Middleware and Applications for Mobile Computers

Transcription

1 Hitachi Review Vol. 48 (1999), No Middleware and Applications for Mobile Computers Taro Saito Yahei Murakata Masatoshi Nakaya Naoko Taniguchi OVERVIEW: In the mobile computing environment for business use, more and more people are declaring that they want to be able to do their jobs the same way when they are outside the office as they do when they are in it. That is to say, there is a strong demand for seamless collaboration between enterprise systems and mobile computers. Mobile computing environments, however, are subject to a number of problems. Users must endure slow data transfer speed, sudden connection failures, expensive connection costs, and other problems related to poor communication infrastructure. The problem of security must also be borne in mind because mobile users use a particular infrastructure like the Internet or a mobile phone system. Hitachi has investigated and analyzed these problems, and done much to solve them by providing special products called Mobile middleware, which are based on new technologies such as agent and security technologies that comply with industry standards and de facto standards. INTRODUCTION IN the hot topic of mobile computing, the main elements are: (1) systems, which are free from the restrictions of time and location, (2) WWW (world wide web) which helps users acquire data on demand, (3) schedule management, (4) word processing, (5) other elements. All of these can be accessed or utilized through various media, such as notebook computers, PDA, PHS (Japan s personal handyphone system), cellular phones, and so on. Of course, mobile computing is also a hot topic in the business world. And business people, being affected by the advances being made in mobile Problems for mobile computer users Solutions with Mobile middleware Personal digital assistants (PDAs) have a lot of valuable data in them, but enterprise systems or LANs provide very little support for them. Mobile middleware solves connectivity problems, security problems, and many other mobile comuting problems. It also saves costs by reducing connection expenses like the phone bill, and ensures secure data transmission. Mobile computing is very convenient but the communication expenses like the phone bill are very expensive. Sudden connection failures happen very often and make us have to repeat work that we have already done. If we send data through the Internet, it might get wiretapped or interpolated. PDA: personal digital assistant Hitachi Mobile middleware Mobile database access Database access middleware used in mobile computing environment Mobile message queue Communication middleware for mobile computing environment. Hitachi mobile message queue provides queue function and asynchronous communication function. Secure communication Automatic data compression function, encryption function, and authentication function when accessing a server machine from a client machine. Groupware Groupware that has functions valuable in a mobile computing environment Fig. 1 Current Situation in Mobile Computing. There are many issues peculiar to mobile computing in business use. Mobile middleware overcomes these by providing appropriate solution for each user.

