The exploration and construction process of Dewu App distribution platform

Preface

With the rapid development of the company and the expansion of the team, the efficient distribution of test packages has become a pain point. In order to solve this pain point, improve the overall iterative efficiency of the team, and implement the "efficiency" keyword of the technical department, we established the construction of the Dewu App distribution platform project. Below, I will lead you to understand the entire development process of the Dewu App distribution platform from the three aspects of the Dewu App distribution process, the design of the Dewu App distribution platform, and the diversified exploration of the Dewu App.

Dewu App Distribution Process

Introduction to mainstream test package distribution channels

Before introducing the distribution process of Dewu App, you need to understand the current mainstream test package distribution methods.

The current mainstream test package distribution platforms have the above four channels, and they have their own advantages and disadvantages. They can be divided into two types:
One type is the regular army: Testflight, which is a distribution method recommended by Apple. Each App has 10,000 places. After Apple has updated its distribution mechanism, it can be distributed to users through sharing links. Now many companies use it to make apps. Public beta. However, distribution through Testflight requires a process of uploading, binary conversion, and review, and the cycle of providing tests is too long.
The other type is self-researched by three parties. This type can distribute test packages relatively quickly, but there is a limit to the amount of installation, and it is more dependent on the developer certificate.
For enterprises, there are two types of certificates: personal certificates and enterprise certificates.

Personal Certificate year, you can go online in Appstore, and you can also distribute test packages for 100 mobile devices.
Enterprise Certificate year. Appstore cannot be online, but it can be distributed within the enterprise. It can be considered that there is no equipment restriction.

The history of the Dewu App test package

After understanding the distribution channels of test packages in the market, let's review the distribution process of DEWOS App together.

Initial stage : Less than 100 people, a more comfortable stage, distribute test kits through dandelion.
Industrial Revolution : With the expansion of scale, the demand for installation of test packages has skyrocketed, and the quota of one hundred people for a developer certificate is no longer enough. At this stage, the certificate was added for synchronous distribution, and part of the iPad was purchased to alleviate the pain.
distribution platform : The multi-certificate and multi-App intelligent distribution phase truly solves the pain points of difficult installation and low efficiency.
diversified distribution : The diversified exploration stage, from the distribution of Testflight test packages, to the exploration of enterprise distribution and ABM distribution, to improve the diversity of the distribution platform.

Difficulties and pain points in distribution

By reviewing the history of Dewu App distribution, the following three key pain points can be summarized:

• Hundreds: In the absence of an enterprise, it is difficult to break through the 100-person limit for personal certificate distribution.
• Many: No self-study stage, poor experience in distributing multiple certificates, difficult to locate problems, and costly manpower to support multiple apps.
• One: In the self-research stage of the distribution platform, the difficulty of multi-certificate and multi-app integrated distribution is solved.

Dewu App Distribution Platform Design

After understanding the difficulties and pain points in the test package distribution process, we prepared a technical project for the App distribution platform to solve the problems of difficulty in test package installation, low efficiency, and multiple certificates and multiple App support costs.
The design of the distribution platform mainly distributes in two stages:

• The first stage: Consolidate the foundation, learn from the tripartite plan, build its own single certificate distribution platform, make it have strong customization capabilities, and prepare for intelligent distribution.
• The second stage: Intelligent distribution stage. In this stage, one-click acquisition of test package installation authorization, automatic synchronization of certificate configuration, intelligent generation and distribution of exclusive web pages.

After the second phase went online, we have truly completed the original intention of building the distribution platform and achieved the goal that is consistent with the corporate distribution effect. Users do not need to care about which certificate they are in, and which test package can be installed. Everything is done intelligently and automatically, and the efficiency of authorization and the maintenance cost of multiple certificates and multiple apps are geometrically reduced. Through the app distribution management background, you can quickly add new apps, and you can add new certificate support for existing apps.

Diversified Distribution Exploration of Dewu App Distribution Platform

After the App distribution platform has gone through two major versions iteratively launched, can we stop exploring? Of course the answer is no! Although the intelligent distribution of multiple certificates can solve the limit on the number of testers, the cost of certificate maintenance is relatively high. To solve this problem, we have explored the diversity of App distribution platforms.

• The first step: Explore and land the possibility of Testflight test package distribution.

By analyzing the existing test package installation user groups, we found that some users have very low requirements on the timeliness of the test package. They may only install it once or twice a week, or even once or twice a month. For this part of users, the certificate quota is provided. Some luxury, the distribution of Testflight will be more suitable.
The limitation of Testflight distribution is mentioned in the previous article, which is easy to be confused with online packages and conflicts with the grayscale public test function of the App. We canceled the release of a certain country by subcontracting in multiple regions, independently created an App to distribute Testflight test packages, and automatically delivered test packages on a regular basis to solve this problem.

• The second step: the exploration of enterprise distribution and ABM distribution.

After taking the first step towards diversification, what can we do? Two ways: enterprise distribution and ABM distribution.
During the communication process between applying for the enterprise certificate and Apple technical customer service, I recommended ABM Business Management to distribute the internal App of the enterprise. This method made me seem to have seen the light of day. In fact, it is not the case. After research, it is found that if ABM distribution is to meet the distribution needs, the premise is a complete MDM service, or it depends on the license issued by the enterprise certificate. ABM technical customer service told me that there is no way, this is the problem of chicken laying and egg laying.
In the process of studying the bumpy process of ABM distribution, through researching data files and communicating with ABM technical customer service, it was found that ABM distribution can be distributed in three ways: simple MDM and complete MDM and redemption code distribution.

• Simple MDM: This method relies on MacOS Server’s profile manager as an MDM service, and can also manage BYOD device apps, but it has some limitations. It is impossible to use the managed AppleId created by ABM to register device credentials for users. You can only log in to the registered device with the username and password of the Server.
• Complete MDM: This method relies on the license issued after the enterprise account has applied for the ABM Vendor qualification, and is no longer in the scope of today's discussion. (No practice)
• Redemption code distribution: This method only supports the distribution of enterprise apps. In ABM, only enterprise apps can purchase licenses and redemption codes, while commercial apps have only one way to purchase licenses.

Let's learn about ABM distribution from the process of relying on simple MDM service to distribute App.
Before that, you need to be familiar with some concepts:

As shown in the figure, ABM communicates with BYOD devices through the MDM service, and pushes the enterprise App or commercial App purchased in ABM. The distribution steps can be distributed in the following links:

• The administrator purchases the number of licenses for enterprise apps or commercial apps in ABM. Synchronize to the MDM server by generating an authorization file, here is the description file manager.
• The administrator configures the corresponding profile in the profile manager, and the user registers his device through the registration link and the portal website provided by the administrator. After registration, in the profile manager, the administrator can manage these devices and push managed apps to these devices or device groups.
• After personnel changes or permission changes, the administrator can remove the device in the profile manager. After the device is removed, the push-installed App can be configured to be automatically removed from the user's device to protect corporate data.

The distribution of complete MDM services is similar. The functions of MDM services are more complete, and internal App stores can be built for enterprise employees to choose and install. This is left to our follow-up exploration.

What can we do in the future?

In the future, the distribution can be integrated into the enterprise OA system to generate differentiated user identities in linkage with it, and manage enterprise equipment and personal BYOD equipment in a classified manner to efficiently support the company's business. The future can be expected.

Text | Nobita
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