Build mobile apps in Xamarin and leverage Mobile backend services on Bluemix or on prem using IBM MobileFirst foundation. MBaas is available as Mobile Foundation service on Bluemix

1. © 2015 IBM Corporation1
Connecting Xamarin Apps with
IBM Mobile Foundation (a.k.a MobileFirst, Worklight)
+
@ajaychebbi - Sr. Architect, product development
IBM Mobile Platform

2. © 2016 IBM Corporation 2Foundation @ajaychebbi
Development
Engagement
Security
Operations
Development
Engagement
Security
Operations
App developers are not able to focus on apps
Developer time spent Value is in the mobile app

3. © 2015 IBM Corporation3
The IBM MobileFirst SDK for Xamarin
Xamarin Studio
Integrated
Services
Create rich native applications in C# in Xamarin Studio
leveraging enterprise grade app services that speed
development and enhance app capabilities and
performance.
Security
Authentication
Integration
Notifications
App Management
Analytics
Offline Storage
IBM Mobile Foundation
On-prem or on Bluemix Cloud

4. © 2015 IBM Corporation4
Adding the IBM Mobile Foundation SDK Component

5. © 2015 IBM Corporation5
C# API documentation – available in the Component

6. © 2015 IBM Corporation6

7. © 2015 IBM Corporation7

8. © 2015 IBM Corporation8
What do Xamarin developers get?

9. © 2016 IBM Corporation 9Foundation @ajaychebbi
Simple, scalable and proven enterprise mobile middleware deployable on-
premises and on Cloud
MobileFirst Foundation
to protect from mobile-
specific threats
Mobile Analytics
App Lifecycle
Management
Backend Logic
Engine
Push &
Offline Sync
Comprehensive
Security
to better understand
your users
to reduce time and
costs of operations
and incremental
updates
to add server-side
logic to your app
essential backend
services that every
app needs
http://bit.ly/MFPAddSDK

10. © 2015 IBM Corporation10
Enterprise Integration
Worklight server provides a single secure point of integration into the Enterprise that speeds
integration and enables management of mobile solutions
APIM,
Datapower,
CastIron
StrongLoop
Integration hub
HTTP(S)
Database, WebService, REST, JMS
MQ, File,FTP,SAP,Siebel etc
:
JDBC
Web Service
JMSJSON
Enterprise
Applications
IBM Mobile
Foundation
SDK
Deployed on prem, or Bluemix
PUSH
NOTIFICATIONS
AUTHENTICATION
BUSINESSLOGIC
OFFLINESYNC
MobileFirst
Platform
Foundation
MANAGEMENT
ANALYTICS
SECURITY

11. © 2016 IBM Corporation 11Foundation @ajaychebbi
Bluemix
Mobile Foundation
Secure Gateway
Deployment pattern on Bluemix Several services available on Bluemix to build
your Backend logic
Optionally connect to your On-prem datacentre

12. © 2015 IBM Corporation12
IBM Bluemix
A rich set of mobile ready APIs that you can mix and match to power your App
Run Code
The developer can chose from multiple language runtimes or bring
their own. Just upload your code and go. Asp.net available.
Store Data (SQL or NoSQL)
The developer can store data in the cloud as a service easily without
needing to administer the databases.
Cloud Integration
Build hybrid environments. Connect to on-premises systems of record
plus other public and private clouds. Expose your own APIs to your
developers.
Cognitive
Wide array of Watson services to build bots etc.

13. © 2015 IBM Corporation13
Device Single Sign-On (SSO)
• Enables a mobile user to authenticate once and gain access to all apps from the same
organization (technically, with the same developer certificate) without re-authenticating.
• Integration with DataPower, ISAM, and other gateways
App 1
secureMobileOSkey
store
IBM MFP
Server
App 2
ID
Session x
Session y
Duplicate
after
receiving
ID from
App 2
Implementation
Implemented using combination of
server-side capabilities (realms) and
unique device identification (device
ID)
On successful login the
authentication state is saved in the
database and used for validations in
subsequent sessions from the same
device.

