VMworld 2013: vSphere UI Platform Best Practices: Putting the Web Client SDK Into Action
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This document discusses best practices for developing extensions for the vSphere Web Client using the SDK. It provides an overview of the Web Client architecture and extensibility framework, including extension points, templates, filtering and packaging. The SDK 5.5 changes are covered, such as new features, compatibility and the roadmap for transitioning to an HTML5 platform. Demo code is presented and challenges encountered by plugin developers are discussed.
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SDK 5.5 Changes (contâd)
ď§ Other important changes
⢠Better samples
⢠Virgo updated to 3.6
⢠Spring Framework libraries updated
⢠Java version 1.7 (compile with target 1.6)
⢠Flash Player version >= 11.5
⢠Web-ContextPath must use this format: vsphere-client/plugin-name
⢠See [SDK]/docs/release-notes.html for all details
ď§ Your plugin package must now include a 5.5.0 dependency
<pluginPackage id="com.acme.acme-plugin" version="1.0.0â
name=âAcme solutionâ vendor=âACME">
<dependencies>
<pluginPackage id="com.vmware.vsphere.client" version="5.5.0" />
</dependencies>
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VMworld 2013: vSphere UI Platform Best Practices: Putting the Web Client SDK Into Action
- 1. vSphere UI Platform Best Practices: Putting the Web Client SDK Into Action Max Daneri, VMware Laurent Delamare, VMware Nimish Sheth, VMware TEX4845
- 2. 2 Disclaimer ď§ This presentation may contain product features that are currently under development. ď§ This overview of new technology represents no commitment from VMware to deliver these features in any generally available product. ď§ Features are subject to change, and must not be included in contracts, purchase orders, or sales agreements of any kind. ď§ Technical feasibility and market demand will affect final delivery. ď§ Pricing and packaging for any new technologies or features discussed or presented have not been determined.
- 3. 3 Agenda ď§ Review of vSphere Web Client architecture and extensibility ď§ Plugin development experience from the field ď§ SDK 5.5 changes ď§ Roadmap
- 4. 4 vSphere Web Client (VWC) Architecture Overview VWC main characteristics for plugin developers ď§ Open platform with a true web architecture ď§ Extensibility at its core ⢠UI extensibility ⢠Data extensibility ď§ Easy to build a unified user experience ⢠Consistent look & feel ⢠Data mash-ups ď§ Rich SDK and developer tools
- 5. 5 vSphere Web Client Architecture Overview 3-Tier Architecture App Server Solution 1Solution N Backend for Solution AvCenter Server vCenter Server 1 Web Client (Flex) Mid-tier app server (Java) Access to vCenter and other backend services App Server App Server
- 6. 6 Leveraging the UI and Java Platforms vCenter 1.. N Back-end Server or Database VWC UI plugins 3rd party plugins ⢠Plugin Architecture ⢠MVC Framework ⢠Data Access API Web Client App Server (stateless) 3rd party services ⢠Data Manager ⢠Session Manager ⢠OSGI services Java remoting (BlazeDS) through secure AMF channel vSphere Web Service SDK Or any remote access to backend Direct access is possible but not as well integrated ⢠Extension points ⢠Java services proxy ⢠Dependency injection VWC services VWC platform VMware components UI Platform Java Platform Partner solutions Back-ends
- 7. 7 Data Extensibility & Client Commands VM UI Data Services VM Service myPlugin Adapter Host UI myPlugin UI VC Adapters Data Access Framework myPlugin Service vCenter 1.. N (inventory service) Back-end Server or Database Data Request Events Normalized queries Service calls VWC platform VMware components Partner solutions Dispatching Queries to back-ends Aggregated results Web Client App Server Java to back-ends Java Services Proxy No complex business logic in server plugins
- 8. 8 Extensibility Framework Design Goals ď§ Promote extensibility by design rather than implementation ď§ Enable UI customization, consistency and easy navigation ď§ Keep optimal footprint ⢠Lazy loading of metadata, resources & code modules
- 9. 9 Extensibility Framework Key Concepts ď§ Extension Point ⢠Declaration of an extensible feature ď§ Extension ⢠Implements an extension point ď§ Plugin ⢠Bundle of metadata, code and resources ď§ Plugin package UI plugin bundle1 (.war) UI plugin bundle2 (.war) Java service bundle3 (.jar) Data adapter bundle4 (.jar) 3rd party library X (.jar) plugin-package manifest (.xml) my-packaged-solution (.zip)
- 10. 10 Packaging & Deployment Example of a plugin-package manifest <pluginPackage id="com.vmware.samples.viewspropertiesui" version="1.0.0" name="Views Sampleâ vendor="VMware" > <dependencies> <pluginPackage id="com.vmware.vsphere.client" version="5.5.0" /> </dependencies> <bundlesOrder> <bundle id="com.vmware.wsvim25" /> <bundle id="com.google.gson" /> <bundle id="com.vmware.samples.custompropertyprovider" /> <bundle id="com.vmware.samples.custompropertyui" /> <bundle id="com.vmware.samples.viewspropertiesui" /> <bundle id="com.vmware.samples.wssdkprovider" /> <bundle id="com.vmware.samples.wssdkui" /> </bundlesOrder> </pluginPackage>
- 11. 11 Packaging & Deployment How do you deliver your new plugin to users? 1. Create a plugin-package .zip 2. Provide a script to register the plugin as a vCenter extension, with a URL pointing to the plugin-package .zip location. 3. When a new user session starts, VWC finds your plugin and hot- deploys it to the app server if necessary. What about new versions? ď§ Only the latest version of the plugin is deployed. ď§ When a newer plugin version is registered the older one is un-deployed automatically.
