your applications. That saves money, reduces architectural complexity and simplifies installation.

Rich Internet Applications Can Be Built With Magic xpa Unified Development Paradigm

Magic xpa’s unified development paradigm means you don't have to develop complicated architecture for rich client and server interaction, you don't have to use two different tools and programming languages – one for the client and for the server – because Magic xpa Studio environment allows you to develop in a unified fashion for both client and server with automated management of technical and communication layers. That means all of the session contexts and caching are automated according to your application design. It's Magic, after all.

Rich Internet Applications Built on Magic xpa Can Access Local Client Resources

With Magic xpa,the applications you create can access local resources such as XML, databases, email and local files. In the real world of business, not all vital information sits on the server at a centralized data center. Sometimes you need information from the users' machine or access to things as simple as local printers or other I/O devices.

Rich Internet Applications Based on Magic xpa Are SaaS and Cloud Ready

Some companies want to be able to deploy the software applications they create to multiple users on a Software-as-a-Service model. SaaS models flourish with browser-free RIA like Magic xpa because of the heightened security and really all of the reasons mentioned above.  It's great to know that you can deploy your RIA applications today knowing that you can take advantage of SaaS models in the future.

Rich Internet Applications Built In Magic xpa Are Magic!

Calling a business application framework "Magic" conjures up different images in different people's minds. In the best sense, those familiar with Magic Software know that it isn't about hocus-pocus or risky shortcuts, the long tradition of application deployment using Magic, eDeveloper and now Magic xpa is about scalability, reliability, transactional integrity and an innate developers' productivity that extends from our foundation as a rapid-application development environment. It isn't just about working with what you know, it's about knowing it will work. Magic Software Enterprises stands behind Magic xpa Rich Internet Client deployment mode with full support, professional services and a strong community of developers and customers ready to ensure your success. 

Get Rich and Fit: RIA Inside the Firewall

uniPaaS provides a comprehensive solution for Rich Client applications, sometimes referred to in the industry as Rich Internet Applications (RIA). While many assume that all the advantages of a RIA application stem from the benefits or need for remote application access, there are actually numerous reasons to consider RIA, or perhaps a better term, Rich Client applications, even when they will be running entirely within your own firewall on a Local Area Network (LAN).

uniPaaS is a platform for developing and deploying rich business applications serving n-tiered users based on Internet protocols. While the rich client approach uses standard internet protocols, this does not necessarily imply that application users are outside the firewall. In fact, uniPaaS RIA does not utilize Internet browsers such as Internet Explorer or Google Chrome but instead provides its own secure client to the user.

uniPaaS Rich Client Applications may be accessed securely, provide a fully interactive experience, and allow for automatic logic partitioning between clients and servers. User experiences are enhanced through an enhanced look and feel and accessibility of client-side resources in a browser free solution.

Developers benefit from a single unified IDE and development paradigm, performance-aware optimization during development and automated management of partitioning, communication and technical layers.

The resulting reduced Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) occurs because: there is no need for application-specific setups to access and run a Rich Client application; there is no need to manage the end-user's machine to accommodate application maintenance; and there is no need to install client-side software, such as Database-client and special printer drivers. Citrix servers are not needed to support RIA applications which can result in extensive long term cost savings.

Enhanced Interactivity and GUI. Rich client applications benefit from superior graphical and media capabilities as well as enhanced interactivity. This includes the ability to transfer and use files and resources from either the client or server. This enhanced document architecture enables superior enterprise content management and links between core enterprise applications and client side documents including knowledge worker productivity documents such as Word, Excel, PDF and other formats.

Enhanced Developer Productivity through Composite Applications Approach. With uniPaaS RIA, third-party .NET controls and assemblies can be used as the building blocks of applications. This reduces development time dramatically and provides access to enhanced, standards-based GUI experiences for users. Ability to incorporate standard controls enhances the openness of the , improves the user experience and reduces development time.

Fit Client. The Rich Client deployment mode allows for Server-Side Functions; Client-Side functions and Functions that can be executed on either the client or the server. Furthermore, RIA applications make better use of available computing resources. The Rich Client is neither a fat client nor a thin client. Through partitioning, you have what may be called a fit client, meaning that application functions may be executed on either the client side or server side. uniPaaS supports expressions on either the client-side or server-side. Developer functions are also supported on either client side or server side. This reduces the processing and memory utilization load on both the server and the client, and in the long-term makes for a lower cost , more energy efficient computing environment.

Parallel Execution. Several Rich Client programs can run simultaneously by using the Parallel Execution task property. For example, one program for employee management, and another for finance, all from a single entry point, without having to repeat authentication for each parallel program. Rich Client also supports MDI (Multiple Document Interface).

Mobile Application Support. Developing mobile applications with uniPaaS is based on uniPaaS RIA. The main difference between regular RIA and Mobile RIA is the consideration of the mobile devices’ view area and the expected user experience, such as touch screen and styles, and the deployment methodology. The RC Deployment wizard of the uniPaaS Studio simplifies Mobile deployment.

Hot Fixes and Updates. With Rich Client, the deployed uniPaaS application can be updated without the need to stop the application and log out all users. Known as “hot fixes” in the industry, this capability allows you to deploy your updates and fixes in a live environment.

