All about Vanity URLs!

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

All about Vanity URLs!

Vanity URLs

Vanity URLs offer a convenient solution for memorizing complex URLs associated with Oracle Enterprise Performance Management Cloud environments.

These customized URLs provide direct access to EPM Cloud environments via web browsers, Oracle Smart View for Office (version 20.200 and higher), and EPM Automate.

To generate a new vanity URL, you can utilize third-party services such as T.ly, Bitly, Rebrandly, or TinyURL, or opt for an open-source alternative like YOURLS. When leveraging an API gateway or reverse proxy, substitute the EPM Cloud URL with the designated URL and context specified for your environment.

Vanity URLs are customized web addresses that are created to represent a specific individual, brand, or entity. They are typically used to make URLs more memorable, easier to type, and reflect the identity of the entity they represent. For example, instead of a long, complex URL like https://www.example.com/products/item?id=123456 a vanity URL might be something like https://www.example.com/productname

These custom URLs are often used in marketing campaigns, social media profiles, and branding efforts to enhance visibility and make it easier for users to remember and access specific web pages. They can also help improve search engine optimization (SEO) by incorporating keywords or brand names directly into the URL. However, it's essential to ensure that vanity URLs are still descriptive and relevant to the content they represent.

To explain I took the info how Vanity URLS works from the Oracle Database Exadata Express Cloud Service

Exadata Express customers can promote their own brand by exposing APEX applications and REST endpoints from a custom vanity URL. This vanity URL can replace or complement the default oraclecloudapps.com domain and Oracle SSL certificate. For example, if the URL of your company is https://www.example.com, then you can expose REST APIs developed in Exadata Express using https://api.example.com vanity URL.

To configure your vanity URL, you must have a custom domain name, matching digital SSL certificate, and an instance of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Load Balancing Classic (LBaaS). LBaaS is available through Universal Credits. You must separately obtain a load balancing instance. You can obtain a domain name from a web service provider or use the domain name of your company and obtain a digital SSL certificate from a Certificate Authority.

The vanity URL configuration is a multi-step process. The following diagram shows how LBaaS can be used to implement vanity URLs in Exadata Express.

The diagram shows an integration of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Load Balancing Classic (LBaaS) and Exadata Express infrastructures.

Configure your LBaaS instance with a domain name and a digital SSL certificate.
Create a CNAME DNS record for your vanity domain name.
Configure your vanity URL from the Exadata Express service console

So the concept is similar for Oracle EPM.

Here we are using Rebrandly the which Route users from the branded links to the destination URLs

Rebrandly is a service that allows users to create, share, and manage branded links. With Rebrandly, users can create custom short URLs that incorporate their brand name or relevant keywords. These custom short links can be easily shared across various online platforms, such as social media, email, and websites.

Some key features of Rebrandly include:

Customizable URLs: Users can create short URLs that reflect their brand identity or campaign message.

Link Management: Rebrandly provides tools for managing and organizing branded links, including analytics to track link performance.
Integration: Rebrandly offers integrations with popular tools and platforms, allowing users to seamlessly incorporate branded links into their workflows.