Submitting XML requests using SOAP

You can submit requests through the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) Internet Server Application Programming Interface (ISAPI), which is a filter for the Microsoft Provisioning Framework (MPF) client. This approach supports communication between data centers for remote requests submitted over the Internet. The SOAP ISAPI can process synchronous requests (through the provisioning engine). MPF does not support the processing of asynchronous requests (with call-back, through the queue manager).

MPFsoapisapi.dll is a COM object that can be installed in the \Microsoft Provisioning\Isapi directory during MPF setup. You must install the MPFsoapisapi.dll on any computer that receives SOAP requests for MPF.

How?

1. Run the Microsoft Provisioning Framework setup.exe utility, and then click Next.
2. Click Next to move through the Setup Wizard until you reach the Setup Type screen, click Custom, and then click Next.
3. In Custom setup, click Client Components, and then select Install this component and subcomponents on the local hard drive.

The SOAP ISAPI can be invoked from any source capable of sending SOAP requests. To invoke the SOAP ISAPI, send the SOAP payload to the full URL of MPFsoapisapi.dll. The default URL is http://server/mpf/soapisapi.dll; you can change the virtual directory name to the one for your application.

Requests sent to the SOAP ISAPI require a SOAP header in a specified format. Prior to transmission, the request must be encapsulated in a SOAP envelope, which supplies the SOAP ISAPI with the destination namespace and procedure.

Submitting a standard synchronous SOAP request

You can use SOAP to submit a synchronous request to a local or remote Microsoft Provisioning Framework (MPF) computer. You submit the request to the following URL:

http://server/MPF/soapisapi.dll

Prior to transmission, the request must be encapsulated in a SOAP envelope, which supplies the SOAP ISAPI filter with the namespace and procedure to be executed. When the SOAP ISAPI filter receives a synchronous SOAP request, it verifies that the MPF SOAP headers are present and then forwards the request to the provisioning engine. The SOAP response returns either provisioning results or an error.

Important

• It is strongly recommended that you use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and strong encryption for SOAP requests to MPF.

An example of a standard synchronous SOAP request.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?>
<SOAP-ENV:Envelope SOAP-ENV:encodingStyle="" xmlns:SOAP-ENV="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/">
  <SOAP-ENV:Header SOAP-ENV:encodingStyle="">
	<provisioning SOAP-ENV:encodingStyle="" SOAP-ENV:mustUnderstand="1">
	<namespace>Test Namespace</namespace>
	<procedure>Write Request</procedure>
	</provisioning>
  </SOAP-ENV:Header>
  <SOAP-ENV:Body SOAP-ENV:encodingStyle="">
	<organizations>
	<organization name="contoso.com"></organization>
	</organizations>
  </SOAP-ENV:Body>
</SOAP-ENV:Envelope>

Input for a standard synchronous SOAP request

The following input is valid when submitting a standard synchronous SOAP request:

• Namespace

  In the <namespace> element, specify the namespace associated with the procedure.

  <namespace>name of the namespace used</namespace>
  

• Procedure name

  In the <procedure> element, specify the procedure that the request will execute.

  <procedure>procedure name</procedure>
  

• Input data

  Within the <SOAP-ENV:Envelope> element, include all the data elements required for this procedure. These elements should match the elements included in either the <data> element or the <executeData> element of an XML request for this procedure. The following code provides an example of required data:

  <SOAP-ENV:Body SOAP-ENV:encodingStyle="">
  	<organizations>
  	<organization name="contoso.com"></organization>
  	</organizations>
    </SOAP-ENV:Body>