APNs - OpManager iOS app

OpManager iOS application helps network admins monitor their IT infrastructure on-the-go, 24/7. With the mobile application, users can keep track of the availability and performance of servers, switches, routers and other networking devices.

The users of the application are notified of network faults, even when the application is not running, so they are always informed of the network's state. Apple Push Notification service (APNs) is the centerpiece of this remote notifications feature. The APNs acts as a portal between your OpManager server and iOS device for delivering the notification payload to the application.

Push Notification Mechanism

• The OpManager server sends notification request to the APNs.
• APNs transmits the corresponding notification payload to the targeted device.
• When the notification is received by the iOS device, it delivers the notification payload to the OpManager iOS application.

Authorizing OpManager Server

APNS issues a trust certificate - Apple Push Notification Authentication Key to the OpManager server. This key is responsible for authorizing OpManager server to send push notifications to the OpManager application.

Establishing Secure Connection

• For sending push notifications, a secure connection must be established between OpManager and the APNs.
• OpManager requests a secure connection with the APNs.
• The APNs provides an APNs certificate to OpManager, which is validated by OpManager and the secure connection is established.

APNs Certificate

The APNs certificate issued to OpManager is valid for one year. When the APNs certificate expires, OpManager cannot send push notifications to the APNs. This will result in OpManager application being unable to receive notifications from the OpManager server. To ensure this does not happen, the user will be notified 10 days prior to the APNs certificate expiry in the OpManager web client as well as the iOS application.

Solution to APNs Certificate Expiry

Once the APNs certificate expires, a new certificate is issued. This new APNs certificate is updated in the OpManager release. You need to upgrade to the latest OpManager version. For help with updating OpManager, contact our support at opmanager-support@manageengine.com..