- 12. 12 Extension Templates ď§ A collection of pre-defined extension points and extensions ď§ Out-of-the-box templates ⢠Instantiating an object workspace for new object types ⢠Instantiating a summary view <!-- Chassis object view template instance. Defines the object workspace (right hand side) for the Chassis object. --> <templateInstance id="com.vmware.samples.chassis.viewTemplateInstance"> <templateId>vsphere.core.inventory.objectViewTemplate</templateId> <variable name="namespace" value="com.vmware.samples.chassis"/> <variable name="objectType" value="Chassis"/> </templateInstance>
- 13. 13 Extension Templates â Custom object workspace
- 14. 14 Extension Filtering ď§ Allows filtering based on runtime conditions ď§ 3 filters ⢠Object type ⢠Typically used for actions ⢠e.g. Show the extension only if the selected object is a VirtualMachine ⢠Object properties ⢠e.g. Show the extension only if the VM is FT enabled ⢠Privileges ⢠e.g. Show the extension only if the user has a specific privilege
- 15. 15 Extension Filtering â Type Filter <extension id="vsphere.core.vm.faultToleranceTurnOnActionSet"> <extendedPoint>vise.actions.sets</extendedPoint> <object> ⌠</object> <metadata> <objectType>VirtualMachine</objectType> </metadata> </extension> Example of an action appearing only for VirtualMachine objects:
- 16. 16 Extension Filtering â Privilege Filter <extension id="vsphere.core.vm.ftView"> <extendedPoint>vsphere.core.vm.summarySectionViews</extendedPoint> <object> ⌠</object> <metadata> <privilege>VirtualMachine.Interact.CreateSecondary</privilege> </metadata> </extension> Example of a portlet extension for users who have a specific privilege:
- 17. 17 Extension Filtering â Object Property Filter <extension id="vsphere.core.vm.ftView"> <extendedPoint>vsphere.core.vm.summarySectionViews</extendedPoint> <object>âŚ</object> <metadata> <privilege>VirtualMachine.Interact.CreateSecondary</privilege> <propertyConditions> <com.vmware.vsphere.client.filters.PropertyConditionsInfo> <conditions> <com.vmware.vsphere.client.filters.ComparisonInfo> <propertyName>runtime.faultToleranceState</propertyName> <comparisonOperator>EQUALS</comparisonOperator> <propertyValue>enabled</propertyValue> </com.vmware.vsphere.client.filters.ComparisonInfo> </conditions> <conjoiner>AND</conjoiner> </com.vmware.vsphere.client.filters.PropertyConditionsInfo> </propertyConditions> </metadata> </extension> Portlet extension restricted to VMs with a specific property enabled:
- 18. 18 Agenda ď§ Review of vSphere Web Client architecture and extensibility ď§ Plugin development experience from the field ď§ SDK 5.5 changes ď§ Roadmap
- 19. 19 Demo ď§ A real life plugin, which displays special VM guestOS information which is not normally visible in the vSphere Client
- 20. 20 My Challenges ď§ vSphere Web Client extensions works in a different manner compared to .NET client ď§ vSphere Web Service SDK is used in a different way ⢠No need for WaitOptions, RetrieveServiceContent and login ď§ (.NET lovers) .NET UI extensions are not possible, but a plugin can call an external .NET web service
- 21. 21 What I Learned from My Mistake ď§ Start simple â donât try to start creating complex and fantastic code, start simple, your self-esteem will thank you ď§ Donât reinvent the wheel â everything needed to manage a vSphere infrastructure is here, no need to develop strange server component ď§ Read the documentation â example codes are very important but sometime reading the doc is a must!
- 22. 22 Agenda ď§ Review of vSphere Web Client architecture and extensibility ď§ Plugin development experience from the field ď§ SDK 5.5 changes ď§ Roadmap
- 23. 23 Compatibility Story ď§ Ground rules: ⢠vSphere Web Client works with the previous vCenter release ⢠Plugins are supported for at least one more VWC release Compatibility w/ vCenter 5.0 vCenter 5.1 vCenter 5.5 VWC 5.1 OK OK No VWC 5.5 No OK OK Compatibility w/ VWC 5.1 VWC 5.5 Plugin + SDK 5.1 OK OK Plugin + SDK 5.5 No (1) OK (1) Cannot use 5.5 features in a plugin targeting VWC 5.1, otherwise it is OK.
