.KEYWORD skipwire
.FLYINGHEAD ENTERPRISE EDITION EXCLUSIVE
.TITLE Mobile file access outside the firewall
.OTHER
.SUMMARY Security is one of the big issues that naturally crops up whenever you talk about providing wireless access to corporate files. Recently we learned of a company called SkipWire that offers an external solution for wireless Palm distribution that exists outside of the corporate firewall. Naturally, we were fascinated, so we asked Deen Ferrell, Vice President of Business Development for SkipWire, to write about the potential applications of this technology and to provide us with some tips on how to best take advantage of the company’s SkipStream service.
.AUTHOR Deen Ferrell
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.H1 About this PalmPower Magazine Enterprise Edition exclusive
In this month’s issue of PalmPower’s Enterprise Edition, we’re putting the focus on wireless corporate email solutions. Security is one of the big issues that naturally crops up whenever you talk about providing wireless access to corporate files. Recently we learned of a company called SkipWire that offers an external solution for wireless Palm distribution that exists outside of the corporate firewall. Naturally, we were fascinated, so we asked Deen Ferrell, Vice President of Business Development for SkipWire, to write about the potential applications of this technology and to provide us with some tips on how to best take advantage of the company’s SkipStream service. So, once again, here’s a PalmPower Magazine Enterprise Edition Exclusive for you to enjoy.
.END_SIDEBAR
With the explosion of the handheld computing market, the convenience of full, wireless access to corporate files and information seems to offer real promise to a world where mobility is fast becoming a primary corporate virtue. The promise, however, seems to come with a price. Opening up corporate servers to wireless access requires a time consuming and potentially risky reconfiguration of the firewall.
A firewall is a computer or dedicated device that’s configured to allow only specific traffic in and out of a corporation’s network. Companies use firewalls to protect their internal networks from outside attacks. In many cases, the most difficult task in using a new technology is convincing the executives or IT that the capabilities of the new technology are important enough to warrant allowing additional protocols through the corporate firewall. Each protocol that’s opened up presents another possible security risk for an organization.
Few IT managers are anxious to punch a hole through their firewall for any reason–especially when dealing with wireless devices that are difficult to authenticate and track. The potential for compromised corporate security is not an issue to be taken lightly. While a number of effective security products offer wireless components, not all corporations have the funding or the available time to apply a large-scale security platform to address this problem.
The company I work for, SkipWire (at http://www.skipwire.com) has come up with a new service called SkipStream that offers an external solution for wireless Palm device distribution. It exists outside of the corporate firewall, meaning SkipWire runs independent of an organization’s network and therefore allows companies to take advantage of its capabilities without compromising the internal network.
SkipStream Services provides corporations with an online memory "shelf" for making PC-based information available wirelessly to a variety of Palm OS devices. Each mobile executive subscribing to the service receives 15MB of device-ID secured memory, as well as a personal SkipWire email address, wireless download and upload applications, and access to the online PC to Palm device/Palm device to PC conversion platform.
Almost any connected Palm OS device can be used with SkipStream, including the Palm VII, the new Palm m100 series and Palm m500 series, the VisorPhone, and the Kyocera SmartPhone. Users of the Palm III, Palm IIIc, or the Palm V can use the service with the Palm Mobile Internet Kit. The Sony CLIE and the HandSpring Visor can also be used with the Mobile Internet Kit. YadaYada, OmniSky, and OhFish offer modem/service combinations for many Palm and Visor models.
SkipStream is unique from some other email attachment services in that you can download a complete file wirelessly, not just a viewable html version of the file. This means that a user with the appropriate viewer can wirelessly edit and update files in addition to viewing them. SkipStream offers a one stop point of contact for the user where Palm viewers can be purchased, files can be wirelessly converted on the fly, and amended files can be wirelessly uploaded back to a device ID secured online account. Those files can then be converted back to a PC viewable format and can then be wirelessly directed (via email) back to a colleague, printer, or fax machine.
.H1 SkipStream Services in action
Let’s look at a possible scenario. Let’s say a sales person named John is on the road when he receives an urgent email: "John, PGE won’t sign the contract unless you rewrite Amendment 3a. I’ve attached the contract below. NEEDED ASAP."
