Chapter 20: An Efficient WAP-Enabled Transaction Processing Model for Mobile Database Systems

G. Radhamani and Mohammad Umar Siddiqi

Abstract

Advances in computer and telecommunication technologies have made mobile computing a reality. In the mobile computing environment, users can perform online transaction processing independent of their physical location. As mobile computing devices become more and more popular, mobile databases have started gaining popularity. Hence, software applications have to be redesigned to take advantage of this environment while accommodating the new challenges posed by mobility. A new class of multidatabase (a collection of autonomous and heterogeneous databases) that provides access to a large collection of data via a wireless networking connection is called mobile data access system. The proposed WAP-enabled transaction model allows timely and reliable access to heterogeneous databases while coping with the mobility issue. This model is implemented as a software module based on the multilayered approach capable of supporting preexisting global users on the wired network in addition to the mobile users. Various mobility applications are discussed briefly and a simple illustrative application is described in detail. Performance of the proposed WAP model is evaluated through simulation using the Nokia WAP simulator.