Hybrid Mobile-Cloud Computing: Driving the Future of Enterprise Mobility

• Publication date: November 2012
• Report size: 16 pages

Hybrid Mobile Cloud (HMC) computing represents a systems in which a local, native mobile application with a great user interface, is married with cloud computing to provide an intelligent and scalable solution that is better than either native mobile app alone or an HTML5-only cloud computing application. Our research defines the roles of mobile and cloud computing in the enterprise today and provides a vision for how HMC computing will develo...

Hybrid Mobile Cloud (HMC) computing represents a systems in which a local, native mobile application with a great user interface, is married with cloud computing to provide an intelligent and scalable solution that is better than either native mobile app alone or an HTML5-only cloud computing application.
Our research defines the roles of mobile and cloud computing in the enterprise today and provides a vision for how HMC computing will develop into a new paradigm that will become dominant within the next few years.
This report provides visibility into how HMC computing enables enterprise IT management to deploy customer-facing applications and become a more valued strategic asset for the organization. The analysis focuses on the impact of mobile becoming the primary channel for customers interaction most organizations. The report also provides recommendations for enterprise IT leadership regarding best integration practices for HMC computing within a corporate environment.
Target Audience: 

-Cloud service providers
-Mobile network operators
-Mobile application developers
-Next generation computing companies
-Computer and semiconductor companies

IT Hosting Industry

Table of Contents: 
Executive Summary
1.1. Definition of Hybrid Mobile-Cloud (HMC) computing 1
1.2. Role of native apps and cloud in enterprise computing 1
1.3. Developing for HMC computing 1
1.4. HMC leads to IT leadership both internally & externally 1
2. Introduction 1
2.1. Background on cloud & mobile computing 1
2.2. Mobile at the center of the user’s experience 1
2.3. Introduce the concept of Hybrid Mobile Computing (HMC) 1
3. The New Mobile Agenda: Internal & External Facing Information Technology 2
3.1.1. Past: internally facing IT for employees 2
3.1.2. Future: externally facing IT for customers 2
4. Mobile Application Platforms 3
4.1.1. Apple iOS 3
4.1.2. Google Android 3
4.1.3. Microsoft Windows Phone 4
4.1.4. RIM BlackBerry 10 4
5. Cloud Computing 4
5.1.1. Differences between cloud and server-based computing 5
5.1.2. Basics of mobile application development 5
5.1.2.1. Challenges of working with a small screen 5
5.1.2.2. Can’t simply ‘pour’ a web design into mobile 5
5.1.2.3. Have to design the mobile environment 6
5.1.3. Definition of HMC computing 6
6. Native Apps vs. HTML5 . 6
6.1.1. Definitions of HTML5 & native 6
6.1.2. HTML5 standards development 7
6.1.3. Capabilities of HTML5 in mobile 7
6.1.4. Tradeoffs of using HTML5 (with browser) and native 7
6.1.5. Recommendations 8
7. Smartphone vs. Tablet Development 8
7.1.1. Smartphone development 8
7.1.2. Why it works OK on tablets 8
7.1.3. Requirements for tablet development 8
7.1.4. How smartphone and tablet apps are different 8
8. Hybrid Mobile Cloud Architecture 9
8.1.1. Overall architecture 9
8.1.1.1.1. A coordination between local, native mobile app and the cloud 9
8.1.1.1.2. How native mobile works with the cloud 9
8.1.2. HMC Architecture Features 9
8.1.2.1.1. Local, offline operation 9
8.1.2.1.2. Connecting 10
8.1.2.1.3. Via Wi-Fi 10
8.1.2.1.4. Via Wireless Broadband (3G/4G) 10
8.1.2.1.5. User interface design 10
8.1.2.1.6. Wire frames 10
8.1.3. Designing HMC solutions 10
8.1.3.1.1. The mobile component 10
8.1.3.1.2. The cloud component 10
8.1.3.1.3. The HMC integration 10
8.1.3.1.4. Dealing with smartphone and tablet
‘expressions’ of the HMC solution 11
8.1.4. Deployment and management of HMC solutions 11
8.1.4.1.1. Mobile device management (MDM) 11
8.1.4.1.2. Internal, employee facing HMC 11
8.1.4.1.3. External, customer facing HMC 11
9. HMC as a Strategic Asset 12
9.1.1. The changing roles of enterprise IT 12
9.1.1.1.1. From internally facing role to accommodate
employees’ mobile requirements 12
9.1.1.1.2. To externally facing role that accommodate
mobile access by customers 12
9.1.2. HMC enables IT management to leverage customer interaction 12
9.1.3. HMC enables IT to help the CEO deliver mobile services to customers 12
9.1.4. HMC helps drive the 21st century highly interactive organization 12
10. The Future of HMC Services 12
10.1.1. Becoming a standard way to develop ‘serious’ enterprise apps 12
10.1.2. Can support internal as well as external 12
10.1.3. Least cost ‘smart’ routing for data communications 12
10.1.4. Reduced number of mobile platforms 12
10.1.5. Possible merger of notebook and mobile 12
11. Conclusions 12
11.1.1. HMC is the way forward for enterprise IT 12
11.1.2. HMC will become widely adopted 12
11.1.3. HMC will allow enterprise IT’s role in the organization to grow 12
11.1.4. HMC will enable customers to have better experiences
interacting with organizations 12
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List of Figures

Figure 1. Enterprise IT now has both internal and external responsibilities
Figure 2. Native mobile apps provide a great local experience on the smartphone or tablet without any cloud interaction
Figure 3. Cloud based applications use a browser on the user’s machine (PC, smartphone or tablet)
Figure 4. Hybrid mobile cloud based applications that provide a good local user experience plus cloud services