Internet challenges at the edge
Apps that run at the edge can struggle to maintain a speedy and reliable user experience, especially when the data they need to operate is located only in the cloud. This makes the apps dependent upon the internet, and subject to its problems – if the connection slows or is interrupted, the app cannot run at peak speed or may even fail altogether.
To solve these issues, edge computing architectures extend data storage and processing out from the cloud to the edge, including on device, allowing apps to operate even if the internet connection slows or is completely interrupted.
Using an embedded database that runs as part of an application directly on mobile and edge devices is how to enable “offline-first” apps that are always available and fast regardless of internet connectivity. And data synchronization is key for consistency in edge architectures, syncing data changes across the app ecosystem when the internet is available.
Such apps are great for use cases where an individual might be working alone without the internet, but it does not address use cases where teams of multiple users need to share data between devices in internet dead-zones.
How can apps at the edge share data when there is no internet connection? Read on to find out!
Peer-to-peer data sync: collaborate in isolation
Peer-to-peer data sync is a method where app data is synchronized directly between two or more devices (peers) without relying on a central server or cloud storage. Each device acts as both a client and a server, sharing data directly with each other.
In a peer-to-peer topology, devices in near proximity leverage local networks like WiFi or Bluetooth to sync data without relying on an internet connection or central control point.
Peer-to-peer data sync brings unique advantages of efficiency and productivity by enabling an entire community of local users to share data without requiring the internet.
Peer-to-peer data sync use cases
Here are just a few example use cases:
Restaurants
Fast-casual restaurants place a premium on quick service, so in-store systems like wait staff tablets, ordering kiosks, digital menus and POS devices must operate at peak performance all the time to keep orders fast and customers happy. With a mobile embedded database and peer-to-peer sync, apps running on tablets or kiosks at the front counter, drive-thru, and kitchen stations all share data in real time to help guarantee speedy and accurate service. Peer-to-peer sync enables fast food operations to be faster and more reliable, especially in multi-device, high-turnover, low-connectivity environments common for fast-casual restaurant chains.
Mobile clinics
Mobile pop-up clinics are like mini-hospitals that provide diagnosis and treatment for remote communities that may otherwise lack healthcare facilities. In many cases the entire clinic must operate while offline with no connection to the internet, but they still need to record and share patient information between the various clinical functions. By leveraging an embedded database with built-in peer-to-peer sync, apps in the clinic can run and share data over local networks without depending on the internet. Physicians and staff are able to capture and share data with every other device in the facility as patients progress from registration to vitals to the exam room, the lab, the pharmacy and ultimately to discharge. Peer-to-peer data sync ensures quick and efficient data sharing throughout the entire clinic without internet connectivity.
Airline in-flight apps
Reliable internet connectivity can be a challenge anywhere, but it’s especially true at 37k feet. Emerging low-earth orbit satellite based internet is proving a promising option for some airlines, but no internet connection is ever 100% reliable. To guarantee reliable in-flight service, tablet-based flight attendant apps with embedded data processing can take passenger meal orders even when disconnected from the internet, while peer-to-peer data synchronization ensures orders are shared in real-time with the galley for faster service, and items are never oversold.
Oil & gas
Facilities for the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas operate literally at the edge – exploration sites, drilling rigs and pipelines are almost always in areas where the internet is scarce or completely unavailable. But workers in upstream facilities like this still need to access and share data to remain productive, and so mobile apps with embedded data processing and peer-to-peer sync become the solution. Field teams can sync data directly between devices without internet or a central server, enabling real-time collaboration between on-site workers for things like shift handoffs and inspection logs, as well as faster awareness in emergency situations such as leak detection or equipment failure.
Head-to-head mobile gaming
Head-to-head mobile games where players compete in real-time are great fun and hugely popular, but if the data they require to operate is in the cloud, internet slowness or outages can ruin gameplay, frustrate gamers and lead to abandonment. Games that leverage an embedded database with peer-to-peer sync allow players to exchange game state updates directly over local networks, enabling a fast experience ideally suited for turn-based games like trivia, tic tac toe, or tactical battles where gameplay is fast and realtime data sync is required..
Pop-up events/festivals
Pop-up events such as art fairs, concerts, trade shows, or festivals need to maintain efficient crew coordination, as well as reliable point-of-sale systems for merchandise and services, but they often operate in internet dead-zones that adversely impact cloud-based applications. Apps designed for brick-and-mortar locations are not an option for pop-up events because of their dependencies on reliable internet connectivity. This is where on-device data processing with peer-to-peer data synchronization becomes a huge benefit, crew apps can share data during event setup and takedown to maximize efficiency, and event POS systems can stay in sync so merchandise inventories stay accurate and up-to-date – all without internet connectivity.
Industrial manufacturing
Embedded data processing and peer-to-peer data sync allows devices and systems on the factory floor to share data locally in real time, which improves operational efficiency and increases uptime. By eliminating dependencies on the internet, offline-first apps with peer-to-peer sync enable collaborative workflows between machines, operators, and supervisors, allowing multiple workers to update information and stay in sync, and enabling data from edge devices to be shared for analysis or alerts.
Offline-first collaboration at the edge with Couchbase Mobile
Couchbase Mobile is a comprehensive unified end-to-end mobile database platform built for offline-first edge and mobile app development. It includes:
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- A cloud-native database – Use Couchbase Capella, our hosted Database-as-a-Service, or install and manage Couchbase Server on your own public or private cloud.
- An edge-ready database – Deploy Couchbase Server at the edge to support thousands or more edge clients, and for resource constrained edge environments with a few hundred local clients you can deploy Edge Server.
- An embedded database – Couchbase Lite is the embeddable version of Couchbase for mobile and IoT apps that stores data locally on the device.
- Data sync from cloud to edge – A secure data sync gateway. Choose hosted data sync with Capella App Services, or install and manage Couchbase Sync Gateway yourself.
- Peer-to-peer data sync – Native bidirectional peer-to-peer sync for mobile and IoT apps.
Peer-to-peer sync for Couchbase Mobile is available in Couchbase Lite SDKs including Kotlin, Swift, Objective C, .Net, C, and Java, as well as the community supported Couchbase Lite for Dart & Flutter SDK.
Get started with mobile sync now!
Check out Simple Data Sync, the Couchbase iOS peer-to-peer sync sample app on the Apple App Store. Simply install it on two iOS devices and start syncing data immediately!
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- Download Couchase Lite HERE.
And be sure to take advantage of the Couchase Capella FREE TIER, where you can use the DBaaS and App Services for free and see for yourself how easy it is to build mobile apps with Couchbase.