The vSphere Client architecture consists of three layers: the user interface layer, the Java service layer, and the back end layer.

The user interface and the Java service layers have different roles in communicating with the back end layer for retrieving data, and presenting the data in a Web browser.

User Interface Layer

The user interface layer consists of an HTML platform that provides a plug-in architecture for the extensions displayed in a Web browser. The HTML application contains all user interface elements with which the user interacts, such as menus, commands, home screen shortcuts, and other views. You can use the user interface elements to view information about an object in the vSphere environment, send a command, and make changes to your vSphere infrastructure.

The HTML platform ensures that each plug-in view is isolated from the vSphere Client application which allows you to use the UI technology of your choice when developing HTML plug-ins. You can also use any library to implement the UI components within your views.

You can use the same extension points for your HTML plug-ins as the ones that you use for the Flex-based plug-ins.

Java Service Layer

The Java service layer remains the same as the one in the vSphere Web Client application.

You can use the Spring MVC framework and the Ajax Web development techniques to establish communication between the user interface layer and the service layer.

The vSphere Client architecture is represented with three layers. The user interface layer consists of an HTML platform that provides a plug-in architecture for the extensions displayed in a Web browser. The service layer is a collection of Java services that run in the Virgo server framework. The beck end layer consists of the vCenter Server instances that are managed through the vSphere Web Client UI, and the third party back end database and server that are used for processing any complex business logic.