14. © 2016 IBM Corporation 14Foundation @ajaychebbi
Protection of corporate APIs from hackers and
vulnerabilities
- App fingerprinting to prevent access to
your APIs from malicious apps
- Remote app disable and version
enforcement to protect users from security
vulnerabilities
- Use device whitelisting and blacklisting to
control the users and devices that access
your app
API
Comprehensive
Security

15. © 2015 IBM Corporation15
Disable or Notify the end user from admin console

16. © 2016 IBM Corporation 16Foundation @ajaychebbi
Device specific Authentication
Watch
Phone public class PinCodeAttempts extends CredentialsValidationSecurityCheck {
....
@Override
protected boolean validateCredentials(Map<String, Object> credentials) {
...
credentials.containsKey(PINCODE) || credentials.containsKey(PASSWORD))){
...
if(deviceType.equals(WATCH)){
if(pinCode.equals(getConfiguration().pinCode)){
errorMsg = null;
return true;
...
public class PinCodeChallengeHandler extends SecurityCheckChallengeHandler {
....
public PinCodeChallengeHandler(String securityCheck) {
...
JSONObject ans = new JSONObject();
ans.put("pin", intent.getStringExtra("pinCodeTxt"));
ans.put("deviceType", "WATCH");
submitChallengeAnswer(ans);
...
Security Adap
Watch

17. © 2015 IBM Corporation17
Application Security
Security
Application Security
Protecting data on the device
Authentication
integration
framework
Data protection
realms
Using device id
as 2nd factor
SSL with server
identity
verification
Proven platform
security
App authenticity
testing
Compatible with
Jailbreak /malware
detection
Secure challenge-
response on
startup
Encrypted offline
cache
Enforcing Security Updates
Remote disable
 Security for enterprise application is the biggest concern of CTO’s
 Rich Worklight security features can now be used

18. © 2016 IBM Corporation 18Foundation @ajaychebbi
Controlled backend integration
From multiple point-to-point integrations
• Multiple sets of integrations to enterprise resources to
build and maintain
• YOU manage caching, synchronization and end-to-
end encryption
To streamlined, transparent access
• Transform enterprise data into mobile-friendly JSON
• MFP Server manages caching, data
synchronization and end-to-end encryption
ERP
Engine
App DB Cloud
Service
WindowsAndroidApple
1
8
ERP
Engine
App DB
HTTP (REST, SOAP), JMS
SQL SAP
HTTP, CAST IRON
JSON
MFP
Cloud
Service
WindowsAndroidApple

19. © 2015 IBM Corporation19
MobileFirst Unified Push Notifications
From the complexity of many…
Multiple sets of push services to manage
To the simplicity of one…
Unified push management
Android
GCM
Apple
APNS
Apple
APNS
Android
GCM
APNS: Apple Push Notification Service
GCM: Google Cloud Messaging
WNS: Windows Notification Service
Windows
WNS
Windows
WNS
MFP Unified Push Framework

20. © 2015 IBM Corporation20
Unified Client and Server Analytics
 Out-of-the-box analytics address the following:
• User adoption, device and app properties
• User actions and called adapter procedures
• Performance and data usage information
• Exceptions, crashes, logs, response time
 Analytics component provided in a WAR for simple install and administration

21. © 2015 IBM Corporation21
Remote-controlled client-side log collection
• IBM MFP provides Native and JavaScript API for client-side logging
• Administrator defines log collection profiles on the server which are automatically retrieved by the
Worklight client-side runtime
• By default sent on init, resume, and 75% full – can be customized
• Administrator can perform analysis and text search of client-side
logs via server-side analytics console

22. © 2015 IBM Corporation22
Resources
MobileFirst Getting Started (documentation, CLI reference, sample adapters, etc…)
https://developer.ibm.com/mobilefirstplatform/documentation/getting-started/
Mobile First on Bluemix
https://console.ng.bluemix.net/catalog/services/mobile-foundation/
MobileFirst Support
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/mobilefirst
Meet us at
http://www.meetup.com/BlueCoders/

23. © 2015 IBM Corporation23
Thank You
ajay.chebbi@in.ibm.com
https://developer.ibm.com/mobilefirstplatform/
https://xamarin.com/ibm
Building a Xamarin Forms+MobileFirst app
http://ibm.co/1RN4hUg
Building Xamarin+MobileFirst app
https://dzone.com/articles/integrating-xamarin-apps-with-ibm-mobilefirst-plat
Tutorials
https://mobilefirstplatform.ibmcloud.com/tutorials/en/foundation/8.0/xamarin-
tutorials/
Sample Source on Github:
https://github.com/ajaychebbi/mobilefirst-samples/tree/master/xamarin/MFPNewsReader

24. © 2015 IBM Corporation24
Backup

25. © 2015 IBM Corporation25
Worklight Server: Adapters
Worklight Server
SQL / JDBC
ESB
SOAP / HTTP
JMS
CAST IRON
REST
Java
Extension
Node*
For the server developer
•JS anywhere: Simple APIs for server-side JavaScript development
•Extensibility: Java API for custom adapters
For the client developer
•Easy-to-use, consistent client-side API to call any back-end system
Enterprise back-ends and cloud
services

26. © 2015 IBM Corporation26
Seek community forum/support at Stack Overflow
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/mobilefirst