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View Full Version : Extended Systems plans major relase October 28


Andy Sjostrom
10-10-2002, 10:51 AM
<a href="http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?bw.100902/222820394&amp;ticker=XTND">http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?bw.100902/222820394&amp;ticker=XTND</a><br /><br />I just mentioned <a href="http://www.extendedsystems.com/ESI/default.htm">Extended Systems</a> in my previous post, so I can't resist telling you about the next major release from them: XTNDConnect Server 3.5. The new version contains solid enhancements in the areas of security, deployment features and device management.<br /><br />"In order to further demonstrate the value of enterprise-wide deployments of mobile devices and applications, Extended Systems continues to provide companies with the tools they need to securely and cost-effectively deploy and manage large-scale mobile initiatives," said Don Baumgartner, Extended Systems' vice president of worldwide marketing. "The more advanced Extended Systems' mobile software solutions become, the higher we raise the bar and the more value we demonstrate, not only to the enterprise but to the industry as a whole."<br /><br />Continue to read more about XTNDConnect Server 3.5! <!><br /><br />"Extended Systems' XTNDConnect Server mobile data management and synchronization software enables IT departments to securely integrate and manage the myriad of mobile devices and applications that are becoming increasingly important to the corporate enterprise. XTNDConnect Server enables users to synchronize Palm, Pocket PC, SyncML, Symbian, and RIM mobile devices with corporate servers including Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino, and any database accessible via ADO (OLE DB), ODBC, and a variety of custom databases."<br /><br /><b>Robust Security Features</b><br />• RADIUS and SecureID support: XTNDConnect Server supports an enterprise standard and integrates into existing security models ensuring enterprise-wide data remains secure and protected whether accessed inside or outside the building.<br />• DMZ-Proxy: Reverse proxy intercepts all XTNDConnect Server client traffic and performs the necessary security and packet validation checks on connections from mobile devices prior to allowing the client to sync data with XTNDConnect Server.<br />• Device Security Features: XTNDConnect Server enables administrators to enforce power-on passwords on the device so the data in the device remains secure in the event of device getting lost or stolen.<br /><br /><b>Client deployment</b><br />• Independent client deployment feature facilitates enterprise-wide rollouts, eliminating the need for third-party desktop software.<br />• Ability to pre-configure standard settings such as IP address, server name and default profile and then download to devices<br />• Profile push feature allows IT administrators to set profiles based on device connections (cradle profile, remote profile) and push that profile to devices<br />• Notes address book auto-replication wizard <br />• "Message of the Day" tool allows IT administrators to send <br />warnings with alerts to all device users<br /><br /><b>Server Deployment</b><br />• Multi-node deployment: XTNDConnect Server is designed to allow for hundreds of concurrent sync sessions by distributing the load to other adapters as needed. By employing either Windows Clustering service or DNS round-robin, administrators can use the multi-node deployment to distribute components to increase both the scalability and fault-tolerance of the system.<br />• DMZ Proxy: Provides a secure way to deploy XTNDConnect Server inside the firewall while still providing wireless and remote access capability. It also equips the enterprise with load-balancing and fail-over capabilities.<br /><br /><b>Enhanced End User Features</b><br />• Native meeting request support: Gives users a more "desktop-like" experience<br />• Group scheduling features for Notes and Exchange<br />• Document Conversion (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)<br />• Drag-and-drop: Allows device users to transfer Office documents from desktop to device<br /><br /><b>Custom Mobile App Support</b><br />• Allows IT administrators to extend custom mobile applications to mobile device users<br />• Supports custom Notes databases<br />• Works with any server database accessible via ADO (OLE DB) or ODBC and a variety of mobile databases<br /><br /><b>Pricing and Availability</b><br />XTNDConnect Server 3.5 will be available Oct. 28. List price is $125 per seat based on a 100-user license. Price varies based on volume. Server pricing based on selected feature set."

FredMurphy
10-10-2002, 12:17 PM
I don't have any experience of XTND Connect Server, but I regularly use the version of XTND Connect PC that comes with the Ericsson T68 phone. It is one of the most unstable pieces of software I have ever used. :(

Once installed on a clean build of Windows XP it probably takes me about 2-3 hours of deleting and replacing contacts that it just "doesn't like" :? (they inexplicably cause the software to crash and require a machine reboot) to get it to the stage where it will successfully synchronise my phone and PC about 10% of the time. Truly dire.

Fred

Ravenswing
10-10-2002, 01:48 PM
IMHO, this kind of software suffers from the basic problem of being excessively generic. The idea is to swap data between Exchange or Outlook or Notes, and Pocket PC, and Palm, and multiple phone variants... The problem is that the databases aren't compatible so you end up trying to do conversions. Then the conversions don't work right, or you end up losing data.

Syncing Outlook with a Pocket PC using ActiveSync is bad enough with regards to loss of detail without having to consider conversions to the inadequate structure of a smart phone database as well.

What this software might win on is device and application management. But don't worry, the software will be sold to corporates who need this kind of thing and actually believe that the synchronisation task it's performing is good enough :roll:

Talldog
10-11-2002, 03:57 PM
First of all, every synchronization program on the market has to do data conversion. I don't understand your contention that a program that handles multiple groupware products and multiple device types is inherently worse at this. It's not magic. The input and output datastores have defined layouts, and a properly programmed sync engine can deal with that. With IntelliSync being the market leader in PC-based synchronization, and supporting multiple device types, the rest of the industry is clearly moving in that direction.

The real benefit of a product like XTNDConnect Server is getting the synchronization process off of the desktop, and onto a managed server, as well as having a fairly consistent interface that support personnel can become comfortable with. Despite what many techno-geeks think, in the real world most people don't understand how any of this works, and they don't really care, as long as they have their data. Right now, I have approximately 175 users syncing PalmOS PDA's with EasySync (in the process of being migrated to XCS), another 150 syncing PalmOS and PPC devices with XTNDConnect v2.6, and 35 BlackBerry users using BES and IntelliSync. I'd bet not more than 20 of them have any real understanding of their PDA's. When they call for help, they could be serviced by any one of a few dozen Call Center or Desktop Support people, for whom PDA support is just a small part of their jobs. Our rollout of XCS has had a major impact in making the synchronization process more reliable, and technical support more efficient.

As the PDA becomes more of a fixture in corporations, products like XCS are going to have a central role.