Opaque binary blob

Opaque Binary Blob (or OBB for short; plural: OBBs for blobs) is a term used in Network Engineering and Computer Science to refer to a sizeable piece of data, which looks like binary garbage from outside (by entities which do not know what that blob denotes or carries) but make sense to entities which have access permission to them, and have access functions to them. It is also a pejorative term for compiled code without the source code made available (see: binary blob).

Use in Networks

At least one Network Protocol, Advanced Message Queuing Protocol, uses the terminology of OBB.

Use in the Computer Field

Android Operating System-- code named Gingerbread—starting with version 2.3 uses OBBs to refer to multiple files—may be even a file system—in a single blob: A whole file system in a single file.

These OBBs are available through the Storage Manager interface in Android -- Storage Manager in Android.

For example, if there was a map database (map OBB) multiple mobile applications running on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) can access the (same map) OBB. This eliminates the need to maintain different map data for different, but similar functionality and featured, applications.

Tuxedo (software) "also" uses OBBs to mention C and C++ arrays — or typed buffers. This probably (input needed from knowledgeable souls) is the oldest reference to OBBs used in a computer system.

When a vendor distributes software in an object binary form without any mention of its inner workings or code, it is called a 'proprietary OBB' or 'proprietary blob' or just binary blob. This practice is to protect the company's intellectual property, and probably keep a competitive edge (see: proprietary software). This also prevents hackers from improving the system or subverting it. As an example, Nvidia Tegra has such a 'proprietary OBB.'

See also

• Binary blob
• Proprietary software