Android Communication Over Azure Cloud : A project from Espoo City Corporation

Abstract

Espoo City Corporation’s (Espoon kaupunki) ground staff always needs to survey various locations for construction, renovation and cleaning. To complete a location survey there are several steps required. First, ground staff has to visit a location and take several pictures and note down what is required to be done for that location. Second, the staff must store pictures and data in database. Third, the managers need to be notified because they view data and picture as well as accept or reject the survey. Often managers ask for more data or clarification.

Because the process has always inaccurate and faulty, Espoo City Corporation managers decided to modernize their conventional survey. After long planning, they decided to use mobile devices such as smart phone and tablet as well as cloud technologies for the smart survey service.

The main target of this project was to simplify and automate the tedious and time-consuming manual process. It was assumed that if survey data and pictures are stored instantly from the survey site, it may make this process more accurate and faster.

After reviewing their process, problem and requirements, the proposal was to use Android devices and Azure cloud service, namely a client Android app for mobile phone or tablet and web services running in the Azure cloud. Azure cloud is the storage for all the data, pictures and maintains all relational databases. Also, Azure cloud is responsible for notifying any update automatically to all subscribers.

To achieve this goal, a client-server application was developed. The client Android app was built for location, push notifications, multimedia, current location, map awareness and the Azure cloud connection orientated. Azure cloud’s binary large object (Blob) Storage was used to store pictures, and a relational database management system (RDBMS) was used to store survey data and Notification Hubs to manage push notifications.

As a result of this thesis project, an Android app (app name Photo location note) which usages Azure backend to perform survey digitally was developed. This app assists Espoo City Corporation staff to perform their survey rapidly in a smarter way.