Second, wireless middleware has become much more sophisticated, and can often be deployed without requiring changes to the application. Today's wireless e-mail gateways are good examples, as are current mobile VPNs.
Third, and most important in our view, application vendors are finally delivering versions of their enterprise apps that directly support mobile devices. In other words, the mobile middleware component becomes redundant, vastly simplifying application deployment. You may still want middleware for security, management or mobility features, but increasingly, you won't need it for application data. A highly visible example is Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 with Service Pack 2, which can deliver a push e-mail experience to select smartphones. In the past, you could obtain this capability only using Microsoft Exchange with third-party gateway products.
Now, this does not spell the end for third-party gateways, at least not right away. Some enterprises will always be willing to pay a premium for greater networking efficiency, support for a broader set of target devices, increased security, and better configuration policies and inventory management. What this change does mean for IT, however, is an easier path to initial mobile application deployment. As part of our RFI, we sought to uncover the extent to which major software application vendors have developed support for mobile systems; see their responses at nwcanalytics.com.
This isn't to say there's clear sailing ahead. We see some serious inhibitors impeding mobile application deployment (see "What's Holding Us Back?"). Multiple mobile platforms, wireless networks and complex integration translate to complexity for IT managers and CIOs. And it's this complexity, more than anything else, that's inhibiting broader deployment of applications. However, though there is a long list of considerations and decisions you must make in developing a comprehensive mobile computing policy, there also are good choices every step of the way.
Application Attributes
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