2 Middleware and Applications for Mobile Computers 22 TABLE 1. Problems That Inhibit the Spread of Mobile Computing (Mobile Media Magazine, April/1998). Target: 2,300 companies : system dept. and sales dept. (total of 430 available answers) Target: Companies which have or are considering purchasing a mobile computing system Question Communication-related expense Valuable computerized data Obscurity of effectiveness User education Difficulty of the security Modification of the existing system Operating time with only battery power Portability and durability of hardware Data transfer speed Abundance of Prompt business processing speed Narrow mobile phone/phs service area System dept. and sales dept. perception Specialist shortage for radio transmission Other reasons Not in operation Under consideration computing, wish to take advantage of them so that they can have the same computing environmnt both in and out of the office. However, there are still cost, quality, and security problems to overcome before this becomes possible. Mobile middleware has been created as a means of addressing these problems. For the most part, however, current business use of mobile computing is restricted to using and the WWW to manage personal data and do relatively simple tasks. These are in widespread use because even simple dvices like PDAs have the functions required for using them. This is only a small part of the overall mobile computing picture, however, and brings only limited benefits to business users. The benefits available to them would greatly expand, however, if they had access to a mobile computing system seamlessly connected to the company s host system or LAN. Such a system would enable them to do their jobs equally well both inside and outside their office. For example, it is very helpful for salespeople working outside the office to be able to get the latest data stored in the company s host system and do order entries immediately if possible. What do you do if you are asked some questions that you can easily answer from your office but not from outside it. And what will happen if you must wait for some time to get the result of a commodity stock check, while your competitor offers the customer nothing but assurances? Yes. I can get all the answers you need just like that. Order stock? No problem, sir. We can draw up the contract right now if you d like. Price lowering? Well, it s beyond my authority, but I can check with my boss on that right now. Things will be even tougher for you if your competitor has an on-demand entry system for reducing delivery time and you don t. Seamless connection to a company s host system or LAN has the potential to provide very important advantages. Presently, though, it finds very limited use because of the problems involved. Table. 1, reproduced from an article in the magazine Mobile Media, shows the problems that have inhibited and are inhibiting the spread of mobile computing for business use in Japan. The main problems are: (1) Poor communication infrastructure, resulting in high costs for communication expenses, e.g. phone bills (mostly on a per-time or data-amount basis in Japan) (2) Hardware device limitations, e.g. operating time using battery power (3) Inferior security, especially in complex security situations (4) Necessity of modifying existing host system or LANs when constructing mobile computing systems To solve these problems, Hitachi has developed a number of special products. It refers to as Mobile middleware. The main features of these products include: (1) Batch processing To save on costs, phone lines are used only when data is transferred. (2) Process continuity Even after a sudden connection failure, processing can be continued from the point at which the problem occurred. (3) Security Secure communication is ensured by the prevention of wiretapping and interpolation. EXAMPLE MOBILE COMPUTING SYSTEM FOR SALESPEOPLE As mentioned previously, it is important for salespeople to be able to access data stored in host systems or LANs from outside the office. At present, however, they have to access the data by phoning their associates at the office and asking them to get it. Cellular or PHS terminals are useful for this purpose, but very limited in efficiency. Voice messaging systems are of little use for such purposes, and in any event such systems enjoy very little popularity among Japanese business people since they normally share one telephone with several

3 Hitachi Review Vol. 48 (1999), No group 1 2 X execution direction execution result s acquisition requirement Database access server execution SQL Database Mobile user Execution result SQL : structured query language Execution result Fig. 2 Database Access Operation Flow with Hitachi Mobile Database Access Software. other peeople. Thus business phones with a message recording function are few and far between. Many Japanese are also averse to get phone and call with cellular or PHS terminals because, being designed as a means for emergency communication, they have a very loud, annoying ring. Many customers in Japan would be quite put off if a visiting salesperson s mobile phone started ringing in the midst of their discussion. In response to this situation, Hitchi has developed a number of mobile middleware to assist salespeople. One product provides database access using agent technology. Another is a groupware and system with a remote communicate function. Database Access Using Technology The database system is the most important component in the enterprise information systems used by most companies. Thus it is important for salespeople to be able to use the company s database from outside their office. For this purpose, Hitachi mobile database access and message queue will save them time and money. Hitachi mobile message queue softwae protects users from sudden communication failures which jack up communication expenses. Hitachi mobile database access provides an agent mechanism that reduces the hardware resource requirement and communication expenses. Data access product for mobile computing A database access agent, in short, is a function to make server machines do all data retrieval operations. The function operates as described below. First, a remote or mobile user registers transaction on the server, which registration describes the execution time, access condition to the database, and other details. This transaction unit registered on the server machine is called an agent. Hitachi mobile database access receives the execution requirement and activate the agent. The data transmission between the client machine and the server machine is solely the agent calling and receiving a response. The amount of data transmitted is much less than that transmitted by an SQL transaction in an ODBC(open database connectivity) connection (Fig. 2). Once the agent receives the requirement from the client machine, it can continue its operation without any connection between the two machines. That is to say, the connection time can be reduced. And in Japan, the resultant reduction in communication expenses is very significant because communication fees such as phone bills are very expensive in this country. For this purpose, incidentally, the Hitachi mobile message queue is another indispensable product. The Hitachi database access client system is what helps to register the agent. By using this system, if salespeople register the agent from their desktop machine in their office, they can get the execution result merely by calling the agent from outside the office.

