Reading 3 iAnywhere Smart Client Architectures MobileDev

8/14/2019 Reading 3 iAnywhere Smart Client Architectures MobileDev

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iAnywhere

MAy 8, 2006

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Overview

Mobile solutions can be built in many different ways, used on many different devices, operate over many different

networks, and integrate with many different back-end systems. The task of building a mobile solution can often be

daunting given the many technology choices and implementation approaches. This whitepaper explores common

architectures that have been successfully used by enterprises to build smart client solutions with iAnywhere

developer technologies, including SQL Anywhere, M-Business Anywhere and Afaria.

The paper will explore the differences between smart client and thin client mobile architectures, and when you

would want to use each. It will then examine the details of common smart client architectures, including what

type of back-end systems they integrate with, the types of devices they support, how data is managed within the

architecture, and development languages that can be used to build the application.

Smart Client verSuS thin Client arChiteCtureS

Many developers are attracted by the apparent simplicity of a thin client architecture. Having the application

reside on a single Web server can have a strong attraction. This is can be a powerful model successfully implemented

in office environments, but is often plagued with challenges when taken into mobile environments.

Lets take a closer look at the two application models identifying the pros and cons of each. In a smart client

model, a software application and data reside locally on the mobile device. Data is periodically exchanged with the

enterprise through a synchronization process. In the thin client model the software application and data reside on a

Web server. The application is accessed over a wireless network using a Web browser running on the mobile device.

See Table 1 for more details.


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As we can see, things appear much simpler with a thin client model. The application and data reside on a Web

server in the enterprise. Deployment of the application and updates to it are relatively simple just install and

update the application on the Web server. However, the solution requires a constant wireless network connection in

order for users to access the application, which poses a major challenge in many real world mobile environments.

Complete dependence on a constant wireless network connection can be problematic for a number of reasons,

including:

1.Alimitedareaofcoveragebythewirelessnetwork

.Transmissioninterferenceresultingindroppednetworkconnectionsduetophysicalobstructionsand

coveragegaps

3.Slowernetworkspeedscomparedtolandlineconnections

4.Highcoststoconnecttothewirelessnetwork

As a result, user productivity is often extremely poor with a thin client architecture making it undesirable for

mobile enterprise implementations. Lets take a look at a number of characteristics relevant to mobile solutions and

how thin client and smart client architectures impact each of them.

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The above characteristics impact the success of a mobile implementation in one of two ways:

Affectinguserproductivityanduseradoptionofthemobilesolution,whichultimatelyimpactwhetherthe

projectwillachievelongtermsuccess

ImpactingITinvestmentandinvolvementindeveloping,deployingandmaintainingthemobilesolution

Overall, we should not underestimate the cost of poor user productivity or overestimate the cost of more involved

management of the mobile solution. A thin client model definitely provides a benefit to the IT department tasked

with the solutions deployment and maintenance. However, the lack of user productivity and user adoption can be

dismal, resulting in a negative return on investment.

While a smart client solution generally requires more involvement from the IT department to deploy and maintain

the solution, the dramatic improvements in user productivity and user adoption greatly outweigh it.

Furthermore, there are approaches to minimize the effort required by IT to deploy mobile applications as well as

support multiple types of devices. In particular, the management of a smart client solution can be simplified through:

Theuseofmobiledevicemanagementsoftware,suchasiAnywheresAfaria

TheimplementationofanofflineWebsolutionusingiAnywheresM-BusinessAnywheretechnology.


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The challenges of device portability can also be addressed in a smart client solution by:

Buildingthesmartclientapplicationusinganinterpretedlanguage,suchasAppForgesCrossfire.

ImplementingtheapplicationasanofflineWebsolutionusingiAnywheresM-BusinessAnywheretechnology,

thussupportingMicrosoft,Palm,andSymbianmobiledevicesanddesktopcomputers.

