- A Gaping Problem
- Building Blocks to Close the Gap
- Solution Configurations
- Choosing the Right Solution
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Choosing the Right Solution
Now that you've seen the different ways of mobilizing your enterprise, you need to think through which strategy is right for your situation. Each configuration has a different pricing model and requires a different amount of work from your IT department to deploy and manage the solution.
Mobilizing a single application may seem easy—at first glance. However, it may not be the least expensive method. Furthermore, it ties you into using just that application. The mobile version of the application may not be sufficiently tailored to the needs of mobile workers, which are not the same as the needs of workers who sit in the office in front of a desktop computer.
The subscription service is appealing in that it's easy to get started, and the up-front costs are relatively small. However, you lock yourself into using one network operator. There are also security issues—you don't want your sensitive enterprise data to pass unencrypted through another company's network. And synchronization through a fixed-line connection can be quite complicated, since the synchronization process doesn't involve the same platform that provides the wireless access.
The solution configuration that offers the most flexibility is the one in which multiple enterprise applications are mobilized—that is, the wireless application gateway is provided by an independent vendor. Even if your short-term intention is to access just one application, by having a separate wireless application you keep open the possibilities for extension. This configuration also offers the best possibilities of presenting enterprise data in a way that fits the business processes of a mobile worker.
You need to talk to different kinds of vendors, depending on which solution fits your needs. If you want to mobilize just one enterprise application, talk to the vendor of that application. If you want to mobilize more than one application, talk to either a systems integrator or a wireless application gateway vendor. If you want a subscription service, talk to a wireless network operator.
You might also talk to device vendors and systems integrators for all of these cases. They may offer additional insights, and they may have partners with whom they work to provide the different kinds of solutions.