Problem Statement:
azad’s client, a developer of network broadband devices, also develops software to manage and maintain these devices within a distributed environment. While remote device management is facilitated through the client’s complementary software, customers have requested that the application also provide the ability to aggregate and retain errors generated by all devices deployed within an infrastructure. Sensing an opportunity to move beyond its historical thick client approach, the client asked azad to architect and lead the development of a Web application to surface consolidated device errors and messages within a Web browser for the purpose of reporting and analysis.
azad Approach & Solution:
Requirements for the client’s application included:
- Error data must be retrieved from deployed devices “live”, then archived to a relational database after a configurable length of time.
- Application functionality must be governed by policies, with user roles originating from an existing database.
- Where practical and possible, the Web application should mirror thick client “look and feel”, accommodating an existing user base.
- Alarms, alerting users to significant device errors and events, must be configurable from within the user interface.
- The Web application must be developed using Google’s Web Toolkit (GWT) and leverage Isomorphic’s SmartGWT widget library.
In addition, the client requested that azad employ agile development methodologies, and mentor client staff on related practices. Open source tools and frameworks – including; Spring, Spring Security, Google Web Toolkit and Eclipse – play prominent roles in the application and its development.
Tangible Outcome:
This application remains under development. However, for the attention given to industry best practices and widely-understood architectural patterns, the application is proving to be an example to which other development efforts at azad’s client refer.