Smart Client arChiteCtureS

There are six common smart client architectures used to build mobile solutions with iAnywhere technology. The

first four architectures we will discuss center around how data is managed within the solution and what types of

back-end systems they typically integrate with:

Database&synchronization

Store-and-forwardmessaging

Database&synchronizationwithstore-and-forwardmessaging

File-basedreplicationfordataexchange

There are two additional architectures commonly used that uniquely combine the benefits of a smart client modelwith the benefits of application deployment and portability found in a thin client approach:

OfflineWeb

OfflineWebwithdatabase&synchronization

The following sections of the paper delve into each architectural model, describing how it works and when it

would be used.

DatabaSe & SynChrOnizatiOn

Description

Data is easily extended from enterprise databases out to remote databases running on mobile devices with amobile database & synchronization architecture. Data that is created, modified or deleted in a remote database

can be synchronized back to the consolidated database. Likewise, any changes in the consolidated database can be

synchronized to some or all of the remote databases.

SQL Anywheres mobile database and synchronization technologies can be used to develop solutions that scale

from one mobile user to many thousands of users synchronizing to the one consolidated database. SQL Anywheres

synchronization technology ensures that the integrity of data in all of the databases is maintained, and the amount

of transmitted data is minimized. With MobiLink it is possible to subset data by row and column, ensuring remote

users only get the data they need. Furthermore, developers are able to create sophisticated rules to automatically

resolve synchronization conflicts.

The mobile application can be written using many different development languages and tools, ensuring

developers can leverage their existing software development skills. Common mobile devices that are used include

laptops, tablets, PDAs, smartphones, and desktop computers running Windows 32, Windows Mobile, Windows CE, or

Palm OS operating systems.


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Common Configurations

Remote software

UltraLiteorSQLAnywheredatabaseengineanddatabasefile

MobiLinksynchronizationclient

Mobilesoftwareapplication

Middleware

MobiLinksynchronizationserver

Enterprise integration

Remotedatabasescansynchronizetooneofthefollowingconsolidateddatabases-SQLAnywheresdatabase

server,Oracle,MicrosoftSQLServer,IBMDB,orSybaseASE

Development languages

MobileapplicationscanbewritteninC/C++,VB,VB.NET,C#,ASP,PHP,Perl,otherWeb,PowerBuilder,

PocketBuilder,Java,Python,Delphi

Supported remote platforms

PocketPC,PalmOS,Smartphones,Windows,Solaris,Linux

Network connectivity

Wireless,80.11,WiFi,W-LAN,GPRS,GSM,CDMA,CDPD,wiredEthernet,devicecradle,modem,ActiveSync,

HotSync


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StOre-anD-FOrwarD meSSaging

Description

Enterprise messaging is an architectural model for connecting a set of IT systems through the asynchronous

exchange of data. It allows for a much more distributed model compared to a database-centric architecture where

data is centralized into enterprise databases.

Information is typically passed between systems by placing messages into queues on central messaging servers or

remote systems. Each queue will have one or more applications that consume the information placed into it.

SQL Anywheres QAnywhere is a solution that extends enterprise messaging systems to mobile environments. Its

store-and-forward architecture handles the complexities of working in mobile and wireless environments. It does this

in a number of ways, including allowing developers to optimize the performance, cost, and bandwidth of message

delivery, compressing transmitted data, and ensuring messages are delivered once, and only-once, even in the events

of dropped network connects or a system failure.

QAnywhere integrates with any enterprise messaging system that supports Java Message Service (JMS), such as

MQSeries, and J2EE application servers, such as IBM WebSphere, BEA WebLogic, and Sybase EAServer. Furthermore,

additional enterprise systems can be easily connected with Sybase Unwired Orchestrator.


Remote software SQLAnywheredatabaseengineanddatabasefile

QAnywheresynchronizationclient

Mobileapplication

Middleware

MobiLinksynchronizationserverwithQAnywhereoption


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AnyJMS-basedmessagingsystemsuchasMQSeriesor JMS-basedapplicationserver,suchasSybaseEAServer,

BEAWebLogic,orIBMWebSphere

TIBCO,SAP,PeopleSoft,Siebel,andotherswiththeuseofSybaseUnwiredOrchestrator


MobileapplicationscanwrittenusingC/C++orC#


PocketPC,Smartphones,Windows

Network connectivity

Wireless,80.11,WiFi,W-LAN,GPRS,GSM,CDMA,CDPD,wiredEthernet,devicecradle,modem,ActiveSync

DatabaSe SynChrOnizatiOn with StOre-anD-FOrwarD meSSaging

DescriptionWhile many enterprises may allow data to be synchronized in and out of the enterprises consolidated database,

other organizations control the changes made to the consolidated database by sending all modifications through

middle-tier business logic running in application servers or other enterprise systems.

