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R E V I E W

E-Mail Without Wires

May 29, 2003
By Dave Molta

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Synchrologic

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	In this article
	Introduction
	Selection Criteria
	Synchrologic
	Extended Systems
	Good Technology
	Research in Motion (RIM)
	Sprint-Seven
	T-Mobile
	Executive Summary \| Scenario \| Evaluating Wireless E-Mail ROI
	Responses To RFIs

Synchrologic not only provided the most comprehensive RFI response, but the company also submitted it a day ahead of schedule! It's clear from the proposal that Synchrologic was comfortable addressing all elements of our request--beyond just the wireless e-mail need. It also included optional elements that left us feeling very comfortable that the solution could be applied to future wireless applications.

Synchrologic's Mobile Suite consists of four components, all sharing a common client, mobile gateway server and administration console. The Email Accelerator product, which directly addressed our request, is a behind-the-firewall solution that provides synchronization services for Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino, POP and IMAP mail systems, optimized for mobile networks with push delivery, advanced compression and flexible filtering capabilities. Additional modules include File Sync, which gives mobile workers offline access to files and Web pages; Data Sync, which is used to mobilize enterprise applications, including ERP and CRM; and Systems Management, which is used to manage devices, back up files, install and maintain applications, and enforce security policies. Synchrologic asserts that not only are its modules tightly integrated but that their functionality renders them comparable feature for feature with best-of-breed products in each of these four areas.

Synchrologic gave us a detailed analysis of the back-end systems needed to meet MSE's requirements, going so far as to estimate the cost of a suitable server. In addition, the company provided an in-depth explanation of the scalability attributes of its solution, including specific examples of environments where very large server farms running competitive offerings were consolidated onto a significantly smaller number of Synchrologic servers. The examples provided gave us the impression that Synchrologic could meet any proposals we could throw at it.

The system's management capabilities are extensive, a clear reflection of the product line's maturity. Synchrologic provides a robust security system, administrative profiles to simplify account maintenance, synchronization capabilities that adapt to network speed, automatic deployment and client/mailbox discovery, real-time monitoring and much more. The system is implemented as a Microsoft Management Console plug-in.

We were impressed with the capabilities of the various optional modules. The device-management system offers functionality competitive with leading mobile device-management platforms. The data-sync module, which is the foundation for building mobile applications, is equally impressive.

Synchrologic supports a wide range of client device platforms, including Pocket PC and Palm OS, PCs running Internet Explorer, WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) phones and SyncML-compatible mobile phones. The company's committment to device independence will be welcomed by many organizations, but be prepared to install and maintain Synchrologic client software on all your mobile devices.

A wide range of wireless networks, including 2G, 2.5G and emerging 3G, are supported. The company maintains partnerships with several domestic and international carriers, including T-Mobile, Sprint, Hutchison/3G UK and Telecom Italia. In essence, the Synchrologic solution is network-service-neutral.

Synchrologic also sent the most detailed ROI analysis among the proposals submitted. Using what we consider reasonable assumptions regarding added productivity, the company asserted a one-year ROI of 316 percent for a typical professional employee and added that some customers have documented ROIs five times that number. Much of this savings is attributable to the very high cost associated with supporting mobile devices in the absence of a centralized management platform, not just the benefits of wireless e-mail. Nonetheless, even if we'd felt Synchrologic's numbers were inflated a bit, it's clear that the system delivers a reasonable ROI. However, the Synchrologic system is not cheap: You'll pay $115 to $173 per user for e-mail support and more for optional modules. Annual maintenance is 18 percent of the system price.

Synchrologic, (888) 345-SYNC. www.synchrologic.com