4 Middleware and Applications for Mobile Computers 24 Mobile user Application Mobile API (DLL) WinSock API TCP/IP Hitachi secure communication Receiving Hitachi mobile message queue (Client) PPP Transmitting Easy to use API Hitachi mobile database access (Client) Simple and easy to use API Batch transmission with mechanism and error retry function Secure and reliable message transmission in mobile computing environment Easy to access the database from outside the office Hitachi mobile database access () Mobile API (DLL) Hitachi mobile message queue (Server) application Application for Hitachi OLTP MQI Message queue for OLTP Hitachi OLTP Windows Socket API (*1) Hitachi secure communication TCP/IP PPP Receiving Mainframe Server Transmitting MQI RPC SQL MQI RPC Enterprise database Server IBM message queue Hitachi OLTP and message queue for OLTP Enterprise system GUI : graphical user interface DLL : dynamic linking library TCP/IP : transmission control, protocol/internet protocol PPP : point-to-point protocol MQI : message queuing interface RPC : remote procedure call OLTP: online transaction processing *1: Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp. in the U.S. and other countries. *2: means the queue of Hitachi message queue for OLTP Fig. 3 Architecture and Features of Hitachi Mobile Message Software. And it is also possible to customize the transaction processing pattern because Hitachi mobile database access softwre provides a special API (Application Programming Interface) for agent control. Communication access for mobile computing environment One problem with mobile computing is poor communication quality which causes sudden communication failures. So it is important for users to have a function which makes it possible to restart the data transmission from the point at which the communication failure occurred. And application like Hitachi mobile database access running under a mobile computing environment also must be able to do communication-related work such as issuing requests to the server machine. Hitachi mobile message queue helps users by providing a function for typical communication methods used in mobile computing, and by reducing transmission time and consequently communication expense. Hitachi mobile message queue is based on asynchronous messaging technology and also on the technology used in Hitachi message queue for OLTP, a high-performance, asynchronous communication that has inter-compatibility with IBM message queue softwre, a de facto standard in the present messaging market. Thus, it is easy for Hitachi mobile message queue to cooperate with existing enterprise computer systems. Its architecture is shown in Fig. 3. Hitachi mobile message queue has a gateway function on the server side that enables it to cooperate with other application programs running on the server. Furthermore, it can even cooperate with core enterprise system. The API of Hitachi mobile message queue, which registers and obtains messages between the transmitting queue and receiving queue, makes it possible for the application to utilize this communication function. Users may access the core enterprise system through the API without even realizing they are using it. Special Groupware and in the Mobile Computing Groupware is that includes functions like , schedule management, document management, workflow and so on. It is currently a popular data sharing mode in companies. Hitachi s groupware product has an function that is superior in many ways to other mobile comput-

5 Hitachi Review Vol. 48 (1999), No (1) messages to salesperson PP : program product Hitachi groupware server Cellular/PHS phone network (2) Salesperson checks the mailbox Intranet Public phone network Hitachi groupware server (Voice mail gateway) (4) Reply/transfer using phone only Fig. 4 Association Between Telephone and with Groupware. Indispensable : Integrated desktop Audio analog digital data conversion board (3) Salesperson hears the messages ing. One example is shown below. is an effective communication method between a mobile office and a company s main office. But it is very troublesome to use because salespeople must carry a hardware device like a PDA with them to access . Hitachi groupware server, however, makes it possible for salespeople to send or receive merely by using a telephone. It even has a function with which replies can be sent via an attached voice file method (Fig.4). check from a portable computer Integrated Desktop, one type of Hitachi groupware client, has an automatic download function which is a new feature available beginning with new version. It can automatically download all messages into a client machine. Hitachi groupware has some functions that POP3-based mail client and server have. Thus, Integrated Desktop can automatically dial the phone number, establish the dial connection to the mail server, send, receive, and download the new messages, and close the connection. Of course, users can read the new mail and send their replies in the off-line mode as well. Reading/writing from the POP3 mail client Hitachi groupware has implemented POP3 (Post Office Protocol Version 3), the standard protocol in the Internet. This means that a user can use Hitachi groupware with leading client that uses the POP3 protocol. Some PDAs also have POP3 mail client now. Accessing the Hitachi groupware server by telephone Hitachi groupware users can access their mailbox without using a notebook computer, any other type of PC, or a PDA. Instead, they can read messages and reply to them merely by using a pay phone, cellular phone, or a PHS phone. SECURITY SYSTEM FOR MOBILE COMPUTING Data wiretapping and interpolation are the key issues in the area of computer system security today. In a mobile computing environment, these issues can be broken down as follows: (1) Wiretapping of transmission data The data is sent through a public place, and thus it can be wiretapped easily. (2) Illegal access to a computer system In a mobile computing environment, many enterprise computer systems have modems for remote or mobile users. These modems are good entrances for crackers. (3) Lost hardware device It is always possible for a user to lose a hardware device, and for a stranger to find and use it. Hitachi has developed to help combat these security problems. Hitachi secure communication prevents security breaches from wiretapping through automatic data encryption. The company s dealing with the illiegal access issue is described in Communication Infrastructure for Secure Mobile Computing, another article in this issue. And Hitachi s portable hardware has an authentication mechanism with ID or password so that lost devices Pseudo- WinSock DLL FTP True WinSock DLL FTP : file transfer protocol telnet WinSock function entry Socket library main body TCP / IP Hitachi groupware Data compression Encryption Key management Fig. 5 Encryption and Compression with the Hooking Mechanism

