1. Mobile Computing
CSE 40814/60814
Spring 2017

2. What is Cloud Computing?
NIST.GOV:
“Cloud computing is a model for enabling available, convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction.”
This is a user-centric view and highlights:
Access method = availability, convenience, on-demand, via network
Computing method = shared pools, configurable virtualized resources, including application, storage, and print
Setup = rapid provisioning/release, dynamic scalability, minimal management and service-provider interaction
“Pay-per-use” where relevant (differs from “hosted” environments, where model is “pay for maximum capacity”)
Not a technology but a means for using technology
Treats IT more as a utility than as a capital expense that must be managed and upgraded

3. Cloud Computing Delivery Models
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS): an application environment is provided
Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS): an application development platform is provided
Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS): infrastructure capabilities (such as storage or a bare operating system) are provided
Dimension of ownership:
Public (someone else owns it outside of the enterprise)
Can be either a consumer or enterprise market model
Private (the enterprise has sole ownership)
Focus is enterprise, not consumer market
Many dimensions to private, the “enterprise” can potentially include groups of enterprises, special interest groups, etc.

4. The Virtual Private (“Hybrid”) Cloud
External Hosted
Applications
Communications Circuit (dedicated, Internet, etc.)
Partners
Private Cloud
(External)
Community Cloud
(External)
Enterprise
Private Cloud
(Internal)
Inter-Cloud Access
Public Clouds
(External)
Public Clouds
(External)
Public Clouds
(External)
Public Cloud
(External)
Non-Cloud Local
Applications
Inter-Cloud Access
The Virtual Private Cloud is the aggregate of all the above environments.

5. The Range of Mobile Devices
Smart Phones
Laptops, “Net-books”, iPads
Sensors
Embedded Systems (e.g., RFID Readers, Biometric Readers, OnStar)
Vehicles, UAVs
Satellites

6. Mobile Apps & Cloud Computing
“Information at your fingertips anywhere and anytime”
Mobile Cloud Computing (MCC)
Infrastructure where both the data storage and data processing happen outside of the mobile device

7. Mobile Cloud Computing – Why?
Limited mobile resources
Battery, storage, processing, network, …
Consider tradeoffs!
Permanent storage
Backup (reliability), long-term storage, anywhere access (availability)
Data sharing
Social media, sensor data, collaboration, producer-consumer, …

8. Mobile Cloud Computing
Mobile cloud applications move the computing power and data storage away from the mobile devices and into powerful and centralized computing platforms located in clouds, which are then accessed over the wireless connection based on a thin native client
MOBILE CLOUD COMPUTING =
MOBILE COMPUTING + CLOUD COMPUTING

9. Mobile Cloud Computing

10. Mobile Cloud Computing
More resources
Reliability and availability
Sharing of data & information
Control access of data
MCC allows for dynamic provisioning
Resources always available; no need for reservation
Mobile applications can be scaled to meet user demands
Services can be added and expanded easily
Multiple services can be integrated through cloud
New/additional services possible (or easier)
Mobile payment
Push notifications
Advertising
Analysis tools
Social network integration
User management tools

11. “Backend” No clear definition of backend
Front end – mobile device user interface
Backend - data, server, programs the user does not interact with directly
Backend as a Service (Baas)
Sometimes MBaaS (M for mobile)

12. Definition of MBaaS
Provide web and mobile app developers with a way to connect their applications to backend cloud storage and processing while also providing common features such as user management, push notifications, social networking integration, and other features that mobile users demand from their apps these days
mBaaS provides End – to – End data sync framework, this ensures user always has latest data available on mobile Application
BaaS helps reduce time-to-market. Implement with 50% less effort
Kick start your customer mobility journey using ready made apps.
mBaaS features, ensures application and data security
Data Synchronization
Seamless Integration
Ready Made Apps
App Security
mBaaS
Low Memory footprint based platforms to support truly asynchronous operations with significant flexibility
Technology
Multi Channel notifications through push, SMS, across devices and platforms.
Notifications
Identity federation through Oauth to extract data from external platforms for augmented information
Enhanced Semantics
Rule Platform
Offline & Server Side rules to establish standard operating procedures as well as ensure compliance

13. MBaaS – Focus on Frontend!

14. Advantages for Developer
Efficiency gains: reducing the development cost, development time and maintenance cost
Faster Time To Market: reduce obstacles from idea to production and operations overhead.
Optimized for Mobile and Tablets: optimization of data and network for mobile apps, and lower fragmentation problems across multiple platforms and devices.
Secure & Scalable: bundled infrastructure that deals with scalability, security, performance and other operational headaches.
Handle App Growth & Maintenance: brings common and essential 3rd party API resources into a single stack, preventing developers from having to go gather them separately.

