Subprovider

the Subprovider feature

A Subprovider is a way to host multiple regify-provider instances on a single system. In fact, all Subprovider instances of a regify-provider, each visible with different customizing to the customers, is running on the same hardware / virtual host.

shared features

The following settings are customizable individual for each Subprovider:

• page-Design by using individual CSS files and images for each Subprovider
• header and footer content
• e-mail templates are completely individual (css-design and text-content)
• customized logo in regify-client (logo in right upper corner)
• customized standard-template for all mails sent using standalone-client, Outlook addin, Thunderbird addin, Lotus Notes addin
• shop-pages for premium-membership of single users and group-administrators
• blacklist for mailaddresses, domains and sub-domains that are rejected from registering
• Terms And Conditions (german 'AGB')
• customizable authentication form (subproviders authentication-level may vary)
• used http header meta-information
• individual configuration as community-provider or corporate-provider
• selection of active and inactive portal-options for end-users

non-shared features

The following functions and settings are shared between all Subprovider (not individual):

• language-specific sentences
• maintenance-state
• local pathes for downloads, logfiles, obligatory attachments and temporary files
• clearing-connection is allways shared between all Subproviders
• proxy-settings
• local time-settings (difference to UTC-0)
• premium-time offered as trial period
• number of days a registration, invitation or added mailaddress is active/valid
• length of passwords and unlock-codes
• PDF settings
• emergency SMS settings (they all will go to the administrator of the main provider)
• some specific authentication-settings
• settings for intrusion detecting system (IDS)
• the definition of administrative accounts is only available to administrators of the main provider
• a Subprovider is able to administrate many functions inside of his domain (userdata, groups etc.), but some functions are still only available to the main providers master-administrators.

prerequisites

In order to manage a Subprovider, the following prerequisites are needed on the hosters side:

• individual IP address for each Subprovider
• individual domain for each Subprovider (A record in DNS entry)
• specific SSL certificate for the desired domain

other important information

• a Subprovider stores his userdata and transaction information in the same database as the main provider. There is no physical separation of the data. Upon this, a later seperation into a new provider-instance needs extreme effort.
• Subproviders are sharing their physical ressources (CPU power and RAM). A heavy load of a single Subprovider leads into heavy load of all Subprovider-instances.
• upon restricted administration possibilities, it is strongly recommended to manage the complete administration by a employee of the main provider.

when to choose Subprovider or not

A subprovider is an option for customers that are planning to provider the regify service to a limited number of accounts (eg for a maximum of 2000 users). Furthermore, a Subprovider makes only sense if the number of accounts exceeds the limit of a few hundred accounts.

If you plan to grow the number of user-accounts up to a few thousands or more, you definitely should host your own regify-provider.

If you plan to process very high secure data, it may be a good idea to protect your users by hosting your own regify-provider.

If you need full access to the provider data by using the Provider-SDK, you are better hosting your own instance.