Introduction to BlackBerry Push API

1
Introduction to BlackBerry Push API

• Pratik Sapra,
• Mobile Application Development Specialist

2
Introduction To BlackBerry Push API

• Overview
• Architecture
• Security
• Requesting Access

3
Overview BlackBerry Push API

• Provides a transport infrastructure for Server to
  Device pushed data
• Primary focus on consumer applications
• Alerts
• Replace polling to improve performance reduce
  costs
• Poke-Pull model
• Event driven systems
• Near real-time notifications
• Can be used for enterprise deployments
• Cross company applications
• Enterprises without a BlackBerry Enterprise
  Server

4
Overview Benefits

• Provides information immediately
• Optimizes network efficiency
• Preserves the battery life
• Reduces complexity for developers
• Improves developer margins

5
Architecture

• Pushes are initiated on the Server
• Server side application is required
• Server to Server interface for the Push Initiator
• BlackBerry Infrastructure is the middleware
• Sends data to a specified port on the Device
• Client side Java application required to receive
  the push
• Uses PAP 2.2 Standard push protocols
• OMA-WAP-TS-PAP-V2_2-20071002-C
• Requests are HTTP XML requests
• Supported requests
• Submit Push
• Cancel Push
• Query for Status
• Response
• Result notification

6
Architecture Components

• Three major components
• The server-side push service
• A client-side application
• BlackBerry Infrastructure

7
Architecture Push Request Workflow

1. Server sends PAP Push which contains a list of
   specified devices
2. BlackBerry Infrastructure sends response to
   Server and queues request
3. BlackBerry Infrastructure pushes data to
   specified devices

1. Each device sends ACK to BlackBerry
   Infrastructure
2. BlackBerry Infrastructure sends notification to
   Server
3. Server sends Read notification to BlackBerry
   Infrastructure

1
Push Request
3
Response
Push
2
Mobile Client
Push Initiator
BlackBerry Infrastructure
4
5
Acknowledgement
Result Notification
Response
6
8
Security

• BlackBerry Infrastructure Authentication
• Push Initiator is authenticated to the BlackBerry
  Infrastructure
• Push Initiator can only push to its mobile
  application
• 11 relationship between Push Initiator and
  mobile application
• Push Initiator can only push to devices
  registered for their application
• Each push request is authenticated to BlackBerry
  Infrastructure
• Unique listening port for each application
• BlackBerry Infrastructure does not encrypt data
• Expects that payload data will already be
  encrypted by Push Initiator
• Content Provider Authentication
• Mobile application should be authenticated to the
  Push Initiator

9
Requesting Access

• Register at www.blackberry.com/pushapi
• Sample code provided on registration approval
• Content Provider tests the push service
• Given access to the evaluation infrastructure
• Research In Motion validates the Content
  Providers client and server-side applications
• Ensuring development guidelines are met
• Service is moved into production
• Once all requirements are met
• Only available to ISV Alliance Partners
• To become an ISV Alliance partner visit
  www.blackberry.com/allianceapplication
• Contact for service costs