Deploying real-time decisioning in Index Cloud

What is real-time decisioning?

Your models and data, running inside Index Exchange (Index) auctions. This guide walks through building and deploying a real-time decisioning service that sits directly in the auction path, processing live OpenRTB An open industry standard for communication between buyers and sellers of online advertising in real-time bidding auctions. It's published by the IAB. traffic and returning outputs that influence deal A private auction that allows media owners to offer specific inventory directly to selected buyers identified by a deal ID. Terms are negotiated and are agreed upon before the auction occurs. activation, pricing, and bid outcomes in real time. The mechanism is the real-time data (RTD) integration, which connects your container to Index auction events over gRPC or HTTP.

Depending on your implementation, your container can activate or suppress deals, adjust floors, classify users into segments, enrich impressions with content metadata, or shade DSP Demand-Side Platform (DSP). A software platform that automates bidding decisions in real-time and efficiently connects buyers and audiences through an ad exchange or SSP. Also known as a buy-side platform. bids toward more efficient clearing prices. These decisions are applied inline, in the milliseconds before and after bids are submitted.

What is Index Cloud?

Index Cloud is Index Exchange (Index)'s neutral compute environment, built inside Index's global data center infrastructure. Partners deploy their own models, data, and technology directly within the exchange, closest to where impressions are created, at unencumbered scale, and where the richest signals are available for decisioning. With the Index Cloud, you get:

• A neutral platform for partner intelligence: Every partner brings distinct value to Index Cloud. Index provides the common compute layer while you retain autonomy over your own models, logic, and commercial strategy.

• No external hosting costs required: There’s no infrastructure for you to maintain outside the exchange.

• Performance at the source: Closer proximity to the impression means your models run on richer signals, faster, and at greater global internet scale.

• Immediate scale: Your unique business value has immediate, scaled access to 3,000+ global media owners spanning streaming TV Streaming TV (STV). Video content that is shown across any device with an internet connection, for example a Connected TV (CTV)., web display, online video, native, and mobile app.

• Our infrastructure, not public cloud: The Index Cloud is purpose-built for programmatic at scale and runs within Index’s own global data centers without any third-party cloud dependencies.

How it works

The auction lifecycle

Each auction moves through the following stages:

1. Ad request. A user visits a media owner's site or app, triggering an ad request sent to Index.

2. Publisher The owner of a website or app where advertisements are served. request processing.Index verifies the quality and correctness of the incoming request before any enrichment occurs.

3. Publisher Request extension point.Index Cloud routes the ad request to your container over gRPC using the ARTF protocol. Your container receives the full privacy-safe OpenRTB request and has 5ms to respond.

4. Your mutations. Your container processes the request using your models and data, then returns structured mutations. Index Cloud validates and applies each mutation atomically before the auction continues.

5. Bid request An OpenRTB request that is sent from a supply-side platform (SSP) or ad exchange to the DSP requesting a bid response for potential impressions. A bid request contains information about the impression that allows the DSP to decide whether to bid on the impression. to DSPs.Index applies your mutations (activating deals, setting floors, enriching signals) and constructs an OpenRTB bid request that reflects your decisioning.

6. Bid responses. DSPs evaluate the enriched bid request and send back bid responses.

7. DSP Bid Response An OpenRTB response that is sent by the DSP in response to the SSP's or ad exchange's bid request. It is an event directed back to the seller expressing a valuation for the request and conditions of sale. extension point. If you are participating in bid shading, Index Cloud routes eligible bid responses to your container. Your container evaluates each bid and returns BID_SHADE mutations recommending a lower transaction price.

8. Impression served. The winning impression is served. If bid shading was applied, the buyer pays the shaded price.

Note: Your container can participate at two extension points: before bids go to DSPs (Publisher Request) and after bids come back (DSP Bid Response). Participation at both extension points is optional and independent.

Why run on the exchange?

Running your decisioning logic inside the exchange offers the following benefits:

Steps to build and deploy

1. Speak to your Index Representative to scope your requirements.

2. Build a gRPC RTD service Refer to the following:

   • Publisher request payload reference
   • DSP bid response payload reference
   • Mutation reference
   • Implementing bid shading

3. Building your container

4. Validating and deploying your container

5. Access your Grafana data

6. Updating models and manifests in containers without rebuilding.