Erin Sorrentino

1
Enterprise Mobility Solutions

• Erin Sorrentino
• IT Analyst
• Syracuse University

2
Presentation Overview

• The Request
• Third Party Solutions
• Decision Time
• Current Environment
• Future
• Questions?

3
Syracuse University

• A private university located in Syracuse, New
  York, approximately 250 miles northwest of New
  York City
  
• 13 Academic Units
• 18000 students
• 1300 Faculty
• 3000 staff
• 2003 NCAA National Champions (GO ORANGE!)
• And yes, it snows in Syracuse A LOT

4
The Request

• In the spring of 2004, ITS got this
• request
• The Chancellors office requested ITS look into
  ways to synchronize GroupWise email, calendar and
  contacts to wireless handheld devices.
  

5
Wireless Handheld Devices

• Blackberry Devices
• BlackBerry 850, 857, 950 or 957
• Palm OS
• PalmOne Treo 600, 650, 700
• Windows Mobile 5, 2002, 2003
• Pocket PC, Smartphone

6
Our Current Environment

• Novell GroupWise 6.5.4
• 13 Post Offices
• 4500 users (Staff and Faculty)
• No native way to synch to wireless devices

7
Research Third Party Solutions

• GWAnywhere by Messaging Architects
• Blackberry Enterprise Server
• SureWave Mobile Office by JP Mobile
• NotifyLink by Notify Technology

8
GWAnywhere

• GWAnywhere is an enterprise-level
  Always-On-Always-Connected-Always-Synched
  wireless messaging solution for GroupWise
  
• Minimum Requirements Windows 2000 server
  (PII-300, 256GB RAM)
  
• No database backend
• Supports Windows, Palm, SyncML and Symbian
  devices
  

9
GWAnywhere Pros Cons

• Dont need a powerful server
• Multiple Delivery Modes (offline synch, live
  connect push, real time)
  
• Nice Client Interface
• Synchronizes the entire mailbox

• Creation of local user accounts
• Inconsistent Performance
• No Administrative/Client Web Interface
• Synchronizes the entire mailbox

10
Blackberry Enterprise Server

• Mobilizing the workplace with the BlackBerry
  Enterprise Solution helps boost business
  performance by increasing overall productivity
  and allowing workers to make timely decisions
  based on the most accurate information available.
  
• Oldest technology available and is considered by
  industry pundits to be the most reliable and
  stable mobile email platform
  
• The solution will only service BlackBerry
  devices
  

11
BlackBerry Enterprise Server Pros
Cons

• Been on the market for the longest
• Reliable
• Turn-Key Solution

• Only supports Blackberry
• The server is an appliance
• Expensive

12
JP Mobile

• All in one solution for secure access to
  enterprise email, applications and personal
  information management (PIM) data on handheld
  devices
• Product works with GroupWise 6.5 SP1 and higher,
  
  
• Windows 2000/2003 server with SQL 2000 for
  database backend.
  
• Web Interface is not IIS, works with BEA
  WebLogic
  

13
JP Mobile Pros Cons

• Easy Client Interface
• Administrative and Client Web Interface
• Over the Air Install for device
• SSL capable
• PUSH and POLL technology
• Not only a GroupWise Solution

• Web interface is complex, using BEA WebLogic
• Not simple to install
• Need an account will full read access of entire
  tree
  
• One JPMobile tech support person knew the product

14
NotifyLink

• NotifyLink Enterprise Mobility solution as a
  mean to provide wireless access and management of
  Email, Calendar, Contacts and Tasks suitable for
  any size organization
• Product works with GroupWise 6.5 SP1 and higher
• Windows 2000/2003 server with SQL 2000 for
  database backend.
  
• Can install all components on one server or
  multiple

15
NotifyLink Pros Cons

• Administrative and Client Web Interface (IIS)
• Can separate components Easy to install
• Knowledgeable and helpful technical support
• SSL capable
• Not only a GroupWise solution

• You need IMAP running on each POA (Post Office)
• Client Interface on device not easy to use
• Push technology is still in BETA (need to
  schedule syncs)

16
Top Choices

• Choices narrowed down to
• JPMobile
• NotifyLink
• The decision came down to ease of use of client
  and web interface and cost

17
Cost Comparisons(for 100 users in June 2005)

• Standard Pricing per Device license (one time
  license fee and then yearly recurring cost)
  
• JPMobile
• 250 per user license
• 28 of above purchase price for annual
  maintenance
  
• NotifyLink
• One time 1,000 server cost
• 100 per user per year for maintenance

18
Decision Time

• In June 2005, we chose JPMobile
• Ease of System Administration (Web Interface)
• Ease of Initial Client Configuration
• Ease of Client Interface (Testers did not like
  the NotifyLink Client)
  
• Signed the JP Mobile Contract the last week of
  June

19
Oops

• The first week of July, JP Mobile was acquired by
  Good Technology
  
• Good announced GroupWise JP Mobile SureWare
  Mobile Office would be supported as is until
  October 2005 and then support would stop
  
• We have over 35 clients dependent on JP Mobile,
  including Deans and Directors
  
• What do we do now?

20
Decision Time (aka Lets try this again)

• Tested the 2nd choice again, NotifyLink (new
  version)
  
• New Scheduled Push Technology out of beta and
  works well
  
• Better Client interface
• IMAP does not need to be enabled on individual
  Post Offices
  
• Purchased in January 2006
• Moved all users from JP Mobile to NotifyLink by
  the end March 2006.

21
Current NotifyLink Environment

• Over 76 users as of 7/05/2006
• 10 BlackBerry Devices
• 44 Palm Devices
• 22 Windows Mobile Devices
• Cingulair or Verizon phone plans
• Environment is currently running on a Dell
  PowerEdge 2650 - dual processor, 2 GB RAM

22
Current NotifyLink Environment (Continued)

• Syracuse Universitys cost to client
• 200 one time fee for NotifyLink license
• 11/month maintenance fee
• These fees do not include to cost of the phone
  and monthly data connection fees
  
• Service is popular with Directors, Deans and
  Faculty as well as the IT Professional on the
  go.
  

23
Demo

• SU Mobile Webpage
• NotifyLink Administrative Webpage
• NotifyLink Client Webpage

24
Future

• SU is moving toward an Enterprise Active
  Directory Environment with Exchange
  
• Will be migrating from GroupWise 6.5.4 to
  Exchange 2003 starting at the end of this summer
  
• Wireless Windows Devices will use ActiveSync to
  the Exchange Server
  
• Palm and Blackberry devices will still use
  NotifyLink, but for Exchange
  

25
Rules to Live By

• Leave enough time for testing each solution on
  proper server hardware.
  
• Dont allow Directors, Deans, Assoc. Deans, etc.
  onto the test system you will never get them
  off
  
• Do some research into the company that is
  offering the product. Watch out for
  acquisitions, takeovers, etc.
  

26
Questions?

• Contact Info
• Erin Sorrentino
• Syracuse University
• [phone]
• esorrent_at_syr.edu

27
Links

• NotifyLink http//www.notifycorp.com
• JP Mobile http//www.jpmobile.com
• GWAnywhere http//www.gwtools.com/gwanywhere
• Blackberry Enterprise Server http//www.blackberr
  y.com/