Mobile Computing: A Unified Platform Is Essential As Technologies Converge
I have reported on several new technologies as they have entered the market, such as SaaS and SOA, and also the newest devices powered by the latest applications. Jim Hemmer, an experienced CEO in the hi-tech and communications industries, brings this altogether in his cutting-edge Op-Ed for SandHill.com entitled The Mobile Bang Theory. I highly recommend this article to my readers and it is a must read for the IT managers trying to get a handle on the security and control issues that mobile computing presents. Hemmer begins his article by announcing the new shift in the archetype and identifying its 3 components:
“a mobile renaissance is afoot as a result of more powerful devices, faster wireless networks and broader use and acceptance of Web services and SOA”
Hemmer’s insight begins by recognizing the catalyst for enterprise mobility. He labels this the “outside-in demand” phenomenon. Consumer’s personal use of mobile services on mobile devices has forced enterprises to rethink their approach. With this new approach come the challenges of providing access to the data and applications so the employee/user can optimize their efficiency.
For the enterprise the competitive advantage comes from the ability of the mobile user being able to enter data once into a mobile device which results in not one response but puts in motion a multitude of real-time business processes. Hemmer identifies the trends in mobile computing and how the applications perform. He then provides some real-life examples of how this approach works and the higher returns the innovative enterprises have experienced.
Hemmer’s advice to the IT managers is to develop a mobile strategy that supports multiple devices and multiple solutions. The old siloed approach does not fit into this model. Its inflexibility is too costly. He puts it succinctly by stating:
“The real game-changer is to mobilize diverse business processes, applications and data from a variety of internal and external sources — from one unified, cohesive platform.”