By combining database synchronization with store-and-forward messaging, data can be synchronized out of the

enterprises consolidated database to mobile databases. Yet control is maintained by having any modifications to the

consolidated database or other backend systems sent through middle-tier business logic using store-and-forward

messaging.

SQL Anywhere mobile database and synchronization technologies can be used to develop solutions that scale

from one mobile user to many thousands of users synchronizing to the one consolidated database. The MobiLink

synchronization technology ensures that the integrity of data in all of the databases is maintained, and the amountof transmitted data is minimized. With MobiLink it is possible to subset data by row and column, ensuring remote

users only get the data they need. Furthermore, developers are able to create sophisticated rules to automatically


QAnywhere is a solution that extends enterprise messaging systems to mobile environments. Its store-and-forward

architecture handles the complexities of working in mobile & wireless environments. It does this in a number of ways

including allowing developers to optimize the performance, cost, and bandwidth of message delivery, compressing

transmitted data, and ensuring messages are delivered once, and only-once, even in the events of dropped network

connects or a system failure.

QAnywhere integrates with any enterprise messaging system that supports Java Message Service (JMS), such as

MQSeries, and J2EE application servers, such as IBM WebSphere, BEA WebLogic, and Sybase EAServer. Furthermore,

additional enterprise systems can be easily connected to with Sybase Unwired Orchestrator.


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Remote software

SQLAnywheredatabaseengineanddatabasefile

QAnywhereclient

MobiLinksynchronizationclient

Middleware

MobiLinksynchronizationserverwithQAnywhereoption


Synchronizemobiledatabaseswithcommonconsolidateddatabases,includingSQLAnywheresdatabaseserve

Oracle,MicrosoftSQLServer,IBMDB,orSybaseASE

SendandreceivemessageswithanyJMS-basedmessagingsystemsuchasMQSeriesor JMS-basedapplication

server,suchasSybaseEAServer,orIBMWebSphere

SendandreceivemessageswithTIBCO,SAP,PeopleSoft,Siebel,andotherswiththeuseofSybaseUnwired

Orchestrator


C/C++,C#


PocketPC,Smartphones,Windows

Network Connectivity

Wireless,80.11,WiFi,W-LAN,GPRS,GSM,CDMA,CDPD,wiredEthernet,devicecradle,modem,ActiveSync


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File repliCatiOn FOr Data exChange

Description

There are times when developers may choose to use files to manage and exchange some or all of the data within

a mobile solution. While files are a simple solution to storing data on a mobile device, it is left to the developer to

define and manage a level of structure and protection upon the data within a file. This is in contrast to database and

messaging based architectures, which offer a high level of predefined structure and protection to the management

of data.

Afarias Session Manager can replicate files between remote devices and the middleware server. Session Manager

provides GUI-based scripting enabling developers to manage the file replication process, manage files on the remote

devices, automate communication sessions, and execute custom scripts and software programs based on conditional

business logic.

Software developers can build the mobile application using any development language that is able to read and

write files on the device. Data files can be transferred from the middleware server to other enterprise systems

through custom scripts and software programs that are executed by Session Manager.


Remote software

AfariaclientwithSessionManager

Mobilesoftwareapplication


DatacanbeexchangedwithotherenterprisesystemsthroughcustomscriptswritteninJScriptorVBScript,or

throughcustomsoftwareprogramswrittenbythedeveloper.

Middleware

AfariaserverwithSessionManager


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MobileapplicationscanbewritteninC/C++,VB,VB.NET,C#,ASP,PHP,Perl,otherWeb,PowerBuilder,

PocketBuilder,Java,Python,Delphioranyotherdevelopmentlanguagesupportedbytheremotedevice


WindowsCE,PocketPC(WindowsMobile),WindowsXP,WindowsXP,Windows000,NT,Windows&8,

TabletPCEdition,PalmOS,SymbianSmartphones,RIMBlackberry



HotSync

OFFline web appliCatiOnS

Description

Offline Web applications combine the benefits of a thin client model and a smart client model, where the

application runs locally on the device. With an offline Web solution the application is a set of Web-based contentwritten using standard Web technologies, and additional components to access device peripherals and other on-

device utilities. The cross-platform nature of the Web technologies ensures that the application can be written once

and deployed to a variety of mobile devices.

