Overview:

In an increasingly mobile world, success will depend upon effective information management.

XTNDConnect Server (formerly known as ASL-Connect) provides synchronization directly between mobile devices and corporate servers, such as Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino or custom ODBC-compliant databases. It also
allows IT departments to manage a
variety of mobile devices.

Synchronizing and exchanging information with corporate servers can be a preferred solution for enterprise IT organizations trying to manage the information and applications on mobile devices. Often, individual employees buy mobile devices and then want to access corporate data, like e-mail, calendars, contacts and tasks, without understanding IT concerns associated with corporate standards, security, data encryption or support costs.

The challenge facing IT managers is figuring out how to take full advantage of mobile devices in the corporate environment, without losing functionality or control. In order for a company to benefit from incorporating mobile devices into its infrastructure, it must first have a comprehensive strategy that can effectively guide device adoption and integration as well as ongoing management and support.

For many reasons, today’s preferred corporate solution is to synchronize mobile devices directly with the server, rather than a PC. Server-based synchronization allows users more flexibility because they can synchronize remotely, as well as locally. In addition, XTNDConnect Server provides a complete management solution, including the ability to integrate multiple mobile device platforms into existing systems and to centrally manage the information and applications on devices. It also provides encryption for essential security in an enterprise network.

Management and Configuration
XTNDConnect Server provides IT administrators with tools to manage data and applications transferred to mobile devices. IT administrators can set up the necessary actions to automatically install and configure applications. XTNDConnect Server also logs the status and errors of mobile devices, which enable administrators to easily diagnose problems for remote employees. By using the Microsoft Management Console plug-in, the administrator is able to remotely monitor the status of the server.

The site wizard allows administrators to quickly setup the server configuration to synchronize PIM data between Microsoft Exchange or Lotus Domino and mobile devices running Palm, CE or EPOC operating systems. It also assists in setting backup/restore actions for the various operating systems. Additionally, the administrator can set group profiles that determine which application installations, file transfers, and data synchroni-zation occur for each individual group. For example, a salesperson could receive a different set of applications than a manufacturing engineer.

Groupware PIM Synchronization
XTNDConnect Server provides IT managers with the ability to synchronize all PIM data (calendars, contacts, tasks, e-mail) between corporate servers and mobile devices. XTNDConnect Server is able to synchronize this data from Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino or any other ODBC-compliant messaging or contact management system. IT administrators are able to choose what, when and how data gets synchronized and whether the mobile users have a choice to synchronize specific data.

Advanced filter settings allow users to customize what data is actually synchronized each time. For example, filters can be set to limit the size of e-mails (messages can be truncated at a certain number of characters) and how many days worth of e-mail to receive. Users can also decide to download attach-ments or not. Calendar filters can also be set to retrieve calendar information within a specific date period. This saves time when synchronizing over slow connections.

Security
By using Certicom’s encryption technology, IT administrators are assured that data is securely transferred between corporate systems and mobile devices. XTNDConnect Server also provides user authentication against an internal configuration or by authenticating users through Microsoft Exchange or Lotus Domino servers.

Customization
With the built-in Microsoft VBScript engine, the behavior of the XTNDConnect Server can be greatly customized. With the Objects and Methods exposed to the VBScript Engine, one can customize the server to enforce business rules, launch server-side processes, send e-mails, and more. With the presence of this powerful engine, the capabilities of XTNDConnect Server are limitless.

Connectivity Options
Users can access data locally while sitting at any desktop or laptop PC using a cable, cradle, infrared, Local Area Network (LAN) or Wide Area Network (WAN) connection. Users can also connect remotely with a wired or wireless model. All wireless transfers are supported over any IP networking infrastructure (i.e., GSM, Internet).

Database Synchronization
Database synchronization can be established with any ODBC-compliant database, Microsoft Exchange Server custom folder, or Lotus Domino database. XTNDConnect Server gives IT organizations, developers and integrators the ability to take custom application data and synchronize it to lightweight mobile databases. Instead of worrying about synchronization, developers can focus on writing functionality into their applications. Additionally, by using the XTNDConnect Server Replication Wizard, one can easily set up creation and synchronization of DB2E or ADOCE databases.

Specifications:

Management and Configuration Tools

• Remote server management via the Microsoft Management Console
• Automatic installation and configuration of mobile device applications
• Mobile device diagnostic reports, including battery, memory, etc.

Security

• Certicom encryption (128-bit and 56-bit) assures secure data transfer
• User authentication through Microsoft Exchange or Lotus Domino or an internal user list

XTNDConnect Server Operating System

• Windows NT Server 4.0 with Service Pack 4 or later
• Windows 2000

XTNDConnect Server Software

• Pentium 166 minimum, faster processor required for larger installations
• 64 MB RAM minimum, more RAM required for larger installations
• 100 MB free disk space for server software + 4 MB for each defined users
• TCP/IP LAN connection

Mobile Device Operating Systems

• Palm Computing platform
• Microsoft Windows CE Palm-size PC and Handheld PC
• Symbian EPOC platform

Mobile Device Databases

• Palm Computing:
• DB2E
• Palm PIM applications (mail, address, datebook, etc.)
• Structured .PDB flat files
• Satellite Forms
• Microsoft Windows CE:
• ADOCE
• CEDB (Object Store)
• DB2E
• Pocket Outlook applications
• EPOC:
• Native Data Application

Connectivity

• Local Access:
• Cable or Cradle
• Infrared
• Local Area Network (LAN)
• Wide Area Network (WAN)
• Remote Access:
• Wired modem
• Wireless modem

Networking Standards

• TCP/IP network connect from mobile device to server, such as Remote Access Server (RAS), PPP dial-in server or wireless IP modem, supporting GSM, CDMA and Nextel’s iDEN standards, or CDPD.

Groupware Servers

• Microsoft Exchange 5.5
• Lotus Domino 4.5/4.6/R5

Server Databases

• Any ODBC-compliant database (ie., DB2, MS SQL Server, Oracle, Sybase, Extended Systems’ Advantage Database Server)
• Microsoft Exchange custom folders
• Lotus Domino databases

Product Highlights:

XTNDConnect Server, supports Lotus Domino R5 and includes Certicom encryption. It also supports IBM's DB2 Everywhere (DB2E) handheld relational database and Microsoft's ActiveX Data Object (ADO) interface. In addition, the product features a complete set of tools for enterprise management of mobile devices and a replication wizard for easy application development.

• Synchronize mobile devices, including Palm Computing, Windows CE and EPOC, with Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino servers and ODBC-compliant databases.
• Manage data and applications on mobile devices with backup, restore, installation, configuration and reporting capabilities.
• Ensure secure data transfer with Certicom encryption.
• Connect locally or remotely using cable, infrared, LAN, WAN, and wired or wireless modems.

Also:

• Supports Symbian's EPOC devices

XTNDConnect is the new product name for Extended Systems' mobile data and management solutions. These products include XTNDConnect PC (formerly Enterprise Harmony) and XTNDConnect Server (formerly ASL-Connect).