SuccessStories > SmileMiles

A Case Study on Web Application Development with SOA.

The Client
The next generation in behavior modeling of children combines traditional methods of parenting while leveraging internet technologies. The next generation in behavior modeling is SmileMiles.

Stylus was approached to build an SOA based web application for SmileMiles, an online game for parents and children. One of the challenges of this project was to make the application easier and to add new features and scale the application. The client wanted to employ a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). SOA was a new concept and we did considerable research into the best practices for designing and implementing this architecture.

The web application was developed in order to help parents reward their children with SmileMiles. SmileMiles is an online game the whole family can play. For parents, it is a tool that can help with everyday parenting challenges while for children, it is a great way to build self-esteem, communication skills and pocket money!.

The Challenge
The SmileMiles web application was developed using Visual Studio 2003(ASP.NET) and the database was maintained in SQL Server 2000. A Service Oriented Architecture was followed throughout.

One of the challenges that Stylus faced was to build the site with an interface that appealed to different age groups of children.

Another challenge was the development of the website in a way that would ensure stability and ease of maintenance. It also had to allow for scalability in the future. The database was optimized to contain at least 10,000,000 registered parent accounts, each with an average of two child accounts. Consideration was given to allow subsequent versions of the site which will be offered to schools and other organizations.

Moreover, to ensure scalability the application had to be split into three components, all of which could be run on separate servers. The database layer needed to be implicitly separated. To enable a three layer model, the presentation code and the application logic had to be hosted separately. Although it wasn't an issue initially, it would significantly affect future scalability.

The Solution
Stylus developed the application using SOA. The service-oriented architecture (SOA) based approach uses a gateway as the central point to verify user identity. The gateway leverages open standards and enables seamless access to different applications with single sign-on capability. Single sign-on simplifies the authentication process within an enterprise by granting an authenticated user access to all the participating applications without requiring that user to re-enter user credentials.

We were not only able to build a scalable, secure website based on SOA but also gave valuable input to Enhance its functionality. The client was also able to thoroughly test the application and carry out proactive maintenance.

You can view the website here: www.smilemiles.com

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