User:IntraconNA/HP Open eXtensibility Platform

Overview
HP Open Extensibility Platform (HP OXP), developed by Hewlett-Packard Co., is an enterprise software development platform that consists of three unique layers. HP OXPd, the device layer, enables document workflow applications. HP OXPm, or management layer, exposes functionality from management software like HP Web Jetadmin and HP OXPw, the workflow layer, embeds web services technology into software like the HP Universal Printer Driver (HP UPD). The device layer, or HP OXPd, provides a software development kit (SDK) for creating document workflow applications based on standard web service protocols. Document workflow applications are value-added software applications designed specifically to increase user productivity while interacting with multifunction printers.

Description
HP OXPd is intended to be a fleet-wide SDK that provides developers access to a consistent set of device service APIs to develop workflow applications that support scanning, printing, and document manipulation. HP OXPd supports a true web application model that allows the application logic to reside on a remote web server and invoke device service APIs while delivering interactive user interface content to device control panels. This decoupled device user interface is made possible with embedded device web browser technology that provides a rich user experience using standard web protocols like XHTML, JavaScript, and AJAX patterns. The design goals for HP OXPd include creating an application framework that facilitates a simple method for web-based document workflow application creation while simultaneously reducing device specific code requirements.

Device Service APIs
In the current release (HP OXPd 1.6) device web service APIs include UI configuration services, Scan services, USB accessory services, and security services. Web applications that utilize the HP OXP APIs will operate consistently across a wide variety of HP devices. This saves time and energy associated with the development, qualification, deployment, and updates of workflow application software. For imaging and printing devices, physically the web application is the client of the device’s web services. From the user’s perspective, logically the device control panel is a client of the web application. Therefore, the HP OXPd device can be viewed as a client of web services and a provider of services simultaneously. (See Figure 1)

User interaction
Users access HP OXP workflow applications from the device’s control panel. After installation, HP OXP workflow applications appear on the device control panel top-level menu. Selecting an application invokes the embedded browser and requests the specific URL of the web application. The contents of the user interface on the device control panel are then displayed by the web application using HTML and JavaScript. Upon completion, users exit the web application and control is returned to the device’s top-level main menu.

Security
Channel encryption is used by HP OXPd to prevent the unauthorized access of user data. Specifically, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is employed whenever the HTTP protocol is used. This is also known as HTTPS. The HP OXPd enabled device will request and validate a server’s identity certificate before establishing a connection. If user authentication is enabled, the user is prompted for credentials at the device control panel. These credentials are then stored in an encrypted HTTP header and forwarded to an HP OXP web application for validation. This security measure effectively protects extremely sensitive data travelling to and from devices from unauthorized access.