TM352 Web, Mobile and Cloud Technologies Tutor-Marked Assignment 2026 | The Open University

TM352 Web, Mobile and Cloud Technologies TMA

Part 1 – Web Services [60 Marks] 

Assignment Scenario: Library Management System (LMS) 

Library Management System (LMS): 

The Library Management System (LMS) is a distributed web application designed to automate library operations. One of the most important activities in this system is to manage books and track borrowing/return activities so that users can view available books and receive real-time updates.

In this assignment, you are tasked with developing services related to this activity.

LMS keeps track of all books and borrowing activities.

• Library staff can add, update, and search books.
• Library members can view available books and see their borrowing history.
• Each staff member and library member logs in as a system user.

System Components:

• A SOAP web service for staff to view, search, and update books.
• A RESTful web service for members to view available books and their profile(including borrowing history).

You are required to develop these services for the LMS.

Phase 1: User Interface / Client Side [20 Marks] 

At this phase, develop the client-side interface to ensure that SOAP services are accessed properly via a Java application for staff and RESTful service is accessed via a web browser for members.

1. Library Staff Client – 10 Marks

After successful login, the staff should be able to:

• View all books in the library.
• Search for a particular book by book_Id.
• Update book information (title, author, category, quantity).

Hint: Provide necessary GUI fields and buttons, and communicate with the SOAP service using JAX-WS.

2. Library Member Client – 10 Marks

After successful login, the member should be able to:

• View all available books.
• See his/her profile, including borrowing history.

Hint: Use browser-based access to the RESTful service and JSON responses to display information.

Phase 2: Server-side Services [40 Marks] 

At this phase, develop the web services using Java. For each task in Phase 1, provide an appropriate service and implement security for the RESTful service to allow access only to authorised users.

Service Functionalities: [10 marks each] 

• View All Books  – Retrieve all books stored in a JSON file (books.json).
• Search a Book  – Retrieve a particular book’s information by book_id.
• Update Book Information  – Allow staff to modify book data and update the JSON file.
• View Member Profile + Borrowing History  – Allow members to view their profile and all available books.

Hint:

• Use appropriate Java classes to read/write JSON files (e.g., JacksonObjectMapper).
• Maintain Book class with bookId, title, author, category, quantity.
• Maintain Member class with memberId, name, email, and borrowed Books.
• Use Basic Auth or JWT for securing RESTful access for members.

Part 2 – Cloud Computing [40 Marks] 

Scenario: 

Cloud services play a crucial role in modern business operations, enabling scalability, flexibility, and cost efficiency. Your task is to perform a comparative analysis of two leading cloud providers, Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and IBM Cloud, focusing on their core offerings and suitability for enterprise use. 

Assignment Task:

Write a brief comparative report titled“Comparative Analysis of Cloud Services: GCP vs IBM Cloud”. The report must include the following sections:

1. Executive Summary [5 marks]

• Provide a brief overview of the purpose of the analysis.
• Summarise key findings and recommendations for organisations choosing between GCP and IBM Cloud.

2. Introduction [10 marks]

• Overview of cloud computing and its importance in business operations.
• Background information on GCP and IBM Cloud.
• Comparison parameters: Service offerings, pricing models, performance, security, and enterprise support.

3. Core Service Comparison [15 marks]

Compare the following:

• Compute Services: Virtual machines, serverless computing, container orchestration.
• Storage Solutions: Object storage, block storage, file storage, data management.
• AI/ML Services: Machine learning tools, AI APIs, analytics platforms.
• Pricing Models: Pay-as-you-go, subscription models, free tiers, reserved instances.

4. Recommendation and Conclusion [5 marks]

• Suggest which cloud platform is more suitable for different organisational scenarios.
• Summarise the strengths and weaknesses of GCP and IBM Cloud.

5. References [5 marks]

• List at least 3 credible sources, including official cloud documentation, articles, or whitepapers.

Note: Use the Harvard style of referencing to provide at least 3 references for part 2.

Instructions:

1. Submit two files

a. One zip file for Part 1 of the TMA containing

1. All the project's folders, assuming that you are using NetBeans to develop your TMA, you are required to send the whole project folder as a single zip file.

2. A Word file that contains Phase 1 and Phase 2 codes of clientside, the operations of the web services, as well as screenshots after running each service [at least 4 screenshots that must show the event manager operations and user view by user].

3. Needed XML files.
Use the following format to name your zip file:
TM352-TMA-FL-25-26-Branch-StudentFirstName-ID

b. Word file for Part 2 of the TMA

1. Report file in word.docx format
Use the following format to name your Word file:
TM352-TMA- FL-25-26-Branch-StudentFirstName-ID.docx

Note:

• Violating the instructions would cause a mark deduction.
• The plagiarism policy is strictly applied in marking this TMA.
• Failure to submit the Project File (Zip file) will deduct 50% of Part 1 marks.
• Failure to submit the project codes in a Word file will deduct 50% of Part 1 marks.
• Failure to submit the Word File (report file) will deduct 40% of TMA marks.
• Every day late submission (after the due date) will deduct 10% of TMA marks.