Skip the navigation
Opinion

Stop Squeezing Desktop Apps ...

By Mark Hall
December 12, 2005 12:00 PM ET

Computerworld -

Joseph Salesky, CEO of ClairMail Inc.
Joseph Salesky, CEO of ClairMail Inc.
... to fit on a mobile device for end-user access. Instead, turn application access into message processing. That notion comes from ClairMail Inc. in Novato, Calif. According to CEO Joseph Salesky, people are mobile, but desktop applications aren't, and IT's attempt to give the apps some mobility has been like "trying to squeeze an elephant into the doghouse." For example, a lot of desktop software is dependent on using multiple windows on a monitor, Salesky says. But, he points out, small handheld displays mean that "mobile devices don't window well." That's why his start-up company is offering a message- access process for mobile users beginning this week. End users put application access links into their devices' contact lists. When they need access, they simply click on a link, like they would to make a phone call or send an e-mail. Data can be retrieved or entered based on a user's rights, which are checked against the privileges stored in a company's network directories. A ClairMail appliance sits behind the corporate firewall and handles all of the message transactions, so no client-side software is necessary, Salesky says. He adds that combined with an application's user-authentication processes, the ClairMail appliance's knowledge of the "trusted path" to a specific device adds two-factor security, since both the user's identity and the handheld are verified. ClairMail is releasing its technology with scripts for accessing software and services from vendors such as Salesforce.com Inc., Business Objects SA and BMC Software Inc.'s Remedy unit. Next year, the company will release access scripts for Siebel Systems Inc. and SAP AG apps, Salesky says. Annual fees start at $60 per user.

Ron McCabe, CEO of MiraLink Corp.
Ron McCabe, CEO of MiraLink Corp.
Forget about the engineer, but still ...
... get long-distance fault tolerance.
Ron McCabe, CEO of MiraLink Corp. in Portland, Ore., quips that traditional WAN-based fault-tolerant systems "are so complex, they ship with an engineer." On the other hand, McCabe claims that his company develops appliances that handle fault-tolerant needs and don't require a BSEE grad to tag along with the technology. "Anyone who can manage an IP address or SCSI drive can use it," he boasts. MiraLink's data-mirroring devices use the company's IntelliBuffer software to write data to remote servers while saving the information to the primary system, McCabe says. He adds that in the event of a primary server crash, databases can be rolled back to the transaction processed just before the server hiccup. MiraLink's high-end unit can handle up to 120GB of data per hour. Next month, the company will roll out a low-end appliance, Model 400, which will be able to save as much as 8GB of information to remote servers hourly. It will be priced at under $4,000.


Kevin Haar, CEO of Appistry Inc.
Kevin Haar, CEO of Appistry Inc.
Or virtualize your apps to achieve ...


Additional Resources
Forrester Consulting - Optimizing Users and Applications in a Mobile World
WHITE PAPER
Solving application issues over the WAN requires careful consideration. Based on their independent research, Forrester Consulting offers recommendations on how to tackle application performance issues, insufficient bandwidth and the inability to quickly restore users in a disaster.

Read now.

Security KnowledgeVault
WHITE PAPER
Security is not an option. This KnowledgeVault Series offers professional advice how to be proactive in the fight against cybercrimes and multi-layered security threats; how to adopt a holistic approach to protecting and managing data; and how to hire a qualified security assessor. Make security your Number 1 priority.

Read now.

Cut Communications Costs Once and for All
WHITE PAPER
New IP-based communications systems are being deployed by small and midsized businesses at a rapid rate. Learn how these organizations are enabling faster responsiveness, creating better customer experiences, speeding office or mobile interactions, and dramatically reducing existing communications costs.

Read now.

Mobile and Wireless White Papers
Digital Transformation: Creating New Business Models Where Digital Meets Physical
Individuals and businesses alike are embracing the digital revolution. Social networks and digital devices are being used to engage government, businesses and civil...
Empowering Your Mobile Worker
Today's most productive employees are mobile, and your company's IT strategy must be ready to support them with 24/7 access to the business...
An Interactive Guide: Bring Your Own Device
BYOD presents significant security and management challenges to IT departments who want to take advantage of the trend, but still protect corporate assets....
Calculating ROI for Mobile Client Acceleration
As mobile devices continue to expand in business use, ensuring these devices have optimal performance is becoming an IT imperative. This EMA paper...
Tablet Computing Without Compromise
This paper provides an overview of how and why that migration-from any old tablet to Windows tablets-came to be.
All Mobile and Wireless White Papers
Mobile and Wireless Webcasts
Live Webcast
North Pole to South Seas: Overcoming the Pitfalls of remote Performance
In today's always-on world, connectivity is a business requirement. You need the tools that allow you to operate as if you were on...
Supporting Mobile Productivity With A Limited IT Budget
Join us and hear from Kaseya mobile IT management experts as we discuss core strategies for supporting the mobile revolution on a shoestring...
North Pole to South Seas: Overcoming the Pitfalls of remote Performance
In today's always-on world, connectivity is a business requirement. You need the tools that allow you to operate as if you were on...
Unified Communications 101
What's the best way to implement a unified communications solution for your organization?
QNX® and BlackBerry® PlayBook™ Tablet.
RIM's multi-processor, multi-tasking BlackBerry PlayBook runs a new Tablet OS powered by QNX, a bullet-proof microkernel operating system. This track will take a...
A Close Look at Tablets
Learn More
All Mobile and Wireless Webcasts
Newsletter Sign-Up

Receive the latest news test, reviews and trends on your favorite technology topics

Choose a newsletter
  1. View all newsletters | Privacy Policy
IT Jobs