Upcoming changes to VertiGIS Studio Mobile app build service

Upcoming changes to VertiGIS Studio Mobile app build service

VertiGIS Studio Mobile apps can be run in two different ways [docs].

1. Using VertiGIS Studio Go.
2. Running a custom built app you have created.

Custom built VSM apps are built by using the Designer interface to submit a VSM app and additional information to a build service that creates an app for iOS/Android/Windows [docs].

Currently:

1. When you are using Mobile Designer in the VertiGIS Studio SaaS environment a corresponding SaaS build service does this work for you.
2. When you are using Mobile Designer on-premises a Docker container with a packaged version of the build service does this work for you.

What is changing?
At the release of Mobile 5.23 all requests to build a custom Mobile app will be directed to the SaaS build service whether your Mobile Designer is running in our SaaS environment or your own on-premises environment.

Why is it changing?
First, the Docker container pattern has been difficult for many customers. The requirements from Windows server to have CPU virtualization turned on to support Docker makes it difficult to use virtual machines. Customers have reported that the Docker container doesn’t always auto-start as Windows advertises it should. Storage and memory requirements are non-trivial. There are indications from Microsoft that future versions of Windows may no longer support the Linux Docker flavor the build service uses.

Second, and more importantly, the ecosystems for iOS, Android, and Windows are changing all the time and may require nimble action by VertiGIS best accomplished via a single SaaS service. For example, while we are currently using a Linux based approach to building and signing the iOS custom built Mobile app, future changes by Apple may require an OSX environment to accomplish. With all build requests going to a single location, if we need to re-structure the build service so that iOS requests are going to an OSX environment, we can do so without any impact to customers.

Who should I contact with questions?
Contact Cam Barnard, Product Director for VertiGIS Studio
cam.barnard@vertigis.com
Subject: Upcoming changes to VertiGIS Studio Mobile app build service