Configure and customizing direct update

Direct update is the direct delivery of updated web resources to deployed applications. Subject to the terms and conditions of the target platform, organizations are not required to upload new app versions to the app store or market. In IBM MobileFirst Platform Foundation, this option is available for iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone 8, and Android apps.

For an introduction to direct updates of app versions to mobile devices, see Direct updates of app versions to mobile devices. A direct updates mechanism is available for desktop apps. See Direct updates of app versions to desktop apps.

The MobileFirst Server can push data at the rate of 250 MB per second. For example, if an application is 5 MB in size, assuming that the network bandwidth is not a bottleneck, the MobileFirst Server can serve 50 direct updates per second, and a MobileFirst Server cluster of four servers can serve 200 direct updates per second.

To serve direct updates at higher rates, consider using a CDN (content delivery network) instead of the MobileFirst Server.

• Direct updates of app versions to mobile devices
  Direct Update allows you to quickly update application web resources (HTML, JavaScript, and CSS) without going through the vendor (Apple/Google) app store review process.

• Direct updates of app versions to desktop apps
  A direct updates mechanism is available for desktop apps as well as for mobile devices.

• Direct Update as a security realm
  Since IBM Worklight Foundation v6.2.0, Direct Update is part of the MobileFirst security framework, and is defined as a security realm.

• Direct Update Authenticity
  Client applications can check the authenticity of a direct update package downloaded from the MobileFirst Server or CDN.

• Serving direct update requests from a CDN
  We can configure direct update requests to be served from a CDN (content delivery network) instead of from the MobileFirst Server.

• Customize the direct update interface and process
  We can change the default user interface for the direct update dialog boxes and the messages that are displayed to the user. We can also control when an application checks for a direct update, run the direct update process without presenting a user interface to the user, link the checking for available direct updates to a call to an adapter, and control what happens when the direct update process fails.

• Troubleshooting unintended direct update requests on Windows Phone 8
  When the hostname or IP address of the MobileFirst Server that is configured in a hybrid Windows Phone 8 application differs from what has been deployed on the server (either the MobileFirst Development Server embedded within MobileFirst Studio or a production server), the application might receive an unintended direct update request. If the user proceeds with the direct update, the application is no longer able to connect to the MobileFirst Server.

Parent topic: Develop hybrid and web applications