Submitting requests

You invoke the procedures of namespaces with XML-based requests. Requests can be submitted to Microsoft Provisioning Framework (MPF) either directly or through a user interface (UI) that passes the requests to MPF.

Using a user interface to submit requests

A request is an XML document containing data, a single procedure, and contextual information that a provider or other namespace uses to execute a provisioning task, such as setting up new users in a data center. You can use a UI, such as that provided with Microsoft Provisioning System, or a custom UI, to submit a request that invokes the procedures of a namespace.

Submitting a request directly to MPF

You can submit XML requests directly to MPF using the XML templates included in the Microsoft Provisioning Framework Software Development Kit (SDK). Namespaces and their procedures are invoked using XML-based requests. Requests can be submitted to MPF by calling methods in mapsclient.dll, or, for requests submitted over the Internet, using Simple Object Access Protocol Internet Server application programming interface (SOAP ISAPI).

To test the request submittal process, create an XML file containing the request, and then use the ProvTest.exe to invoke it.

For more information about how to submit requests directly to MPF, including how to use ProvTest.exe to test the request functionality, see Managing Microsoft Provisioning Framework from the command line.

The Microsoft Provisioning Framework Software Development Kit (SDK) also contains resources and information on submitting requests directly to MPF. For more information on the SDK and how to use it, see Microsoft Provisioning Framework SDK.