M-Business Anywhere provides a platform for delivering Web-based content and applications to a wide variety

of mobile devices rapidly and cost-effectively with minimal recoding. Web developers can leverage their existing

skill sets and open standards to develop and deploy fully interactive Web applications with sync-and-go or wireless

capabilities.

The files that comprise the mobile application are downloaded from one or more Web servers where they are

stored. Application changes are automatically uploaded by the M-Business Anywhere client every time a mobile

device synchronizes. Yet the offline nature of this architecture enables users to continue interacting with the Webapplication even when the mobile device is not connected to a wireless network or device cradle.

Built-in synchronization capabilities ensure data submitted through forms in an M-Business Anywhere application

are also submitted to the enterprise Web server when the device synchronizes. Additionally, XML-based data can be

synchronized with enterprise servers.


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Remote software

M-BusinessAnywhereclient

MiddlewareM-BusinessAnywhereserver


AnyWeborapplicationserverthroughHTTPorHTTPS

Siebel

XML-formatteddata



DHTML,SSL,HTML4.01,CascadingStyleSheets(CSS)1.0styleattribute,XHTML1.0,DocumentObjectModel

(DOM)Level1,JavaScript

C++forthedevelopmentofPODextensions


PalmOS,PocketPC(WindowsMobile),WindowsXP,andWindowsXPTabletPCEdition



HotSync

OFFline web appliCatiOnS with DatabaSe & SynChrOnizatiOn

Description

By combining an offline Web application with a database and synchronization architecture, mobile solutions can

achieve the benefits of offline Web applications with the data integrity, scalability and manageability associated with

mobile databases and synchronization. Offline Web applications are able to access mobile databases through the Web

pages on the device, enabling them to interactively create, modify, and delete data. Data synchronization occurs in

parallel to the synchronization of the Web application itself.

M-Business Anywhere provides a platform for delivering Web-based content and applications to a wide variety

of mobile devices rapidly and cost-effectively with minimal recoding. Web developers can leverage their existing

skill sets and open standards to develop and deploy fully interactive Web applications with sync-and-go or wireless

capabilities.

The files that comprise the mobile application are downloaded from one or more Web servers where they are

stored. Application changes are automatically uploaded by the M-Business Anywhere client every time a mobile

device synchronizes. Yet the offline nature of this architecture enables users to continue interacting with the Web

application even when the mobile device is not connected to a wireless network or device cradle.

SQL Anywhere mobile database and synchronization technologies can be used to develop solutions that scale

from one mobile user to many thousands of users synchronizing to the one consolidated database. The MobiLink

synchronization technology ensures that the integrity of data in all of the databases is maintained, and the amount

of transmitted data is minimized. With MobiLink it is possible to subset data by row and column, ensuring remote

users get only the data they need. Furthermore, developers are able to create sophisticated rules to automatically



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Remote software

M-BusinessAnywhereclient

UltraLitedatabaseforM-BusinessAnywhere


Synchronizemobiledatabaseswithcommonconsolidateddatabases,includingSQLAnywheresdatabaseserverOracle,MicrosoftSQLServer,IBMDB,orSybaseASE

AnyWeborapplicationserverthroughHTTPorHTTPS

Siebel


Middleware

M-BusinessAnywhereserver

MobiLinksynchronizationserver


DHTML,SSL,HTML4.01,CascadingStyleSheets(CSS)1.0styleattribute,XHTML1.0,DocumentObjectModel

(DOM)Level1,JavaScript

C++forthedevelopmentofPODextensions

StandardSQL


PalmOS,PocketPC(WindowsMobile),WindowsXP,andWindowsXPTabletPCEdition



HotSync


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teChnOlOgieS FrOm ianywhere

iAnywhere offers a range of developer technologies and enterprise products used to implement mobile solutions.

