Resource Packaging

Each application allows organization and export of pre-configured resources and server configuration in the following forms:

• As a Iotellect Server plugin. This plugin can be deployed on target Iotellect servers, added to a module and solution store. This export mode can be figuratively called “export as a distribution bundle”.

• As a disk folder with Application configuration and resource templates. This folder is suitable for further operations with a Version Control System, such as Subversion or Git. This export mode can be figuratively called “export as source code”.

The processes for exporting resources as a plugin or an on-disk folder using the Application context are similar.

• Develop and test Iotellect resources which comprise the Application. A web portal Application, for example, would typically have one or more Dashboards and any contexts needed for data input/output for the portal.

• Create an Application context with an appropriate name and description.

• Configure the Application, and add all Resources which should be included in the package.

• Use the pack action to create Iotellect Server plugin. When the Application is packaged, a window with a download option will open. The resulting file can be downloaded or added to a local store.

• Use the export action to save application configuration and resources (“low code sources”) to the folder specified in the Application configurations.

Applications packaged as a plugin can be distributed as a file or through a plugin store. In either case, once the plugin has been installed and the Iotellect server restarted, an Application context will automatically be created from the plugin. If a Default Application Owner has been defined in the application Global Configurations, the Application will be created with them as the owner. Otherwise, the current user will be the Application owner.

Once an Application is exported to a system folder, a version control system is commonly used to make changes available to other Iotellect instances. One workflow using a VCS is to have a development machine commit changes to the Application folder, while the Iotellect instances running the Application in production can pull the changes from the repository.

• The importing instance of Iotellect saves an Application export to a folder accessible by the server.

• Run the Import action of the Applications context and specifies the folder path in the Application Folder Path.

Calling the Deploy action of the Applications context creates its associated resources in the Iotellect instance if they do not already exist, and updates existing resources associated with the Application.

If the parameter Remove Orphans is selected, the Deploy action will remove resources which are no longer associated with the current version of the Application. Otherwise, resources from previous versions of the Application will not be deleted.

A deployment with no errors will result in the Application being set to the Deployed state. If any errors arise while creating resources or removing orphans, the Application will be put in the Deployed with Errors state.

Calling the Roll Back action of the Applications context removes all resources associated with the application and returns the Application to the Installed state, essentially reversing the Deploy action.

Application contexts created from plugins, whether by file or through the application store, can only be removed after the plugin is disabled or removed from the Iotellect server. Applications imported from a system folder can be deleted at any time.

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