- 24. 24 SDK 5.5 Changes ď§ New features ⢠Solution menus ⢠A better way to build solution-specific menus ⢠Action prioritization ⢠2 new extension points to order or promote actions ⢠Finally possible to put a global action in the list toolbar ⢠AdvancedMouseEvent ⢠Listen to right-click events in your own widgets ⢠DisposeManager improvements and new extension point ⢠You can decide under which namespace your Flex objects will be GCâd ⢠Dialogs and Wizards ⢠Wizard data can be saved during the user session or across sessions ⢠But support limited to 5.5 for now because of upcoming platform changes
- 25. 25 SDK 5.5 Changes (contâd) ď§ Other important changes ⢠Better samples ⢠Virgo updated to 3.6 ⢠Spring Framework libraries updated ⢠Java version 1.7 (compile with target 1.6) ⢠Flash Player version >= 11.5 ⢠Web-ContextPath must use this format: vsphere-client/plugin-name ⢠See [SDK]/docs/release-notes.html for all details ď§ Your plugin package must now include a 5.5.0 dependency <pluginPackage id="com.acme.acme-plugin" version="1.0.0â name=âAcme solutionâ vendor=âACME"> <dependencies> <pluginPackage id="com.vmware.vsphere.client" version="5.5.0" /> </dependencies> ...
- 26. 26 Agenda ď§ Review of vSphere Web Client architecture and extensibility ď§ Plugin development experience from the field ď§ SDK 5.5 changes ď§ Roadmap
- 27. 27 SDK Roadmap ď§ Weâre moving away from Flex as UI technology ď§ Our future HTML 5 platform will preserve your investments ď§ The Java tier doesnât change ď§ You will be able to take several paths during this transition ⢠Keep using Flex UIs in the short term ⢠Mix Flex UIs with HTML ⢠Use only HTML/Javascript ⢠Stick with C# client Script plugins
- 28. 28 SDK Roadmap (contâd) ď§ Flex UI plugins ⢠For the short term this is still the best way to integrate your UI with VWC ⢠The entire vSphere UI suite is using this! ⢠Will be supported by HTML 5 platform ⢠Except deprecated APIs ⢠Columns extensions and portlets have limitations ď§ Use cases ⢠Continuing existing investment ⢠Starting a simple plugin ⢠Building a UI plugin for vSphere 5.1 and 5.5 ď§ Tips ⢠Reducing your UI code will make the transition easier ⢠For complex UIs consider mixing some HTML views
- 29. 29 SDK Roadmap (contâd) ď§ C# client script plugins ⢠Can use HTML/Javascript ⢠Limited integration with the Web Client ⢠Fewer extension points, views displayed in separate tab Classis Solutions ⢠Security warning because of HTTPS link to external server ⢠Missing APIs (no callback into Flex) ⢠No Java service layer ⢠Will be supported in HTML 5 platform with some exceptions ď§ Use case ⢠Re-using or enhancing an existing script plugin ⢠Writing a new plugin that must also work in the C# client ď§ Tips ⢠All new development should focus on true Web Client plugin, with a Java service layer, and a UI either in Flex or HTML
- 30. 30 SDK Roadmap (contâd) ď§ New HTML/Javascript plugin support ⢠Coming with the existing VWC 5.5 platform! ⢠Full SDK support, all extensions are supported ď ⢠Easiest transition to future HTML 5 platform ⢠Use the HTML widgets and Javascript libraries of your choice ⢠Add or re-use Java services in the mid-tier ⢠Possible to mix Flex and HTML ď§ Beta-release coming soon
- 31. 31 HTML Bridge Overview vCenter 1.. N Back-end Server or Database Web Client App Server ⢠Data Manager secure AMF channel vSphere Web Service SDK UI Flex Platform Java Platform PartnersBack-ends VWC platform VMware Any remote access API Html views invoked by bridge. Javascript callbacks available for some Flex APIs REST apis to get/post data with java controllers Integration at the data level is independent of the UI rendering technology VWC UI plugins 3rd party Flex plugins HTML plugins HTML Bridge⢠Data Access API ⢠Extension points VWC adapters 3rd party controllers 3rd party data adapters 3rd party services Controllers get data through Data Manager, or call services to access back-end Solution can mix Flex & Html HTTPS Ajax
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- 35. THANK YOU
- 37. vSphere UI Platform Best Practices: Putting the Web Client SDK Into Action Max Daneri, VMware Laurent Delamare, VMware Nimish Sheth, VMware TEX4845