6 Middleware and Applications for Mobile Computers 26 will not result in security problems. Features of Hitachi Secure Communication Softwre Hitachi secure communication has four principal features for mobile computing. (1) No modification of existing systems is required. Hitachi secure communication hooks the socket function that the application program calls to TCP/IP program, so there is no need to modify the application program. This mechanism is described in Fig. 5. (2) Excellent authentication mechanism based on ISO/ IEC9798 Hitachi secure communication has an ISO/ IEC9798-based authentication mechanism. It is more secure than an ID or password authentication mechanism. (3) Hitachi secure communication encryption mechanism Hitachi secure communication encryption mechanism has a 256-bit key length and a hash code mechanism to check data interpolation. Encryption and compression are done at the same time so that communication time and expense can be reduced. (4) Removable certification data Hitachi secure communication requires certification data stored in a storage device. Thus, if the user uses a floppy disk, no third person can run Hitachi secure communication without it. CONCLUSIONS This article has introduced Hitachi s line-up of Mobile middleware products which provide an efficient, easy-to-use, and highly reliable mobile computing environment by realizing seamless computing. The products and technologies introduced in this article are only some of the many products Hitachi provides. Hitachi will continue to offer valuable Mobile middleware products and technologies that will be key mobile computing components in the 21st century. REFERENCE (1) Omori: Current SFA status in USA and Next generation business strategy researched by Mobile-SFA actual condition survey through listed companies in USA, Mobile Media Magazine 38, (1998) ABOUT THE AUTHORS Taro Saito Joined Hitachi, Ltd. in 1993 and now works at the 3rd Group of the Network Software Dept. of the Software Division. He is currently engaged in the product marketing and design of network related products. Mr. Saito is a member of the Information Processing Society of Japan and can be reached by at saito_t@soft.hitachi.co.jp. Masatoshi Nakaya Joined Hitachi, Ltd. in 1972 and now works at the 8th Group of the 4th Operating System Dept. at the Software Division. He is currently engaged in the product design of a secure communication. Mr. Nakaya is a member of the Information Processing Society of Japan and he can be reached by at nakaya_m@soft.hitchi.co.jp. Yahei Murakata Joined Hitachi, Ltd. in 1977 and now works at the 6th Group of the Data Communications Dept. at the Software Div. He is currently engaged in the product design of enterprise middleware products. Mr. Murakata can be reached by at murak_ya@soft.hitachi.co.jp. Naoko Taniguchi Joined Hitachi, Ltd. in 1989 and now works at the 4th Group of the Application Infrastructure Dept. at the Software Div. She is currently engaged in the product design of middleware for database access. Ms. Taniguchi is a member of the Information Processing Society of Japan and she can be reached by at tanigu_n@soft.hitachi.co.jp.