What is Mobile Cloud Computing?

MCC stands for Mobile Cloud Computing which is defined as a combination of mobile computing, cloud computing, and wireless network that come up together purpose such as rich computational resources to mobile users, network operators, as well as to cloud computing providers. Mobile Cloud Computing is meant to make it possible for rich mobile applications to be executed on a different number of mobile devices. In this technology, data processing, and data storage happen outside of mobile devices. Mobile Cloud Computing applications leverage this IT architecture to generate the following advantages: 

1. Extended battery life.
2. Improvement in data storage capacity and processing power.
3. Improved synchronization of data due to “store in one place, accessible from anywhere " platform theme.
4. Improved reliability and scalability.
5. Ease of integration.

Factors Fostering Adoption Of Mobile Cloud Computing

1. Trends and demands: Customers expect convenience in using companies’ websites or applications from anywhere and at any time. Mobile Cloud computing is meant for this purpose. Users always want to access business applications from anywhere, so that they can increase their productivity, even when they are on the commute.
2. Improved and increased broadband coverage: 3G and 4G along with WiFi, femtocells, are providing better connectivity for mobile devices cloud computing.
3. Enabling technologies: HTML5, CSS3, a hypervisor for mobile devices, cloudlets and Web 4.0 are enabling technologies that will drive adoption of mobile cloud computing.

Characteristics Of Mobile Cloud Computing Application

1. Cloud infrastructure: Cloud infrastructure is a specific form of information architecture that is used to store data.
2. Data cache: In this, the data can be locally cached.
3. User Accommodation: Scope of accommodating different user requirements in cloud app development is available in mobile Cloud Computing.
4. Easy Access: It is easily accessed from desktop or mobile devices alike.
5. Cloud Apps facilitate to provide access to a whole new range of services.

Mobile Cloud Computing Working

On a remote data center, Mobile Cloud Applications are operated generally by a third-party, data is stored, and compute cycles are carried out. The uptime, integration, and security aspects are taken care of, by a backend, which also enables support to a multitude of access methods. These apps can function online quite well, however, they need timely updating. These need not be permanently stored on the device but they do not always occupy any storage space on a computer or communications device. 
Moreover, it offers the same experience as that of a desktop application, while offering the portability of a web application. 

Mobile Cloud Computing Applications

There are two types of applications of mobile cloud computing (MCC) that are almost similar. These are as follows: 

1. Mobile Cloud application: It is defined as a model where processing is done in the cloud, and the storage is also in the cloud, and the presentation platform is the mobile device. For this, the internet connection should have to reliable and cell-phone to run a browser. It enables to use the smartphone with cloud technology with the following characteristics : 

1. A smart-phone has a recognizable Operating System.
2. It provides advanced calling i.e. video calling and conferencing features.
3. Smart-phone must have the capability to run the installable application
4. Messaging features are available.
5. A smart-phone must have a persistent and proper internet connection.

2. Mobile Web Services: In Mobile Web Services mobile devices consume more network traffic. It may lead to some challenges for web services such as mismatch of resolution and details of desktop computers. The device needs to know about that service and the way it can be accessed to use any web-service so that the mobile device can transmit specific information about the condition of the device and the user. Enabling Mobile Web Services are as follows: 

1. Enables web-service systems with web services.
2. Enables in-built external services.
3. Enable the rest protocol.
4. Enables XML-RPC protocols.
5. Enables the capabilities to authenticate user roles.

Benefits of Mobile Cloud Computing

1. Mobile Cloud Computing saves Business money.
2. Because of the portability which makes their work easy and efficient.
3. Cloud consumers explore more features on their mobile phones.
4. Developers reach greater markets through mobile cloud web services.
5. More network providers can join up in this field.

Challenges of Mobile Cloud Computing

1. Low bandwidth: This is one of the big issues in mobile cloud computing. Mobile cloud use radio waves which are limited as compared to wired networks. Available wavelength is distributed in different mobile devices. Therefore, it has been three times slower in accessing speed as compared to a wired network.
2. Security and Privacy: It is difficult to identify and manage threats on mobile devices as compared to desktop devices because in a wireless network there are more chances of the absence of the information from the network.
3. Service Availability: Users often find complaints like a breakdown of the network, transportation crowding, out of coverage, etc. Sometimes customers get a low-frequency signal, which affects the access speed and storage facility.
4. Alteration of Networks: Mobile cloud computing is used in a different operating system driven platforms like Apple iOS, Android, and Windows Phone. So it has to be compatible with different platforms. The performance of different mobile platform network is managed by the IRNA (Intelligent Radio Network Access) technique.
5. Limited Energy source: Mobile devices consume more energy and are less powerful. Mobile cloud computing increases battery usage of mobile devices which becomes an important issue. Devices should have a long-life battery to access applications and other operations. When the size of the altered code is small, the offloading consumes more energy than local processing.