One catalyst to this rapid adoption is the existence of gigabytes of vital business data hosted on enterprise servers. Advances in hardware, data protocols, application middleware, and wireless service coverage mean any professional can carry a powerful, 4 or 5-ounce computer that's always connected to this critical data. Particularly for people who don't have constant access to their PC, any innovation that expedites business cycles can mean a tremendous return on investment.

So, where do you start? Like any IT development effort, proper wireless application planning calls for deciding on functional requirements first, then the software platform, and, last, the hardware. That said, never underestimate the effect of gadget envy. Because many influential IT power users already have wireless PDAs, there's some merit to considering support of wireless devices already in use in your organization. Many middleware solutions run on different devices that use the same wireless operating system. However, that isn't always the case, so check to see what devices are supported by middleware vendors.

There are four mainstream wireless platform choices: Palm, Pocket PC, RIM, and Symbian. Not quite as popular are the Danger Hiptop (sold as the T-Mobile Sidekick in North America) and new Linux-based offerings. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, and none clearly dominates in the United States. A typical device offers an e-mail client supporting multiple protocols, personal information management (PIM) applications, an SMS (text messaging) client, an IM client, a Web browser that supports HTML/WAP and limited JavaScript, support for Java, a VPN client, a backlit color display, a keyboard or stylus input, and expandable memory. Other high-end features include a camera, voice recording, MP3 player, games, and multimedia messaging service (MMS) capabilities.

Transmission modes

How does Domino data get to these wireless devices? Wireless solutions fall into three modes of transmission:

Push -- Content is actively pushed to (and stored on) the device. For the most part, this mode pertains to instant messaging and some types of "always on" e-mail applications. This model typically involves a proprietary server task to do the pushing, as well as a proprietary software client to let the user interact with the data.

Pull -- Similar to the push mode, but the device polls the enterprise server for updates.

Browse -- Content isn't stored on the device; instead, the user browses in real-time over the network. Frequently this model doesn't use a proprietary client, instead relying on the device's built-in WAP or HTML/XHTML browser. Sometimes, browse architectures don't use a server-side component outside the native Domino HTTP service, although a specialized wireless server component ensures better security and typically translates between various protocols and screen sizes. The browse model is easiest to deploy, but is acceptable only where network coverage is readily available and reliable, and -- for performance reasons -- for applications in which the user doesn't make multiple queries on the data in a short period of time.

IBM Domino Everyplace 6 is a browse solution for application access coupled with a push SMS interface for text messages. Everyplace Enterprise (both the Domino and WebSphere flavors), on the other hand, is a pull solution that requires a proprietary mobile client to store and navigate the data, much like a scaled-down Lotus Notes client.

Wireless challenges

There are a few hardware challenges to wireless handheld application deployment:

Small screen sizes -- A typical high-end display is 320x240, about 10 percent the area of a typical 1024x768 desktop display. You must pare down applications to just the essential data, with minimal images.

Limited input mechanisms -- Your options are limited to phone keypads, stylus pads, and miniature "thumb" keyboards. These are all inferior to the efficiency of a full-size keyboard. Typing e-mail on a phone keypad, for example, can be frustrating.

Slow cellular connection speeds -- Wireless broadband is just starting to appear in some cities, but only for PC Card network adapters. Handheld broadband doesn't seem to be happening anytime soon. Therefore, you must keep applications trim so page loads and transmission times are acceptable.

Start simple

Given the inherent limitations of mobile devices, what makes a good wireless application? Applications that make sense on a wireless platform include those that are time-critical and might be operated by users standing or commuting with their devices. These applications could serve users in field service, inventory, outside sales, or executives on the golf course.

E-mail is by far the most desired wireless application. If you want to get some quick mobile productivity wins without a lot of up-front effort, wirelessly enabling users' e-mail and PIM is a great place to start because mobile devices already have built-in clients for e-mail, calendar, and contacts. Some wireless carriers offer optional US$5 to $15 per month services where the carrier pulls new e-mail from Domino via POP3 or HTTP and pushes those messages to the device's inbox. Others, such as Sprint, have a push-utility that runs on a Notes workstation in your network. If your organization doesn't permit POP3 or HTTP internet access to your mail servers, and if you don't want to leave your workstation running, solutions from RIM, MartinScott, and Good Technology can push copies of your e-mail from behind the firewall directly to a wireless e-mail client. MartinScott extends e-mail to any handheld, whereas RIM and Good serve up e-mail and applications, to a specific selection of handhelds.

For transmitting PIM data, most devices come with desktop sync software and a cradle, USB port, or infra-red port for synching your Notes calendar and contacts with your device. Wireless PIM sync usually involves a proprietary software client on the device, but after you have it installed, you don't have to deal with sync issues.

Add applications later

If you're ready to deploy proprietary client software on users' devices, and if you plan to deploy applications in addition to e-mail and PIM, consider some of the robust solutions from IBM, RIM, Good, CommonTime, Extended Systems, Sybase iAnywhere, JP Mobile, mBizTech, and Intellisync. They typically involve a Domino server task that acts as an encryption and formatting broker between Domino and handheld devices. Configuration databases let you publish specific applications, forms, and views to wireless devices. When a device synchronizes with the enterprise, it selectively replicates data and application information. These development architectures are maturing to the point that even a novice Domino developer can wirelessly enable an application easily.

Some of these solutions also include turnkey applications for CRM, database access, and other targeted functions. These can save significant cost if they're appropriate for your purposes.

Final thoughts

Domino shops are particularly ready for mobile productivity because workers are already accustomed to Domino's replication model and its ability to easily extend data to other clients such as the Web. But it's important to start small. Don't give out PDAs company-wide until you've done a pilot among a close group of users.

Despite the power of gadget envy, try to decide on business requirements first, then middleware, and finally hardware. Try to minimize the number of platforms you support, to simplify support and reduce costs.

As users start accessing corporate data on wireless devices, don't forget about security. If a user loses a device, what data on the device has been compromised? Most devices have password security features, and most middleware solutions have encryption features or work with VPN clients to prevent network snooping. Make sure to use these features.

Devices and middleware have strong enough capabilities today that there's a clear case to start extending Domino data to mobile workers. But the market is still evolving quickly. Expect to see innovative new features, an increasing array of off-the-shelf applications, and a lot of competition among middleware and device vendors.