Content

Overview
 

IBM Maximo Mobile introduces a modern shell-based architecture that allows organizations to update mobile applications without needing to recompile or republish them in public or internal app stores. This architecture enhances flexibility by enabling seamless updates, minimizing disruptions for users, and providing a more agile and reliable mobile experience. By separating the mobile application’s core functionality from the shell, Maximo Mobile ensures full control for Maximo administrators over the end-user functionalities delivered by the product, with any changes not requiring republishing of the shell.

Key Features of the App

The shell is the Maximo Mobile App across various environments (iOS, Android, and Windows), but it does not carry any functionality beyond downloading and executing functional modules, also known as Graphite applications, from the server. This design utilizes web technologies to provide a unified experience across different operating systems. The Graphite applications, developed using the Maximo Application Framework (MAF), are stored on the server. Users can seamlessly access these applications, even when updates to the shell are released, as the shell ensures that the same execution environment is always provided for the applications to run smoothly.

When users first connect to the Maximo server, the shell downloads the necessary Graphite applications. It checks for updates and automatically downloads new versions of these Graphite applications when available, ensuring that the latest functionalities are always delivered without requiring manual updates or republishing the app to public or internal app stores.

Maximo Application Framework and Maximo Mobile Graphite Applications

The Graphite Applications in Maximo Mobile are developed using MAF. This framework allows developers to build responsive applications using declarative XML files and minimal JavaScript. These XML files are transformed into ReactJS applications that interact with Maximo components.

The configuration of these applications is managed through the Maximo Application Framework Configuration Application, which takes a Graphite application and allows it to be configured or modified as needed. The process for configuring and deploying the Graphite applications involves downloading configuration images, making the necessary modifications, and publishing the Graphite Applications to ensure they are updated on Maximo’s server. For further details on modifying applications, refer to the official documentation.

Graphite applications and Database Storage

These Graphite Applications, developed using MAF, are stored as zip files in the MAFAPPDATA database table, within a BLOB column. The shell downloads these Graphite Applications when users first connect to the Maximo server during the onboarding process. It then updates the files into the shell whenever a new version of the Graphite Application is available in Maximo. However, not all Graphite Applications are available to every user—only those the user is authorized to access. This allows Maximo administrators to manage updates and user permissions efficiently, ensuring that only authorized users receive specific Graphite Applications and whenever Maximo administrators decide to publish in Maximo the updated Graphite Applications.

The server-side management of the Graphite Applications provides full control over when updates are deployed to users, ensuring that changes are properly tested and managed before being made live, without needing to resubmit the app to public or internal app stores or reinstallations on end-user devices.

Server Control and Seamless Updates

Storing the Graphite Applications in the Maximo database gives organizations full control over updates. Maximo administrators can decide when updates should be available to users, ensuring proper testing and validation to minimize disruptions and maintain workflow continuity.

Because the Graphite Applications are independent from the shell, IBM can release updates to the shell through public app stores without affecting the functionality of the Graphite Applications themselves. Users can continue working without forced updates or interruptions, as the shell will automatically update the Graphite Applications when a new version becomes available in Maximo.

User Experience and Update Management
 

The shell and the Graphite Applications downloaded from the server are decoupled. IBM ensures backward compatibility of the runtime environment that the shell provides to the Graphite Applications, allowing for seamless updates. This approach ensures that Graphite Applications continue to operate smoothly, even when updates to the shell are released, without requiring manual intervention by the users or administrators.

Conclusion
 

IBM Maximo Mobile’s architecture, featuring applications delivered through its shell and stored in the Maximo database, gives organizations full control over updates while maintaining a reliable user experience. Storing Graphite Applications developed using MAF, as zip files in the MAFAPPDATA table’s BLOB column, allows updates to be managed without disrupting workflows. The shell's ability to download and update Graphite Applications automatically ensures that users always have the latest functionality without needing to manually update the app on end-user devices or republish the app to public or internal app stores. The backward compatibility of the shell ensures that updates delivered through app stores do not impact the core functionality of the mobile application.