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Don't know a Blackberry from a Blueberry? Here's a Quick Reference for Hardware, Software and Online
Collaboration Tools.
It can be daunting to navigate the overwhelming variety of mobility hardware, software and
processes. Hardware and software choices should be made with specific goals and objectives for improving business productivity and communications. The elements of
the solution need to work well together and to solve identified problems or challenges for the business with a clear return on investment. We can work with your
organization to design a mobile technology solution within your budget that expands your existing network and business outside the four walls, increases employee
productivity away from the office, improves customer satisfaction and builds your bottom line.
Mobile Email Access
Beyond this approach is the evolution of
something even more interesting; technology-as-a-service. What does that mean? The concept here is taking managed services one step further and wrapping hardware
and software into this fixed, monthly fee which also might include hosted software solutions in the mix. Now you have technology systems that function like a
utility. Business owners can truly fix the cost of their technology, systems can be refreshed on regular cycles and SMBs do not have to invest large chunks of
money into quickly depreciating hardware or soon-to-be outdated software. Finally, technology expenses can be planned for accurately managed correctly and provide
optimal benefit to small businesses…without the ever present frustrations, unplanned expenses and mistaken purchases that too often prevail in the current model.
Some of the most common mobility requirements for employees are around email access.
Traditional POP e-mail (domain e-mail without Exchange Server) does not allow employees to easily manage their e-mail outside the office. Solutions that could be
deployed include web-based email access, Outlook RPC over HTTP, and wireless email access via a PDA, SmartPhone or Blackberry. These solutions range from basic to
advanced. Basic solutions may only allow read capabilities, while advanced solutions can synchronize data and allow access to calendars, contacts and email folders.
Enable clear communication with always up-to-date e-mail, contact, and scheduling information.
Reduce the time and expenses incurred when managing employee time and communication.
Reduce hardware and support costs when compared to a solution using laptop computers.
Provide a platform that is supported by common line-of-business
(LOB) applications used by small businesses.
Provide a platform for custom applications used for managing customer information and relationships.
Exchange Server - This is an add-on component to Microsoft Windows Server which
allows shared calendaring, remote e-mail access, calendar and e-mail sycing with PDAs and smartphones, and other collaboration tools. It does require a dedicated
server and IP address as well as some technical setup and administration but is a terrific tool for small businesses. Windows Small Business Server 2003 comes with an
integrated version of Exchange which can save considerably on software costs. To communicate with mobile devices, your server must have Exchange Server and
ActiveSync installed and configured.
Smartphones and PDA
Smartphones: Offer you
the advantages of a phone and PDA in one device. Smartphones come preinstalled with an operating system like Windows Mobile which will allow you to take your Microsoft
Office Outlook e-mail, contacts and calendar with you. They are often attached to a particular phone vendor. The BlackBerry is a popular type of smartphone
with a proprietary operating system. Smartphones can browse the
web, sync wirelessly with your desktop Outlook or Exchange server using ActiveSync
, allow you to view files like Word documents using the mobile version of Office to and play your music. Smartphones are great if you want it all in one place and
like the smaller form factor.
PDAs (personal data assistant): Need everything except the
phone? PDAs provide all the advantages of smartphones without the phone. PDAs come in many flavors from manufacturers like HP and Palm and many have
touchscreens. Windows Mobile 6 (standard, professional and classic) is the current version of the Windows mobile OS while Palm devices come with their own OS. If you do a lot of e-mail response, need more applications like Office mobile or GPS and mapping, and want a bigger screen and more full-function keyboard, a PDA is probably the way to go. PDA's can hold more applications and are not tied to a particular cell phone carrier.
Wireless LAN and Broadband
The difference
between these two is sometimes a point of confusion. Wireless LANs have been around for a number of years now and allow devices to communicate wirelessly or
access the internet using a local area network (yours or someone elses, such as "hotspots" at Starbucks or the airport. Wireless Broadband uses a cell phone
carrier, a wireless broadband card provide by the carrier such as Cingular or Verizon (usually a USB or PCCard device for a notebook or built in to a PDA) and a montly
service contract (usually runs between $40 and $60 per month). This gives you broadband internet access basically anywhere you can get a cell phone
signal. If you have mobile workers who need access from anywhere without having to locate a "hotspot", wireless broadband is the way to go.
Remote Access Solutions- Data and applications for mobile and remote users
VPN and Terminal Services
Another common mobility category is remote data, database or application access. This is commonly achieved through thin client solutions such
as Terminal Services or Citrix or a VPN hardware device. Each solution requires purchasing licenses and has its advantages and disadvantages and should only be
deployed after careful consideration for the user experience, type of data being accessed or transmitted, internet connection speed and device with which the user is
accessing the data (laptop, hand-held device).
Remote Desktop
Solutions such as GoToMyPC or PCAnywhere or
Windows Remote Desktop (built in to Windows) offer individual users remote control access to their own workstation from a remote location. These solutions
work well for small networks with a few stations but do require configuration for your firewall and each individual workstation.
Windows Remote Web Workplace & Outlook Web Access
Now integrated into Windows Small Business Server 2003, Windows Remote Web Workplace is a terrific tool for small business users to
securely access the office network, e-mail and all of their applications and files from anywhere using only a web browser and internet connection. Users can
access shared calendars and e-mail using the Outlook Web Access feature or get right to their desktop. Although it does take some initial configuration, the
capability is built into small business server and does not require any additional licensing. It is much easier and less costly to configure then VPN as no
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