15. MBaaS Providers

16. Example: back4app (parse.com)
Founded in 2011
Acquired by Facebook in 2013
More than 500,000 apps in 2014
Shut down January 2017
Made code open-source
Many replacements, including self-hosted
Back4app.com

17. Back4app www.back4app.com iOS: http://docs.back4app.com/docs/ios/
Android:
Cloud Code:

18. Cloud Code (main.js)
Parse.Cloud.define("notify", function (request, response) { Parse.Push.send({ channels: request.params.channels, data: { alert: request.params.message } }, { success: function ({ response.success('Success! ' + request.params.message); }, error: function (error) { response.error('Error! ' + error.message); useMasterKey: true, });

19. Cloud Code (main.js)
Parse.Cloud.define("notify2", function (request, response) { var pushQuery = new Parse.Query(Parse.Installation); pushQuery.equalTo('user', request.params.receiver); Parse.Push.send({ where: pushQuery, data: { alert: request.params.message } }, { success: function () { response.success('Success! ' + request.params.message); }, error: function (error) { response.error('Error! ' + error.message); useMasterKey: true, });

20. iOS Code
message } block:^(NSString *success, NSError *error) { if (!error) { success); } else { ];

21. iOS Code
[PFCloud @"receiver": message } block:^(NSString *success, NSError *error) { if (!error) { success); } else { ];

22. Configure Mobile App
iOS:
Android:

23. Parse/Back4app Dashboard

24. More Parse/Back4app Includes capability to do local data store
Save objects on device, save to cloud later
Abstracts away a lot of the details
Store/fetch objects in background if possible:
Make sure to keep app consistent
Provide progress feedback for user
Parse objects are meant to be "small”
Less than 128Kb
Parse files for large pieces of data

25. MCC Applications Mobile Learning:
M-learning combines e-learning and mobility
Traditional m-learning has limitations on high cost of devices/network, low transmission rate, limited educational resources
Cloud-based m-learning can solve these limitations
Enhanced communication quality between students and teachers
Help learners access remote learning resources
A natural environment for collaborative learning

26. MCC Applications Mobile Healthcare:
M-healthcare is to minimize the limitations of traditional medical treatment (e.g., small storage, security/privacy, medical errors, …)
M-healthcare provides mobile users with convenient access to resources (e.g., medical records)
M-healthcare offers hospitals and healthcare organizations a variety of on-demand services on clouds
Examples:
Comprehensive health monitoring services
Intelligent emergency management system
Health-aware mobile devices (detect pulse-rate, blood pressure, level of alcohol, etc)
Pervasive access to healthcare information
Pervasive lifestyle incentive management (to manage healthcare expenses)

27. MCC Applications Mobile Gaming:
M-game is a high potential market generating revenues for service providers
Can completely offload game engine requiring large computing resource (e.g., graphic rendering) to the server in the cloud
Offloading can also save energy and increase game playing time
Rendering adaptation technique can dynamically adjust the game rendering parameters based on communication constraints and gamers’ demands

28. MCC Applications Assistive technologies: Other applications:
Pedestrian crossing guide for blind and visually-impaired
Mobile currency reader for blind and visually impaired
Lecture transcription for hearing impaired students
Other applications:
Sharing photos/videos
Keyword-based, voice-based, tag-based searching
Monitoring a house, smart home systems …

29. MCC Challenges Mobile communication issues: Computing issues:
Low bandwidth: One of the biggest issues, because the radio resource for wireless networks is much more scarce than wired networks
Service availability: Mobile users may not be able to connect to the cloud to obtain a service due to traffic congestion, network failures, mobile signal strength problems
Heterogeneity: Handling wireless connectivity with highly heterogeneous networks to satisfy MCC requirements (always-on connectivity, on-demand scalability, energy efficiency) is a difficult problem
Computing issues:
Computation offloading:
One of the main features of MCC
Offloading is not always effective in saving energy
It is critical to determine whether to offload and which portions of the service codes to offload

30. MCC Security Issues
Protecting user privacy and data/application secrecy from adversaries is key to establish and maintain consumers’ trust in the mobile platform, especially in MCC
MCC security issues have two main categories:
Security for mobile users
Securing data on clouds

31. Security for Mobile Users
Mobile devices are exposed to numerous security threats like malicious codes and their vulnerability
GPS can cause privacy issues for subscribers
Security for mobile applications:
Installing and running security software are the simplest ways to detect security threats
Mobile devices are resource constrained, protecting them from the threats is more difficult than that for resourceful devices

32. Quality-of-Service (QoS)
Throughput (large files; video/audio streaming)
Wi-Fi, LTE, Bluetooth, …
Compression
Prefetch
Latency (slow delivery of data)
Multiple cloud servers; choose closest one

33. Other Issues in MCC Pricing:
MCC involves both mobile service provider (MSP) and cloud service provider (CSP) with different services management, customers management, methods of payment and prices
This will lead to many issues
The business model including pricing and revenue sharing has to be carefully developed for MCC

34. Alternative to Parse: Firebase
Firebase is a real-time cloud data service. Firebase database is stored as JSON and synchronized in real time to every connected client. When you build cross-platform apps with our Android, iOS, and JavaScript SDKs, all of your clients share one Firebase database and automatically receive updates with the newest data

36. Choosing a MBaaS Ease of Use (Parse, Back4app)
Automated updates (Firebase)
Analytics (User data, Crashes)
Authentication (including social media integration)
App/Database management
Push notifications
Cloud code, background jobs
System s (password reset, verification)
Variety of APIs (iOS, Android, REST)