Application gateway architecture with multi-level security policy and rule promulgations
Embodiments of an application gateway architecture may include an application gateway server computer communicatively connected to backend systems and client devices operating on different platforms. The application gateway server computer may include application programming interfaces and services configured for communicating with the backend systems and managed containers operating on the client devices. The application gateway server computer may provide applications that can be centrally managed and may extend the capabilities of the client devices, including the ability to authenticate across backend systems. A managed container may include a managed cache and may provide a secure shell for applications received from the application gateway server computer. The managed container may store the applications in the managed cache and control access to the managed cache according to rules propagated from at least one of the backend systems via the application gateway server computer.
1. A method, comprising:
providing, by an application gateway server computer communicatively connected to backend systems operating in an enterprise computing environment, an application administration interface on a user device, the application administration interface having:
user interface elements representing disparate applications; and
a deployment menu for each of the disparate applications, the deployment menu having associated actions, wherein the associated actions comprise an action to deploy an application to a user device, the application associated with a backend system of the backend systems, wherein the associated actions further comprise at least one of:
an action to configure the application;
an action to obtain information on the application;
an action to delete the application;
an action to edit the application;
an action to change a permission for the application; or
an action to set the permission for the application;
responsive to the action to deploy the application to the user device, obtaining, by the application gateway server computer, the application from an application repository, wherein the application gateway server computer and the application repository are part of a first content management layer between a second content management layer where the managed container operates and a third content management layer where the backend systems operate; and
sending, by the application gateway server computer, the application directly to a managed container on the user device, the managed container having a managed cache being controlled independently of an operating system running on the client device, wherein any application running on the user device outside of the managed container is unable to access data stored in the managed cache, wherein the managed container stores the application in the managed cache in the managed container and controls, in accordance with a set of rules regardless of whether the user device has network connectivity:
the application in the managed cache; and
any data associated with the application in the managed cache.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, through the application administration interface, an instruction to deploy the application to a plurality of user devices associated with a group of users; and
sending the application directly to managed containers on the plurality of user devices.
3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
broadcasting, to the user device, a rule or an update to the rule from the backend system.
4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
propagating the set of rules from the backend system, through the application gateway server computer and the user device, to the managed container on the user device.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the managed container comprises a user interface for providing user experience with the managed container and a hardware interface for interfacing with hardware components of the user device.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the deployment menu comprises a menu item for designating an application as mandatory, selective, or optional.
7. A application gateway server computer system, comprising:
a processor;
a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and
instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium and translatable by the processor for:
providing an application administration interface on a user device, the application administration interface having:
user interface elements representing disparate applications; and
a deployment menu for each of the disparate applications, the deployment menu having associated actions, wherein the associated actions comprise an action to deploy an application to a user device, the application associated with a backend system of the backend systems, wherein the associated actions further comprise at least one of:
an action to configure the application;
an action to obtain information on the application;
an action to delete the application;
an action to edit the application;
an action to change a permission for the application; or
an action to set the permission for the application;
responsive to the action to deploy the application to the user device, obtaining the application from an application repository, wherein the application gateway server computer system and the application repository are part of a first content management layer between a second content management layer where the managed container operates and a third content management layer where the backend system operates; and
sending the application directly to a managed container on the user device, the managed container having a managed cache being controlled independently of an operating system running on the client device, wherein any application running on the user device outside of the managed container is unable to access data stored in the managed cache, wherein the managed container stores the application in the managed cache in the managed container and controls, in accordance with a set of rules regardless of whether the user device has network connectivity:
the application in the managed cache; and
any data associated with the application in the managed cache.
8. The application gateway server computer system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the processor for:
receiving, through the application administration interface, an instruction to deploy the application to a plurality of user devices associated with a group of users; and
sending the application directly to managed containers on the plurality of user devices.
9. The application gateway server computer system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the processor for:
broadcasting, to the user device, a rule or an update to the rule from the backend system.
10. The application gateway server computer system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the processor for:
propagating the set of rules from the backend system, through the application gateway server computer and the user device, to the managed container on the user device.
11. The application gateway server computer system of claim 7 , wherein the managed container comprises a user interface for providing user experience with the managed container and a hardware interface for interfacing with hardware components of the user device.
12. The application gateway server computer system of claim 7 , wherein the deployment menu comprises a menu item for designating an application as mandatory, selective, or optional.
13. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions translatable by an application gateway server computer for:
providing an application administration interface on a user device, the application administration interface having:
user interface elements representing disparate applications; and
a deployment menu for each of the disparate applications, the deployment menu having associated actions, wherein the associated actions comprise an action to deploy an application to a user device, the application associated with a backend system of the backend systems, wherein the associated actions further comprise at least one of:
an action to configure the application;
an action to obtain information on the application;
an action to delete the application;
an action to edit the application;
an action to change a permission for the application; or
an action to set the permission for the application;
responsive to the action to deploy the application to the user device, obtaining the application from an application repository, wherein the application gateway server computer and the application repository are part of a first content management layer between a second content management layer where the managed container operates and a third content management layer where the backend system operates; and
sending the application directly to a managed container on the user device, the managed container having a managed cache being controlled independently of an operating system running on the client device, wherein any application running on the user device outside of the managed container is unable to access data stored in the managed cache, wherein the managed container stores the application in the managed cache in the managed container and controls, in accordance with a set of rules regardless of whether the user device has network connectivity:
the application in the managed cache; and
any data associated with the application in the managed cache.
14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the application gateway server computer for:
receiving, through the application administration interface, an instruction to deploy the application to a plurality of user devices associated with a group of users; and
sending the application directly to managed containers on the plurality of user devices.
15. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the application gateway server computer for:
broadcasting, to the user device, a rule or an update to the rule from the backend system.
16. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the instructions are further translatable by the application gateway server computer for:
propagating the set of rules from the backend system, through the application gateway server computer and the user device, to the managed container on the user device.
17. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the deployment menu comprises a menu item for designating an application as mandatory, selective, or optional.