Mobile advice from the trenches

NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: JOANIE WEXLER ON WIRELESS IN THE
ENTERPRISE
09/14/05
Today's focus: Mobile advice from the trenches

Dear networking.world@gmail.com,

In this issue:

* Run pilots, review deals, centralize purchasing, experts say
* Links related to Wireless in the Enterprise
* Featured reader resource
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by Orative
Reach Your Mobile Workforce

Orative develops mobile software that lets employees reach the
right resources, right now. Using innovative presence technology
running on mobile phones, Orative software gives employees the
ability to reach co-workers so that they can ask for help, make
decisions and move business forward. Orative transforms the
mobile phone into a true business phone. Find out more at
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=113925
_______________________________________________________________
WIRELESS LANS BUYER'S GUIDE: THE GOODS ON 185 PRODUCTS

We've compiled the largest buyer's guide ever on wireless LAN
equipment. Whether you're looking for an access point, PC Card
or trying to decide between 802.11a, b or g, take a look at the
information that vendors have provided us. We've got the goods
on 185 products. Click here for more:
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=114041
_______________________________________________________________

Today's focus: Mobile advice from the trenches

By Joanie Wexler

When it comes to mobile WAN strategies, enterprise IT experts
advocate piloting large mobile rollouts ahead of time, regularly
reviewing what deals are available, and centralizing your
purchasing power.

For example:

* A midsized Texas financial services firm uses Cingular
Wireless service to sync financial data from traveling workers'
laptops with corporate servers throughout the day. Initially,
the company intended to use Verizon Wireless' service. But
during a month-long pilot of the two services side by side in
2003, Cingular (then AT&T Wireless) "far exceeded areas of
coverage," according to the company's COO. And coverage was the
company's top priority because of the highly mobile nature of
the firm's traveling consultants.

* The financial services firm's COO, in charge of strategic
application of mobile technology, says staying informed of
what's available from providers also pays off. Since initial
deployment, Cingular has initiated free mobile-to-mobile calling
throughout the country. Given that much of the financial
services company's communications is among employees, it has
reduced many voice plans from the maximum 2,000-minute buckets
and says it is saving "thousands of dollars each month."

* When a large American automaker this year replaced 8,000 wired
phones with cell phones in its engineering department, it ran
pilots to "validate that our business assumptions made sense,"
says the company's director of IT infrastructure. He adds that
the pilots helped ensure the technology didn't interfere with
other technology in its plants or cause any environmental,
security, or personnel-policy issues.

* A midsized construction equipment maker in Georgia advocates
centralizing cellular service purchasing in the IT department so
you know what mobility is costing your business. "If you don't
know the aggregate costs, you'll be paying through the nose,"
says the company's manager of information systems.

For getting the best deal, buying in volume and adding new
devices and services to existing plans strengthens your
bargaining power, he adds.

Bob Egan, president of Mobile Competency, a consulting firm in
Providence, R.I., also advocates a top-down planning and
purchasing strategy so that services don't remain active for
phones that are lost or belong to people no longer at the
company. Also, most corporate plans will distribute pools of
minutes across users, minimizing wasted minutes and high
per-minute overage charges associated with individual plans, he
observes.

The top 5: Today's most-read stories

1. McAfee, Omniquad top anti-spyware test
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir6911>

2. Google hacking <http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir6814>

3. Supermarket chain freezes Internet access
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir6536>

4. The rise of the IT architect
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir7035>

5. What's the best way to protect against spyware?
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir6912>

_______________________________________________________________
To contact: Joanie Wexler

Joanie Wexler is an independent networking technology
writer/editor in California's Silicon Valley who has spent most
of her career analyzing trends and news in the computer
networking industry. She welcomes your comments on the articles
published in this newsletter, as well as your ideas for future
article topics. Reach her at <mailto:joanie@jwexler.com>.
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by Orative
Reach Your Mobile Workforce

Orative develops mobile software that lets employees reach the
right resources, right now. Using innovative presence technology
running on mobile phones, Orative software gives employees the
ability to reach co-workers so that they can ask for help, make
decisions and move business forward. Orative transforms the
mobile phone into a true business phone. Find out more at
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=113924
_______________________________________________________________
ARCHIVE LINKS

Archive of the Wireless in the Enterprise newsletter:
http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/wireless/index.html

Wireless research center
Latest wireless news, analysis and resource links
http://www.networkworld.com/topics/wireless.html
_______________________________________________________________
WEBCAST: Winning with Endpoint Security

Protecting an enterprise from worms and other attacks is a
struggle. Learn proactive strategies for making sure that no
matter who your users are, or how they access your network, you
are protected.
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=114072
_______________________________________________________________
FEATURED READER RESOURCE

IS IT THE NETWORK OR THE STORAGE THAT'S THE PROBLEM?

Midsize and larger businesses often find their IT topology has
become a complex mix of servers, networks and storage systems.
Many of these companies also route long-haul traffic over
fiber-based networks - metropolitan-area networks, WANs and
private optical networks. Who's responsible when a
storage-related problem occurs on a fiber network? For more,
click here:

<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir7036>
_______________________________________________________________
May We Send You a Free Print Subscription?
You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered
at your fingertips each day. Now, extend your knowledge by
receiving 51 FREE issues to our print publication. Apply
today at http://www.subscribenw.com/nl2

International subscribers click here:
http://nww1.com/go/circ_promo.html
_______________________________________________________________
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

To subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World e-mail
newsletters, go to:
<http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/Changes.aspx>

To change your e-mail address, go to:
<http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/ChangeMail.aspx>

Subscription questions? Contact Customer Service by replying to
this message.

This message was sent to: networking.world@gmail.com
Please use this address when modifying your subscription.
_______________________________________________________________

Have editorial comments? Write Jeff Caruso, Newsletter Editor,
at: <mailto:jcaruso@nww.com>

Inquiries to: NL Customer Service, Network World, Inc., 118
Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772

For advertising information, write Kevin Normandeau, V.P. of
Online Development, at: <mailto:sponsorships@nwfusion.com>

Copyright Network World, Inc., 2005