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Mobile Messaging Gateways: Page 8 of 16

So how do these wireless e-mail systems work? Essentially, the gateway functions as a proxy for the mobile client, interacting with the e-mail (and other) servers on its behalf. Once the mobile gateway has new information, it forwards the data in a path that varies by vendor. Some companies, including Good Technology, RIM, Smartner and Visto, operate NOCs (network operations centers). For these vendors, the gateway first sends the information to the NOC. The NOC relays the information to the operator, and the info arrives at the mobile device over a cellular-data connection. With other vendors, the gateway communicates directly with the operator network. For example, with Seven, the gateway at the enterprise site communicates with a Seven server in the operator's network, which then communicates with the mobile client. In other cases, such as with Extended Systems and Intellisync, the gateway at the enterprise communicates directly with the mobile device.

A key security feature: Communications between the gateway on your site and the NOC or operator are on an outbound basis to a predefined site. You won't have to configure your firewall for inbound communications from a lot of individual devices, as you would if they were all running VPNs back to your central site.




Push E-Mail Wireless Architectures



Click to Enlarge

The model where the operator provides the gateway is simpler, but it may require that the gateway in the operator network be granted inbound access to your e-mail servers. See "Push E-Mail Wireless Architectures," for diagrams of the different configurations.

Of the vendors whose products we tested, Good Technology and RIM support the first model; Extended Systems, Intellisync and JP Mobile support the second model; and Seven supports the second and third models.