Companies like Pepsi Bottling Group, McKesson, Britannia Airways, BNSF Railway, Harvard Medical School, and the U.S

Military, are making their mobile workers and business processes more productive and efficient with solutions based

on iAnywhere technology.

SQl a

SQL Anywhere is a comprehensive package that provides data management and enterprise data synchronization,

enabling the rapid development and deployment of data-powered applications. SQL Anywhere extends information

in corporate applications and enterprise systems to anywhere business takes place. With more than 9 million

deployed seats, SQL Anywhere powers database applications in desktop, server, mobile and remote office

environments. Within SQL Anywhere you will find

SQl a ds s Provides high performance and reliability with rich enterprise functionality

including full transaction processing, referential integrity, SQL and Java stored procedures, triggers, row-level

locking, automatic event scheduling and automatic recovery.

ul A database with an even smaller footprint for memory-constrained devices, requiring as little as 150

KB of memory, yet UltraLite provides enterprise features such as referential integrity, transaction processing,

strong encryption and a built-in synchronization client.

molk A proven robust, flexible synchronization server that provides database-to-database synchronization.

MobiLink can scale from one mobile user to thousands.

Qa Provides a comprehensive store and forward messaging solution for mobile users. It leverages

extended functionality in MobiLink that allows it to function as a messaging server.

Additional Resources

ViewtheSQLAnywheredatasheet

FindmoreinformationattheSQLAnywhereGettingStartedpage

LearnhowothercustomershavebeensuccessfulwithSQLAnywhere

DownloadthefreeSQLAnywhereDeveloperEdition

m-bsss a

M-Business Anywhere provides a platform for delivering Web-based content and applications to a wide variety of

mobile devices rapidly and cost-effectively with minimal recoding. Web developers can leverage their existing skill

sets and open standards to develop and deploy fully interactive Web applications that can run locally on the mobile

device.


ViewtheM-BusinessAnywheredatasheet

FindmoreinformationattheM-BusinessAnywhereGettingStartedpage

LearnhowothercustomershavebeensuccessfulwithM-BusinessAnywhere

DownloadthefreeM-BusinessAnywhereDeveloperEdition


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CoPyrIght 2006 IAnywhere SolutIonS, InC. All rIghtS reServed. SyBASe, AfArIA, AdAPtIve Server, SQl Anywhere, MoBIlInk,ultrAlIte QAnywhere unwIred orCheStrAtor And M-BuSIneSS Anywhere Are trAdeMArkS of SyBASe InC All other

af

Afaria's frontline management capabilities go beyond conventional systems and device management to proactively

manage all the devices, applications, data and communications critical to frontline success. Afaria software solutions

keep technology simple and useful for those on the front lines of business while providing headquarters with a whole

new level of control and visibility.


ViewtheAfariadatasheet

ReadaboutAfariasuccessstories

COnCluSiOn

The development of mobile software applications introduces a level of complexity that seldom exists today with

the development of office applications. For starters, the developer cannot assume that users have a desktop compute

running Windows or a reliable network connection.

Software developers need to answer a number of different questions in order to choose the best mobilearchitecture for their particular project:

Whatisthenewworkflowthatthemobilesolutionwillimplement?

Whattypesofnetworkconnectivityarenecessarytosupportthenewworkflow?

Whatdeviceordeviceswillbeusedbythemobileworkers?

Whatenterprisesystemsdoesthemobileapplicationneedtointegratewith?

Whatwaysisdatacurrentlymanagedwithintheenterprise?

By using mobile software infrastructure to build solutions, developers can focus on building the application and

allow the software infrastructure to handle the complexities of the mobile environment

With tens of millions of mobile devices, 7,000,000 subscribers, and 20,000 corporate customers using itstechnology on a daily basis, iAnywhere offers developer and IT solutions that have been proven in successful, real-

world implementations and the expertise to help enterprises get there. Visit http://www.ianywhere.com/products/

mobile_enterprise.html or call 1-800-801-2069 to learn more about iAnywhere and its products.

Documents

Reading 3 iAnywhere Smart Client Architectures MobileDev