It is becoming apparent that you can't deploy a mobile computing application without making plans to manage your hardware remotely, and a whole industry has built up to service this requirement. Sharon Clancy offers a timely update on what's on offer

Businesses running mobile computing applications are becoming increasingly aware that if they don't make provision for managing their mobile devices remotely, this omission could have an extremely adverse impact on the total cost of ownership.

Paul Westmoreland, managing director of Psion Teklogix, sums up the cost-benefit challenge for users. 'Mobile devices certainly offer efficiencies and cost savings which directors are keen to realise in the current environment,' he says, 'but the return on investment can be eroded by inefficient manual device management processes.'

Julie Purves, marketing manager for mobile management specialist B2M Solutions, takes a similar view. 'Mobile solutions are not going to deliver the performance gains and cost savings anticipated without a robust management solution,' she warns. 'MDM [mobile device management] is now a fundamental building block for any mobile deployment, and no longer just an add-on to be included at the end of the decision-making process.'

 

Carl Rodrigues, president of MDM specialist company SOTI, adds: 'As mobile devices take on an increasingly important role in delivering mission-critical services, the need to keep devices operational and secure at all times becomes more difficult and more important than ever.' Rodrigues is among those warning that adopting a modular MDM solution, bolting on services as and when they are required, may result in higher costs and less than satisfactory solutions

The good news is that all this need not be prohibitively expensive. SOTI's philosophy, for example, is to bundle all the essential features for MDM into its off-the-shelf MobiControl application. 'The solution is future-proofed, and when the user-company is ready, it can take advantage of additional features that are built in.

'The price per device is around £30 – often less once discounts are factored in. We believe this is low enough to save companies from having to think about exactly what features they want now, and then having to add on extra functionality at a later date.'

Rodgrigues also warns against buying into specific MDM platforms that require software and applications to be written around the platform. 'The MDM application needs to be compatible with software from other suppliers that your company is already running.

'It has to be not only device-agnostic, but also operating system agnostic. For instance, Windows CE and Mobile require different configurations, and there are differences in how the device manufacturers deploy them as well.'

MDM

While there is growing consensus that some form of MDM is essential for any mobile deployment, there is less agreement over exactly what it should deliver.

Different sectors, of course, have different requirements. For instance, in service sectors such as utilities and logistics, where mobile data is often mission-critical, the needs of mobile workers are not the same as those of mobile workers who require information on the move, but can still be productive if they temporarily lose their wireless connection back to base.

And in the logistics sector, MDM has its roots in the repair services offered by the rugged handheld computer manufacturers.

Because these various sector requirements differ so much, MDM is now offered by a range of service specialists. They include enterprise mobility systems specialists such as Sybase; managed service providers; systems integrators (including ERP specialists such as SAP and Cap Gemini); value-added resellers; and, of course, mobility management application specialists such as B2M and SOTI.

'Hardware represents a third of the cost of any deployment,' says Adrian Lawson of Ryzex. 'The remainder is accounted for by applications, connections and services. So to meet our customers' needs, we transformed our business of selling devices to providing a range of services, including device management.'

MDM functions

So what should MDM deliver? Paul Westmoreland of Psion Teklogix offers a basic list. 'MDM allows businesses to troubleshoot, diagnose and fix problems, configure and provision the system, manage the network and the security properties of every single device – even lock down a device remotely if necessary.' He adds: 'Some programmes even offer mass cloning and back-up capabilities, and drive down the time and cost of mobile deployment, changes and upgrades.'

Such wide-ranging control need not be costly, as Darren Highnett, Honeywell's product marketing manager for software and services EMEA, points out. 'MDM has now evolved to the point where a single manager is able to control an entire fleet of mobile devices,' he says.

According to SOTI's Rodrigues: 'The biggest cost of any mobile application is getting the application up and running. You have to make it intuitive for a managers and end users because that's where the cost-savings are.'

Honeywell provides an example of how easy SOTI has made this process. It certifies SOTI's MobiControl on all it Dolphin Mobile computers, and customers can activate and install MobiControl just by scanning a barcode.

Over-the-air updates

Remote management of mobile devices is a key benefit when software or firmware upgrades are required. Even if you think an initial deployment has gone well, remote OTA (over-the-air) upgrade management is essential, says Cognito's David Perry. 'Applications will need upgrading at some point to reflect changing business needs. You can text employees to warn them the software is about to change, and when it is going to happen.'

Software deployments should be done overnight, invisibly and incrementally, so there is no pain to the worker – that's the advice of Sybase's Mike Oliver. 'It is not reasonable to expect mobile employees to be responsible for upgrades.'

Security

Security can mean something as basic as disabling of devices which have gone missing or simply dropped off the radar, but can also include advanced capabilities such as data encryption. Some user-companies have been wary of mobile deployments, and the effect they may have on enterprise security, admits Darren Highnett. 'With encryption and malware protection on the device, security is no longer a hurdle.'

'Device authentication is all about password enforcement,' says Mike Oliver of enterprise mobility specialist Sybase. 'Data security is not usually an issue – the only vulnerable data is what's on the device. However, you should encrypt the data in transit and on the device.'

Users need a policy in place for managing lost or stolen devices, says Oliver. 'The ability to wipe a device with a kill-pill is important, but so too are regular incremental back-ups throughout the day, to minimise any data loss and ensure it is easy to upload the latest data quickly to a replacement device.'

Oliver also advises checking what applications employees are adding to the devices. 'This is more of a problem for *shiny' devices than ruggedised ones,' he admits, 'but the warning applies to any device that allows Internet access or has an SD slot. Unauthorised applications can eat up the available resources on the phone, whether that be memory, battery life or processing power.'

Asset management

Asset management can cover a variety of services from repairs and replacement to device location and usage. Resellers are well-positioned for the repair and replacement aspects of MDM; many, including Ryzex, already manage buffer stocks on behalf of their customers.

Clive Fearn, marketing director of the Barcode Warehouse, says users need an MDM provider who understands the concept of 'buffer stock' and 'hot-swapping. 'Providers should have strict criteria on how repairs and service are handled, and their policy should always be focused on prevention rather than reaction.'

Cognito's Perry says hot-swapping is a useful tool for mission-critical operations. 'Focus on getting the worker productive again, then worry about fixing the fault. Pre-load replacement devices with all the resources that the mobile worker needs to resume working, then all they have to do is unpack it. And make sure the battery is pre-charged, because that eliminates problems if the in-car or home charger should be the fault.'

Device management gives user-companies a lot of control, says Highnett. 'Alerts can be set up to flag abnormal activity, such as instances where devices are not switched on when their owners should be at work, and when those in use should be switched off. Alerts can also flag when unauthorised applications are run, when device users call an unauthorised number, when battery life becomes too low or when memory is too full.'

As more mobile devices become GPS-enabled, asset tracking becomes easier and management can be more sophisticated. The geofencing function enables device managers to create a virtual boundary around a given area, so that if a device crosses the set boundary, managers can receive an alert, warning them of a number of possible explanations, including theft.

Device statistics and analytics

A figure much quoted by the hardware manufacturers is that up to 50 per cent of issues with mobile devices in the field are software-related, with no underlying hardware problem. 'With MDM, any issues with device software can be dealt with quickly and efficiently in field, in real time,' says Highnett.

Some user-companies are capable of handling the initial deployment, but then lose control of devices once they are out in the field, says Sybase's Oliver. 'Managers need to know, for example, why a particular device is not connected.