The ION Desktop Interoperability Framework

ION introduces an open protocol, a desktop-side bus and a framework to standardize and simplify the communication among the applications and let other apps work with the rich set of events provided by ION Platform to the ION Desktop client. Since the ION client already offers a rich set of functionalities, they have been exposed to all the application through the Framework, which lets components from other applications be included in the ION Desktop Window Manager to create a richer and more friendly user experience.

Services

The features already exposed through the classic “Open MMI” API (that produced a plugin running inside of the same ION Desktop process) have been migrated to desktop bus as services, so that all the applications can benefit of them: Single Sign On, Data Storage, Scenario persistence, Web Browsing, Logging and more – with the extra benefit to be able to distribute the execution of the code into multiple processes.

Independency from the technology

The communication protocol relies on JSON messages and is open and well documented on the ION Client Connection site: anyone can easily adhere to it with little effort. ION supplies libraries that already do this for the most common languages used today to create User interfaces. And they are open source as well. So, no matter the language your UIs was written in (nor how old it is), it can be integrated with the ION solution.

Data Flow shaping

Communication between processes is not only syntax but also semantics: through the framework it is possible to convey proper information raising specific Events and Actions, transporting typed Context Data. Clients can also create custom channels to segregate and optimize data flows.

Application Directory

Orchestrate how you start up your scenario, make all your applications available in a single place, run them on demand from the launcher toolbar – simplify your flow right from the start.

Cross-UI synchronization

In a trading scenario, it’s vital to have all views synchronized in the proper context, be it an Instrument or an RFQ: that’s why the Desktop Bus is the natural place where the current ION Desktop Context is published so that all the applications that are connected to the bus can align to it and show the trader a consistent view.

A single place to work in

No matter how many applications you have on your desktop, how old they are and in which technology they have been implemented: ION Desktop provides an open, flexible, and extendible framework to make all your software work as a coherent solution.