About application deployment

Application deployment is the process of packaging an application or applet you have developed and distributing it to your users. The deployment process for Mongoose-based applications involves these basic steps:

  1. Convert the metadata objects associated with the application or applet into script files.
  2. Place the script files in a distributable package.
  3. Copy the package to the server where the application or applet is to be deployed.
  4. Unpack the script files to the appropriate location.

Cloud deployment versus on-premise deployment

Most Mongoose-based applications are designed for one of two types of deployment:

  • Cloud apps, which are accessed primarily by means of a web browser
  • On-premises apps, which operate on computers in the user's location

Cloud apps have certain restrictions that on-premises apps do not. For instance, on-premises apps can offer direct access to the databases used in a Mongoose-based application and can allow developers to run SQL scripts. Cloud apps offer neither of these capabilities.

Two tools to do the job

Mongoose provides two tools to assist with the application deployment process:

  • The Mongoose Deployment Scripting Utility (MDSU) - This is a stand-alone utility that is used to create and package scripts for apps to be deployed either in an on-premises environment or in the cloud.

    The MDSU has options to create scripts in SQL format, and has an extensive variety of other options you can use to select and create only those scripts you want to deploy.

    The MDSU, however, has no options to actually deploy the app package once it has been created. App deployment of the zip package is done using the same tools and processes as for a regular update or upgrade.

  • The Deployment form within Mongoose itself - This form is designed primarily to create and package scripts for apps intended to run in the cloud. Because cloud apps and other apps cannot make use of SQL scripts, this form produces scripts only in XML format.

    This form is also used to deploy the XML package in the target environment.

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