Mobile Service Delivery Platform

To deliver mobility applications, we need an SDP . An SDP is a mechanism which

1. helps configure policies, customizations, service level assurance, security, etc., depending on the stakeholders of the service,
2. deliver those services appropriately,
3. help measure service levels, and
4. facilitate invoicing and collecting money for the services delivered

Sounds like Greek and Latin?

Let us first understand a service delivery platform with a down to earth real world example. We will look at real world transportation services. There are several types of transportation services available. Transportation of children to school and back home is a private service. A charter trip for an office picnic is another type of service. Public interstate transportation is one more example of service. Intracity commute is yet another example. The common element of all these service delivery is the automobile bus. It is the way that bus gets configured (its livery or paint, rules and policies to be followed by the driver, conductor and consumers, how signboards are configured, service charging models, etc.,) determine the type and flavor of service and customer experience. The same bus can deliver a point to point express service at premium charge or a multi-stop service at nominal charge. So the bus, along with the associated infrastructure of bus stations, bus stops and trained drivers/conductors operates as a service delivery platform on which several types of services can be configured and delivered. This is a very rudimentary example but gives you an idea of an SDP.

A mobility application essentially provides information service to a mobile user. The MSDP facilitates such delivery. Access to information is the basic service here. Levels of access, speed of access and ability to execute decisions on information can be determined by access privileges of the person who is allowed access.

For example, if we take the case of a banking application that supports access from a mobile phone, the bank may provide access to multiple account information for the primary account holder but the add-on members can only check their respective accounts from their mobile phone. All add-on members may be allowed to only transfer money from their account to the primary holders account but the primary holder can change any account under his or her control.

It is clear that any information provider needs to register users for the service. Once registered, they need to verify the identity of people trying to access the service and validate them as authentic registered users. For the authenticated users, the information provider then needs to provide access to the predetermined level and types of information services that the user originally registered for. Finally, the provider needs to know that the services delivered met/exceeded pre agreed service levels at all times. In case of deficiencies, the information provider needs to take appropirate remedial action and finally invoice/ collect money for the service delivered. The SDP facilitates all this service orchestration, customization, provisioning and delivery. The mobile SDP therefore is the vital link between all the investments the world has already made in applications and mobility which is the future.