This blog is to describe the need of my data in my device (need and usage of Offline application using lean Architecture). The details provided are author’s own views based on experience.
The evolution of the Hardware and DRAM Memory leads to our amazing HANA Platform development for Big data application. Similarly end users device‘s computing power has proportionally increased drastically in following parameters.
- Performance
- Reliability
- Security ( with Device level encryption)
Having said that, the increase in the end users’ device power is not fully leveraged for the new age application and evolution of the middleware likes SAP Gateway has given a new dimension in developing application (stateless) using RESTFul service .
These two factors, helps us to think for off-line application.
As a POC (Proof of Concept) we have tried two use cases with two different options.
- Use Excel as front end UI
- Enable the Browser with local storage to achieve lean Architecture in the remote system landscape.
Use case 1: Use Excel as front end UI
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This was achieved using the SAP Gateway for Microsoft (http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-49466) Due to native integration Capability of SAP Gateway for Microsoft with Net weaver Gateway, any Microsoft office tool can be connected to the gateway Service. If the Gateway Service designed as pure Stateless service, the Microsoft tool like Excel can be used as UI with local persistence. Hence, without additional middleware, the off-line capability can be enabled for any application or business transaction.
Use case 2: Enable the Browser with local storage to achieve lean Architecture off-line solution.
Most of the time, the Off-line solution landscape designed to provide off-line capability to work independently of the central Enterprise system’s availability. This leads to the complex Off-line solution landscape in the remote store. In attempt to reduce the complexity, we leveraged the modern browser like Google Chrome or safari’s capability to store data locally to enable application to work off-line. More detail can be found in the blog “Going offline with SAP UI5” ( http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-45756). When this SAP UI5 application connects to SAP Netweaver Gateway RESTful service, we can get full off-line capability of an application.
Apart from these two use case, we can think of many more simple uses case in similar line for off-line application requirements. These off-line applications bring inherent benefit like improved performance (round trip is avoided) and “My data in my device” feeling which enables the users to access their data irrespective of the connectivity.