Security. The Rich Client environment also has the advantage of reducing security administration and overhead. In a client server environment, there are risks associated with providing client access to servers. RIA applications interact at arm’s length and use secure encrypted communications and transport throughout.

Why develop RIA applications with uniPaaS?

When developing Rich Internet Applications (RIA) the number of tools required to create a complete application should be a paramount concern. Do you have to learn completely new programming languages for the data layer, the transport layer, the business logic layer and the user interface layer? With most approaches on the market today, yes. But there is one solution that takes a unitary approach: the uniPaaS application platform is a single, consistent solution that allows you to design, develop, test, deploy and monitor Rich Internet Applications -- not just the user interface of those RIA applications, but the entire spectrum of the application including the data and business logic layers.

The problem with most RIA development in the early adopter phase was that the programming was predominated by a herd of web developers with nothing but time on their hands, few of whom had any real grounding in the development of business applications. Transactions and database programming was something that "the other guy" did. So the early wave of RIA adoption largely produced a milieu of fanciful applications that served little or no real business purpose. They looked good and impressed their friends. Period.

As RIA is being investigated by serious enterprise computer programmers there needs to be a maturing of the approach in order to achieve true scalability, operational reliability, transactional integrity and security needed for business processes.

In this regard, the uniPaaS application platform has come to the fore in the serious considerations being made by Global 2000 businesses. In fact, numerous organizations ranging from the United Nations to UPS to SunLife have already made the move to uniPaaS for core business mission-critical applications. As a result, Magic Software Enterprises (NASDAQ:MGIC) has seen impressive growth in interest for its products and solutions in recent months.

The evaluation process for uniPaaS can be conducted anonymously or with expert assistance, it's your choice. Many individuals simply like to try the free download of uniPaaS. But I actually recommend interacting with the very helpful pre-sales engineers at Magic Software and getting a personalized demonstration. "If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there." The nice thing about a demo is that when you do download the software and the free self-paced course, you have a much better sense of what you are trying to accomplish.

When evaluating one thing should become very clear. You have a single consistent and uniform IDE for all three layers of your Rich Internet Applications: the data layer, the business logic layer, and the user interface layer. This makes uniPaaS the only major unitary application platform in the RIA space.

Wisdom from Michael Singer: Cross-Browser Compatibility for SaaS Solutions

The following contribution to the Magic of uniPaaS was written by Michael Singer, Application Development Manager for Magic Software Enterprises Americas

When creating a SaaS solution that runs under a browser, cross-browser compatibility is a must. In today’s world of multiple browsers and plug-ins, a good SaaS solution will have to be tested on every existing browser (including older versions of browsers). Furthermore, new features implemented in the solution would require additional cross browser testing as well. Vendors of web based, business applications have been calling for a standard in the “mad” world of browsers for a long time, but with the recent launches of Google Chrome and IE 8, it seems, the diversity and differences between the browsers is growing with every passing day.

To achieve cross-browser compatibility, a developer would have to try and limit to a minimum the amount client side validations, use of cookies and processing. All these actions should be done on the server side. This would create fewer cross browser issues on one hand, but might hamper performance on the other. Another good practice would be to create a thin layer on the server side that interfaces with the client side; this would streamline the different data that comes from the diverse browsers and make a single data structure going into the server side. In case browser errors still plague the application, custom error messages that explain the source of the problem, and recommend a type and version of a browser, could be created.

A little kid once said "There is no spoon." (The Matrix, 1999)

So let’s think out of the box. A good SaaS solution does not have to run under a browser. Rich internet applications (RIA) are "web applications that have most of the characteristics of desktop applications, typically delivered by way of standards based web browser plug-ins or independently via sandboxes or virtual machines. Examples of RIA frameworks include Curl, Adobe Flash/Adobe Flex/AIR, Java/JavaFX, uniPaaS and Microsoft Silverlight.” (Wikipedia)

In laymen’s terms, a RIA uses the internet as a communication layer, works on port 80 just like the browser (for compatibility with firewalls), has a very thin client (for compatibility with the IT department) and yet it does not run under a browser, but rather as a desktop application, providing all the capabilities and user experience you would expect from a desktop application.

There are a few solutions out there, but in most cases the architecture is similar. Most tools have a client that renders XML pages, and a server that generates them. Requests from the client are sent to the application server which returns XML documents back. These files are then rendered again to the screen using various technologies. Most platforms have a way of managing sessions or contexts, therefore allowing some kind of persistence in the user experience, and providing a solution for offline work. The clients tend to have a zero footprint on the workstation, therefore making it easy for users to log on virtually anywhere. Browsers, by the way, do the same thing. The difference is browsers know how to render HTML and not XML, and quite frankly, were not designed to be the foundation for a business application but rather should have been used for, well, browsing.

RIAs come in multiple different flavors. From the amazing graphics of Adobe Air, to the amazing productivity of Magic uniPaaS (which actually includes a SaaS platform as part of the product), depending on any project’s requirements, developers could probably find a good tool out there to create any type of SaaS application that would be user friendly, provide rich functionality, secure access and would not require any cross browser compatibility, simply, because it’s not running under a browser.

So as Morpheus said “I'm trying to free your mind, Neo. But I can only show you the door. You're the one that has to walk through it.” (The Matrix, 1999)

Good Luck.
Michael Singer
July 18th 2009


Thanks Michael, great stuff.