Why put local data on a mobile device as opposed to keeping it on the network?

Why put local data on a mobile device as opposed to keeping it on the network?

Why should I put local data on a mobile device and not just use some network connection for access?

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Requiring a network connection for access to data defeats the purpose of mobilizing the application in the first place. There are several key reasons why data should be stored locally on the mobile computer. Being stored on the device itself, the data is always accessible -- regardless of network availability. And no matter how fast an available network connection may be, accessing a local data store will always be fastest.

Replication and synchronization middleware has progressed to the point where reliable solutions can easily be embedded into existing enterprise applications. The replication solution will keep the local data synchronized with centralized databases. As connectivity becomes available to the remote machine, such as via Wi-Fi hot spots, dial-up, or in-office connections, updates occur behind the scenes. Configure your application to leverage a local database and allow replication to keep the data in sync.

This was first published in April 2004

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