MOBILITY: GETTING YOUR ENTERPRISE DATA
TO THE DEVICE

In 2010, smartphone sales are tracking to more than double over 2009 sales. Predictably, demand for access to core enterprise applications will increase. How will you deliver enterprise data to your mobile users’ devices?

There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to enabling your data from anywhere on any device, but there are three keys that can help you unlock a successful mobile data strategy.

1) Determine what method of data communication best suits the needs of your various user groups.

• SMS – Simple Text Message is often considered the easiest way to get data out to a mobile device—sounds simple right? SMS might be the way to go if your business application lends itself to exchanging short text messages with users but it’s not as simple as its name suggests.
  
  Cautions: One of Software Consortium’s senior mobile architects points out that sending SMS messages from one mobile device to another is straightforward, however, that is not the typical scenario encountered in the enterprise.
  
  Instead, there typically will be one or more automated back-end systems (i.e., systems without cellular connectivity) that need to communicate with mobile users, and that presents interface challenges. If the enterprise uses a single carrier for their cellular needs, server computing platforms can leverage (most likely existing) interfaces with a corporate email server to send email containing the data via their cellular provider's email-to-SMS gateway. Typically, cellular providers offer such a gateway where the mobile number can be used as the email address along with a cellular provider domain name (e.g.,  5551234@txt.vzw.net).
  
  But when multiple cellular providers are in play, the situation gets more complicated since a mapping between phone number and cellular provider would need to be maintained internally along with the list of cellular provider email-to-SMS gateway domain names. Such a complicated situation calls for use of an SMS aggregator: aggregators provide interfacing between businesses and multiple cellular providers using standard interfaces, relieving the business from maintaining name-to-provider mappings. Aggregators also can support a business presence within the SMS space by leasing short codes (the 5-digit addresses used with SMS) to a business in order to allow two-way messaging.
  
  Data richness becomes an issue with SMS transport when non-textual data (i.e., images) are involved. Some mobile devices support MMS, which allows rich media communications over the same protocol used by SMS, but this is by far not ubiquitous. More complex data sets lend themselves to some of the other proposed solutions below.
  
  Also, message delivery timing and reliability can be a challenge, even with simple text messaging. Check with your service provider to see if they have a Service Level Agreement which defines delivery timeframes.
  
  

• Mobile apps built for the mobile user – If your users require elaborate business processes or they need a lot of data, an app that runs on a handheld may be the best choice. For example, a visiting nurse might need to record visit start/stop times or view patient records to enter details.
  
  Caution: Apps running on the handheld may limit you to certain devices. On the other hand, role-specific apps naturally limit your user base, so you may decide to only support particular devices for specific roles.
  
  Mobility platforms help solve deployments tied to a limited number of devices. Often these products include application frameworks that abstract away the target platform (e.g., iOS, Android, RIM OS, Windows Mobile) by using a write-once-deploy-anywhere type of solution. A single code base can be developed and maintained that deploys to many different mobile platforms.
  
  

• Browser-based interfaces - This option can be relatively easy, especially if your apps are web-centric.
  
  Caution: Browser-based apps need constant connectivity. If your apps need access to core phone features, such as contacts or location, you should choose another option. Direct HTML interface won’t provide a good user experience on a handheld. You will need HTML code that accounts for different device types or middleware to convert the desktop interface to a hand-held friendly UI.

 

2) Consider how critical data will display and function for the user.

• Flat files - Small, simple data sets with fixed amounts of data can be rendered in “flat” file representation. For example, if you want to send each sales person a list of clients to visit, a flat file to handheld works fine.
  
  Caution: If users need to update the data, synchronization processes get complicated with flat files.
  
  Synchronization is a difficult challenge and not easily tackled organically (in spite of the simplicity implied by simple back and forth messaging); mobile gateway solutions perform queuing on the device and on the server to combat interruptions due to lack of connectivity.
  

• Complexity requires relational representation – A relational database management approach allows you greater functionality with your data. Data are indexed so searches are fast. Synchronizing updates is easy and transactions can be automated so if the synchronization process is interrupted, the database remains consistent.
  
  Caution: When many mobile users are working with complex data sets, you will have cases where more than one user updates the same data. Be sure to have a plan for resolving such conflicts.

 

3) Establish how your back-end data interface is going to behave for mobile users.

• Unstructured data – Data which are difficult to index and order because they are not in homogeneous format might be helpful to your mobile users. For example, pricing information that is stored in a spreadsheet can be easily downloaded to a sales force’s mobile devices.
  
  Caution: Make sure your users’ various handheld devices have the appropriate tools to view unstructured data in the format you send.
  
  
• Mimic the desktop – If you want your mobile users to work off the same application logic as your desktop users, mobile access should mimic the desktop client. Software on the mobile device might need to connect to middleware that uses adaptors to access the same application.
  
  Caution: When applications are used in a mobile environment, a session is more apt to terminate in a hung state. Make sure your back-end applications can tolerate hung sessions.
  
  The business should give serious consideration as to the data needs of mobile users when cellular (or WiFi) connectivity is not available. Everyone is familiar with the frequency at which cell signals drop (or are too weak to be of use). If the business context requires access to and use of data on the mobile device even when off network, use of a middle-tier synchronization gateway is the best solution.
  
  
• Look for the logic – When mobile users have different processes, it’s more natural to have them work off the data set as the back-end application--but users should follow their own logic. In the case of the visiting nurse example, it’s better to download the data to the mobile device and have the application run independently from the medical records software used in the office.
  
  Caution: The update process might get interrupted, which can leave the data in a state that could cause problems for the back-end application. Make sure you have a reliable synchronization process.
  
  Presentation issues on mobile devices vs. their desktop brethren can be a huge challenge. There is an onus on the business team responsible for developing a mobile data solution to take into account the unique runtime limitations posed by mobile devices. Be aware that screen size, limited input capability/robustness and environmental constraints (e.g., sunlight, moving vehicles) all impact usability and, ultimately, the success of such a deployment.
  
  One client discovered this the hard way with two earlier mobile pilots: one failed when the hardware associated with the mobile solution was inappropriate for the environment in which the solution was to be deployed, and another, when user interface needs were not taken into account when data entry mechanism were designed. Both of these cases stressed the need to understand and verify user needs and operating environment in translating successful back-end data access systems to the mobile context.

Discussion of other enterprise mobility challenges will be the subject of upcoming InSIGHT articles. Let us know mobility challenges you would like us to explore.

Contact Software Consortium or call 1-877-850-9393 if you would like to discuss how to leverage our top-level talent to empower your business and your mobility challenges.

 

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