Any real time communication solutions for Enterprise Store App?

Question

We create an app for an Enterprise network using Javascript, so far so good. But now we got an very critical requirement says that the app can receive notifications from a remote server at any time, no matter suppended or not.

I search the MSDN docs and find too possible solutions: ControlChannelTrigger and WNS.

WNS needs internet access which is impossible for a enterprise envrionment, and ControlChannelTrigger makes me a little confused too.

Based on my understanding, I can create a background-task and use that Trigger to do real-time communication using C# along with my Main app written using Javascript. Then I can deploy them as a whole part, am I right?

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Answer 1

Hi FengChen,

Yes, you have it right. A ControlChannelTrigger is probably what you want here. Your Control Channel background task will require a C# component, but the foreground task can still be JavaScript and they will be deployed in the same package. While your foreground app is suspended a background task can keep a connection open to your server to receive notifications. This will allow you to implement your own push notification system.

Take a look at the Introduction to Background Tasks and Background Networking whitepapers. There are several samples demonstrating using a ControlChannelTrigger with various networking types.

As you say, WNS won't work in your environment. WNS requires that the app be published in the store, not just side-loaded.

--Rob

Answer 2

Thanks for your detailed and timely answer. I'll try it out ASAP.

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