Modern Backends for Mobile Apps 
Sasha Goldshtein 
CTO, Sela Group 
blog.sashag.net @goldshtn 
Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 
This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends
An Exercise in Estimation 
Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 
This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends
modern mobile 
apps need friction-free, 
hassle-free, 
free-to-get-started 
backends 
Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 
This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends
Key Scenarios 
• POC/MVP development 
• Extremely elastic loads 
• Availability of mostly front-end skillset 
P.S. Scalable, elastic, distributed systems 
are hard. Why build them yourself? 
Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 
This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends
Key Offerings 
• Data storage (SQL database/files) 
• Efficient queries and caching 
• Push notifications 
• User management and authentication 
Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 
This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends
Key Players 
• Microsoft Azure Mobile Services 
• Facebook Parse 
• BaasBox (open source) 
• Appcelerator (tightly bound with Titanium) 
…several others 
Everyone has a great free plan for you to 
try! 
Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 
This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends
Getting started with Azure Mobile Services 
DEMO 
Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 
This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends
Scenario 1: Complete Reliance 
Azure 
Mobile 
Service 
Data DB Push DB File 
Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 
This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends 
Storage 
Custom logic in server scripts 
(JavaScript) or API controllers (.NET) 
Azure
Scenario 2: Offloading 
Your 
Backend 
Data DB 
Hybrid 
Connection 
Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 
This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends 
File 
Storage 
Azure 
Azure 
Mobile 
Service 
RREESSTT 
Hybrid 
Connection
Scenario 3: Occasional Burst 
Data DB 
Your 
Backend 
File 
Storage 
Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 
This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends 
Azure 
Azure 
Mobile 
Service 
or 
Notification 
Hub 
Push DB
Using push and authentication 
DEMO 
Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 
This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends
Pricing Models 
Azure 
•Scaled in “units”/mo 
•$15/basic unit: 
– 1.5M API calls 
– 10M pushes 
– Unlimited CPU 
capacity and data 
transfer 
– Storage and DB priced 
separately 
Parse 
•Pay per resource: 
– 30 req/s free, add 
$100 per 10 req/s 
– 20GB file storage free, 
add $0.03/GB extra 
– 20GB DB free, add 
$200/20GB extra 
– 2TB data transfer free, 
add $0.10/GB extra 
Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 
This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends
1 Million Users for $1K/month 
• Credit card bill and special offers app with 
queries and push notifications 
– 1,000,000 active devices/month 
– Average 2 calls/day/device = 60M calls/mo 
– Average 1 push/day/device = 30M pushes/mo 
– Average 100KB data/device = 100GB data 
• Azure price: 
– 3 Standard Mobile Service units, $560 
– 1 Premium SQL DB (500GB, 100TPS), $465 
Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 
This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends
Going with a Backend 
Pros 
•Elastic scale 
•Productivity 
•Cheap for common 
scenarios 
•Flexible customization 
Cons 
•Integration with on-premise 
Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 
This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends 
resources can 
be challenging 
•Uncommon scenarios 
can be expensive
Sasha Goldshtein 
blog.sashag.net 
@goldshtn 
s.sashag.net/sa-mobile-backends 
Thank You! 
Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 
This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends

Modern Backends for Mobile Apps

  • 1.
    Modern Backends forMobile Apps Sasha Goldshtein CTO, Sela Group blog.sashag.net @goldshtn Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends
  • 2.
    An Exercise inEstimation Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends
  • 3.
    modern mobile appsneed friction-free, hassle-free, free-to-get-started backends Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends
  • 4.
    Key Scenarios •POC/MVP development • Extremely elastic loads • Availability of mostly front-end skillset P.S. Scalable, elastic, distributed systems are hard. Why build them yourself? Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends
  • 5.
    Key Offerings •Data storage (SQL database/files) • Efficient queries and caching • Push notifications • User management and authentication Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends
  • 6.
    Key Players •Microsoft Azure Mobile Services • Facebook Parse • BaasBox (open source) • Appcelerator (tightly bound with Titanium) …several others Everyone has a great free plan for you to try! Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends
  • 7.
    Getting started withAzure Mobile Services DEMO Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends
  • 8.
    Scenario 1: CompleteReliance Azure Mobile Service Data DB Push DB File Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends Storage Custom logic in server scripts (JavaScript) or API controllers (.NET) Azure
  • 9.
    Scenario 2: Offloading Your Backend Data DB Hybrid Connection Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends File Storage Azure Azure Mobile Service RREESSTT Hybrid Connection
  • 10.
    Scenario 3: OccasionalBurst Data DB Your Backend File Storage Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends Azure Azure Mobile Service or Notification Hub Push DB
  • 11.
    Using push andauthentication DEMO Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends
  • 12.
    Pricing Models Azure •Scaled in “units”/mo •$15/basic unit: – 1.5M API calls – 10M pushes – Unlimited CPU capacity and data transfer – Storage and DB priced separately Parse •Pay per resource: – 30 req/s free, add $100 per 10 req/s – 20GB file storage free, add $0.03/GB extra – 20GB DB free, add $200/20GB extra – 2TB data transfer free, add $0.10/GB extra Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends
  • 13.
    1 Million Usersfor $1K/month • Credit card bill and special offers app with queries and push notifications – 1,000,000 active devices/month – Average 2 calls/day/device = 60M calls/mo – Average 1 push/day/device = 30M pushes/mo – Average 100KB data/device = 100GB data • Azure price: – 3 Standard Mobile Service units, $560 – 1 Premium SQL DB (500GB, 100TPS), $465 Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends
  • 14.
    Going with aBackend Pros •Elastic scale •Productivity •Cheap for common scenarios •Flexible customization Cons •Integration with on-premise Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends resources can be challenging •Uncommon scenarios can be expensive
  • 15.
    Sasha Goldshtein blog.sashag.net @goldshtn s.sashag.net/sa-mobile-backends Thank You! Join the conversation on Twitter: @SoftArchConf #SA2014 This presentation: http://s.sashag.net/sa-mobilebackends