| Many of us firmly believe that wireless technology
is to computing what the PC was to computing back in the
80’s,
nothing short of a revolution. On the other hand, just
like many other emerging technologies before it, this one
is not
without its share of challenges.
On one side, we have the
visionaries, the evangelizers, preaching the benefits
of mobile data access and, specifically, wireless
connectivity. There are more than a few early adopters,
who have successfully mobilized business applications
and are
reaping the benefits. On the other hand there are a few
who are not so sure the promised return on investment
is really
there, or remain yet to be convinced that the technology
is ready for their specific enterprise requirements.
So then, what is the future for wireless technology?
Will we be able to access applications and data anywhere,
at anytime, updating data in real-time, securely, efficiently,
effectively, affordably? Will we see the end of messy
wires protruding from computers, printers, modems, scanners,
projectors and other peripherals? Will we be able to
walk up to a wireless printer at an Airport, turn on
our Pocket PC, tablet or laptop and print that proposal
or presentation we need, perfectly formatted, regardless
of the operating system or application we are running
and printer drivers we may have in our device? Will we
be able to create a mobile version of our existing SAP,
Siebel, Oracle or SQL-based application, without fuss,
without it costing a fortune, and run it over a 1XRTT
or GPRS network, securely, dependably? Will we be able
to make and receive phone calls, or manage our email
and calendar from a hand-held device, using voice over
Wireless LAN or unified messaging technology while connected
to a WiFi network at an Airport, convention center or
coffee shop?
Let us analyze the situations outlined above
for a moment. Wireless access anytime, anywhere? Is it
real? Answer:
not today. Maybe “most of the time, from most places”,
but “anytime, anywhere”? Not yet, not for a
while. And if anyone is telling you otherwise, they either
do not understand the question, or do not know much about
mobility and wireless solutions.
Is it possible for corporate
files and applications to be accessed and updated in real-time,
securely, efficiently,
effectively and affordably? Answer: yes. Sophisticate wireless
application gateways, middle-ware, “no-coding-required” application
design tools, XML-libraries, single-login for multiple
applications, encryption and secured access functionality
make it possible today. It is only getting easier, cheaper
and faster to wirelessly enable existing and/or create
new mobile applications. To get close to the “anytime,
anywhere” dream, there are reliable technology solutions
available that allow users to wirelessly and securely access
and download data from a server to a device, create or
change information while not on line, and then re-connect
and synchronize back with the server. Very effective when
users need to access data or create transactions deep within
a building or basement, or in areas outside cellular coverage.
Add the right hardware and software technology to a well-defined
business plan and a properly organized and executed systems
integration strategy and you have the recipe for success
in wireless.
Are we going to see the end of messy wires
protruding from computers, printers, modems, scanners,
projectors and other
peripherals? Answer: it depends. Subject to the inherent
restrictions of battery life, the near future reality
is one of devices totally interconnected without wires.
Blue-tooth
and 802.11b printers, projectors, printers and access
devices, for example, make it possible. Unfortunately,
the power
cord is not going away anytime soon.
What about voice
over WLAN and unified messaging? Well, technology solutions
are available today to make and
receive phone calls, manage email and calendar and
run other applications
from one device while walking un-tethered within a
WiFi hotspot. Not only that, technology is available to
allow
users to walk away from an 802.11 network and automatically
connect to a GPRS or 1XRTT network, seamlessly maintaining
the same IP session. Imagine the possibilities once
3G networks start delivering consistent bandwidth. Wireless
printing from any device? Coming soon to an Airport,
Convention Center, Hotel or Coffee Shop near you.
Availability isn’t everything
Now, the fact that all this is available, reliable and
surprisingly affordable does not mean that it should
be deployed, just to keep up with the pace of technology.
One
of the problems with the whole wireless and mobility
story is that in many cases technology objectives have
overtaken business objectives. As a result, wireless
and mobility projects have been implemented without solid
planning,
business cases, proper cost/benefit analysis and obviously
without executive management buying into or fully supporting
the project. Many still think wireless and mobility is
about devices and networks rather than systems integration.
Not unlike what has happened many times over in the IT
world, the results have been predictable. Without executive
management support, projects are soon abandoned or, worse
yet, crash and burn, with the associated casualties and
personal embarrassment making big news.
Sadly, this situation
has hampered the implementation of wireless and mobility
solutions in areas that could
have
substantial benefits for corporations, institutions
or the public at large. The wireless industry is not without
blame, at times being guilty of over-simplifying the
work of implementing a wireless LAN or WAN. Setting
up
a wireless
LAN is often advertised as being as simple as purchasing
a few Access Points, plugging them into an existing
Ethernet LAN and turning on WEP encryption (or sometimes
not even
that). Or purchasing a few Sierra Wireless cards, installing
them into a laptop, tablet or Pocket PC, instantly
creating a ready-made wireless environment. At first sight,
the
perceived benefits are immense. Imagine being able
to access your intranet, search the web for information
from wherever
the network allows you to connect and access all those
web-enabled applications your IT department has built
over the years. Until someone finds out, usually at
the
worst
moment or in the worst possible way that corporate
security, networking and other key guidelines have been
ignored
and a threat to corporate data has been created. Or
that after
the initial $50 dollar a month, unlimited access incentive
plan has expired, usually after the first six months,
the cost jumps to $500 or $600 per month in wireless
data charges,
or that making a voice call using a GSM or 1XRTT service
costs substantially more than a regular cellular voice
call.
So, having said that, what is the future of wireless?
Well, although the road has been bumpy, the future is bright.
Some may think that deployment of wireless LAN/WAN solutions
has stalled. I would beg to differ. It is only starting.
Many are waiting for wireless LANs to “become more
secure”. Well, many are still waiting for the Internet
to become more secure also. Others are taking full advantage
of proven IT design, implementation and support techniques,
reliable technology and common sense procedures and guidelines
to deploy wireless networks that are as secure as any
wired environment. And the list of success stories, corporations
and institutions realizing important productivity gains
as a result of deploying wireless technology keeps growing.
The secret in many of these success stories is often tied
to the realization that wireless and mobility is first
and foremost about systems integration, and that business
objectives must take priority over technology dreams.
Victor J. Garcia is the
Managing Principal, Mobility Program Office, Hewlett Packard
(Canada) Co.
©
2003 CIPSaccrossCanada, Reproduced with Permission |
