Mobile enterprise application platform

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A Mobile Enterprise Application Platform (MEAP) is a type of mobile application development platform (MADP) that provides a suite of tools; including frameworks, services, and toolkits, to assist in the development of mobile enterprise applications. [1] MEAPs help organizations develop, test, and deploy applications across multiple device platforms, such as Android, iOS, or a personal computer operating system—ensuring cross-platform compatibility [2] [3]

Contents

These platforms are used for integration with existing enterprise [4] back-end systems, including ERP and CRM, to aid with data synchronization. [5] MEAPs incorporate security features such as data encryption, user authentication, and role-based access controls to enhance the security of corporate information on mobile devices. [6]

A MEAP typically includes tools for testing, debugging, deploying, and maintaining applications, as well as API interfaces for data storage and middleware components for features like push notifications and authentication. [7]

The term "Mobile Enterprise Application Platform" originated from a Gartner Magic Quadrant report in 2008, previously referred to as the "Multichannel Access Gateway Market." Gartner renamed the market to reflect its maturation and the mainstream adoption of mobile tools and platforms. [8]

Purpose and function

Mobile Enterprise Application Platforms (MEAPs) are designed to address the challenges of developing mobile software across a variety of devices, networks, and user groups throughout the mobile computing technology lifecycle. MEAPs are designed to support developers and end users by offering tools for cross-platform development and maintenance.

A key feature of many MEAPs is their cross-platform compatibility. These platforms aim to enable the development of a single mobile application that can be deployed across various devices with different operating systems, such as Android smartphones, iOS devices, tablets, notebooks, or modified handheld gaming consoles. [9]

The primary audience for MEAP's includes organizations developing and deploying multiple applications on a unified infrastructure. This infrastructure can be hosted on-premises (offline), in the cloud (online), or in a hybrid environment combining both options. MEAP's also support ongoing maintenance and testing. [9] [10]

Gartner observed [11] [12] that companies consider the MEAP approach when their platform's needs include:

  1. Support for three or more mobile applications.
  2. Support for three or more mobile operating systems (OS).
  3. Integration with at least three back-end data sources.

Components and features

Structure

A cloud-based MEAP typically consists of two main components: a mobile middleware server and a mobile client application. The middleware server manages system integration, security, communication, scalability, cross-platform support, and other essential functionalities. [7] It does not store data itself; instead, it facilitates the flow of data between back-end systems and mobile devices for seamless communication.

The mobile client applications connect to the middleware server, providing both the user interface and the internal logic on the device. These applications are designed to be cross-platform tools that can launch on various mobile operating systems. Mobile apps are generally deployed as "thick" or "native" applications, which are installed directly on the device. Alternatively, they may be implemented as "thin" applications, rendered through browser-based technologies such as HTML5.

Features and Capabilities

MEAP development tools have expanded from traditional 4GL tools to include graphical environments and dedicated scripting languages. To reduce manual coding efforts, many MEAPs include tools that streamline certain aspects of the development process. These may include integrated development environments (IDEs), software development kits (SDKs), low-code development platforms, or no-code development platforms. [6]

MEAPs can integrate with multiple server data sources, enabling businesses to incorporate Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) services from back end systems. [5] Many MEAP's are cloud-enabled, offering flexibility in deployment and scalability. [13] [14] Centralized mobile application management (MAM) is a common feature to deliver MEAP applications, particularly in business-to-employee (B2E) scenarios. [2] [13]

Some MEAP's incorporate Semantic Web technology[ citation needed ] to support mobile commerce applications. These platforms utilize semantic integration techniques, applying domain-specific ontologies, and XML-based standards such as OWL and RDF to manage diverse business information resources. Their platform architecture generally includes multiple functional layers, such as a service layer for handling incoming queries and reasoning, a semantic layer for maintaining static knowledge bases, a mapping layer for converting enterprise data into structured formats, and a resource layer that integrates heterogeneous enterprise resources like databases, files, and web services.

Additionally, some MEAPs use inference engines to facilitate resource discovery and assist in decision-making processes. [14] [ citation needed ]

Limitations

The accessibility of application development within a MEAP may result in variations in app quality [ citation needed ]. Reliance on vendor components in each application increases dependency on the vendor for new device support and MEAP maintenance. Additionally, the MAM features typically do not meet the stringent change requirements expected in other corporate functions. [9] Features provided by the MEAP are more limited than those available on the platform, which may fail to meet an organization's requirements. The on-premise installation and MEAP-specific licenses or hardware may involve substantial costs, depending on the deployment scale and vendor pricing. [7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Steele, Colin. "mobile application development platform (MADP)". TechTarget. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Enterprise Mobility: How MEAP Bridges the Gap". e-Zest Solutions. Retrieved 16 February 2024.[ dead link ]
  3. ↑ "Mobile Enterprise Application Platform". fugenx.com. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  4. ↑ "about enterprise SG".
  5. 1 2 "Enterprise Mobile Apps: Integration, Security, Deployment Tips". HyperSense Software. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Your Guide to Mobile Enterprise Application Platforms (MEAPs) in 2024". HyScaler. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 "MEAP Development Tools and Their Benefits". Xcubelabs. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  8. ↑ "Magic Quadrant for Mobile Enterprise Application Platforms". Gartner. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 "MEAPs and the Promise of Device Agnosticism" (PDF). Slalom Consulting. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
  10. ↑ Brandenburg, Michael. "Mobile enterprise application platforms: A primer". techtarget.com. Retrieved 8 May 2013.[ dead link ]
  11. ↑ Gartner RAS Core Research Note G00211688, Michael J. King, William Clark, 20 April 2011
  12. ↑ "Pillars of a Mobile Strategy". www.microsoftpressstore.com. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  13. 1 2 "The Essential Guide to Enterprise Mobility" (PDF). honeywell.com. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
  14. 1 2 Wei, Z (2008). "A Semantic Web-Based Enterprise Information Integration Platform for Mobile Commerce". 2008 International Conference on Management of e-Commerce and e-Government. IEEE. pp. 57–60 (4). doi:10.1109/ICMECG.2008.13. ISBN   978-0-7695-3366-7 . Retrieved 11 January 2025.
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