Extended Systems Integrates Mobile Apps Into Enterprise

Extended Systems, Boise, Idaho, recently released XTNDConnect Server Professional Edition 3.0, enterprise-level software designed to integrate mobile applications into enterprise-level information systems and gives handheld users an easy-to-manage interface for retrieving crucial data.

The software has an IT side and a user side. For the delivery of data to be a success, the groundwork on the IT side must be flawless and robust.

Solution providers can explore either venue when implementing the software, either by laying the infrastructure groundwork or by deploying the mobile devices in large company rollouts.

"XTNDConnect combined with user-purchased handheld devices contributed to a favorable total cost of ownership for us as a vendor and to our client hospitals," said Alan Ying, CEO of MercuryMD, a Research Triangle Park, N.C.-based solution provider.

The product is priced at $150 per user for up to 100 users and $115 per user based on 1,000 users.

CRN engineers deployed the software onto a centralized server, which was running Lotus Domino/Notes Server 4.6 as the mail client. An installation wizard asks which mail client and mobile device are being used. In this case, CRN engineers used a Compaq iPaq 3765 running Windows CE. After pointing to the Notes server and addressing some administration issues, the user is prompted to write down a 12-digit code, which is needed later to finalize setup.

Setup on the PDA required a pocketconnect.cab file, which was provided at the end of the server administration setup. The file was brought over to the PDA through ActiveSync. Once the CAB file was on the mobile device, clicking on it ran the client program. The server's IP address along with username and password are also required to complete setup.

After running the client several times, the address book would not download to the iPaq. In Notes, the address book does not replicate on the server but is housed on the user's workstation. To download the address book, the names.nsf file has to be replicated and put onto the server. This will only work if the user has administrator rights, though.

On the whole the software requires a lot of attention and laying the foundation is vital. If server setup is misconstrued in anyway, the PDA rollout will not be successful.