When you’re in the market for a new car, do you ask the dealer to take a look under the hood? Or, do you simply take his word that the vehicle runs properly out of fear that you won’t know what you’re looking at?

After all, automotive technology has vastly changed over the years; now, more than 50 microprocessors are needed to properly operate a vehicle’s systems and features.

Similarly, cloud computing, tablets and smartphones, mobile apps, and other technology advances have changed the construction software marketplace dramatically. Just as the days of the shade tree mechanic are fading into the sunset, so too are the days of asking what operating system is required or how much RAM is needed. But even though the technologies have significantly changed, it is still necessary to know what’s under the hood.

This article will take you on a tour of today’s software engines to help you become familiar with how cloud-enabled and mobile friendly products work and what questions to ask as a confident and informed consumer.

Nuts & Bolts of Mobile & Cloud Technology

Before beginning the tour, it is important to understand the basic components of a software system. Consider a Buick and a Bugatti: While there are dramatic differences between the two, they still share the same fundamental architecture. The same is true of most software.

The underlying structure of a software system is often referred to as the “solution stack” or “software stack” – a hierarchy of software components that build upon and communicate with each other to create a complete, functioning product. Exhibit 1 emphasizes that in a generic software stack, the layers above typically rely on the services of the layers below in order to function properly.