No problem. The email is directed through John’s SkipStream service where the attachment is removed and placed in John’s MySkipWire account. An automated text message is attached to the bottom of the original email, which is then forwarded on to John’s wireless email address at johnf\@palm.net. When John pulls out his Palm VII and connects to the Web, he finds the email waiting for him, telling him about the file attachment in his MySkipWire account. He wirelessly connects to the account, finds the attachment, and clicks on it.
He’s immediately presented with a number of Palm viewer choices for this specific file type. He chooses a viewer that he knows offers editing capabilities and starts the download process. He then discovers that he doesn’t have the needed viewer available on his device. The service directs him to a product page where the viewer is described in detail, and he has the option to purchase. He wirelessly purchases the viewer and downloads it simultaneously with his now converted file. He opens the file, rewrites Amendment 3a, and then uploads it wirelessly back to his online MySkipWire account. From here, he’s able to initiate an email that forwards the file back to his secretary, half a world away. Mission accomplished. John sighs with relief and heads off for a quick lunch before his afternoon appointment.
.H1 How does it look?
Here’s an example to give you an idea of how an attachment might look once it’s been converted to fit on your Palm device. First, Figure A shows what a sample document might look like in its original Word format.
.FIGPAIR A Here’s a document in its original Word format.
After you convert the file, you’ll find its formatting has been preserved, for the most part, as shown in Figure B.
.FIG B The same document has been converted to be read on a Palm device.
.H1 Limitations
With all the benefits of SkipStream Services, there are a few limitations. The service currently requires Clipper or Browse-It and INetLib. Clipper comes with the Palm Mobile Internet Kit. Browse-It comes with wireless service from YadaYada. Clipper also comes with Palm VII and OmniSky wireless service, as well as the newer Palm m100 and Palm m500 series devices. Not all Palm OS viewers are supported, but more are coming. Not all PC files are supported, though currently most word processor formats are being supported. New formats are being added weekly. The service is also limited by the speed of the wireless service provider. In the US, that’s currently 9.6K or 19.2K depending on the provider and plan.
.H1 Tips for getting the most out of SkipStream
Before I wrap up this brief introduction to SkipStream, I thought it might be valuable to share a few tips we’ve discovered that might help you get more out of the service.
.H2 An easy way to get PC-based information to a wireless Palm device
The easiest way to direct PC-based information to a wireless subscriber using a Palm OS device is by way of a simple email attachment. When an email message with an attachment is forwarded through your SkipWire address, the attachment is removed. You’re notified in the forwarded email text that a file has been removed and placed in your online account. You’re then free to wirelessly access your account, convert the attachment file on the fly to a Palm OS friendly format, and wirelessly download it to your identified Palm OS device.
.H2 Creating and sending attachments from a Palm device
Using a program like WordSmith (at http://www.bluenomad.com/ws/prod_wordsmith_details.html) along with SkipStream Services, you can create a document on your Palm device, upload it, and email the document as a Microsoft Word document to anyone with an email address.
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.H2 Reduce wallet clutter
Don’t clutter your wallet with photographs. Instead, you can email your favorite pictures to your MySkipWire account. Then you can convert and download them to an application like PocketPhoto (at http://www.dreamhs.com/PocketPhoto.htm) for viewing on your Palm device. This will also save memory space on your Palm computer, as you can pull down the images only when you need them.
.BEGIN_SIDEBAR
.H1 Product availability and resources
For more information on SkipWire, visit http://www.skipwire.com. SkipStream Services is $9.95 USD per month. A beta is available and users can lock in a $3.95 monthly rate. Yearly rates are also available.
For more information on the VisorPhone, visit http://www.handspring.com/products/visorphone/index.jhtml.
For more information on the Kyocera SmartPhone, visit http://www.kyocera-wireless.com/showroom/showcase/coming_soon_6000.htm.
For more information on the Palm Mobile Internet Kit, visit http://www.palm.com/software/mik/.
For Claire Pieterek’s review of the Palm Mobile Internet Kit in the January 2001 issue of PalmPower’s Enterprise Edition, visit http://www.palmpowerenterprise.com/issues/issue200101/mik001.html.
For more information on YadaYada, visit http://www.yadayada.com.
For more information on OmniSky, visit http://www.omnisky.com.
For more information on OhFish, visit http://www.ohfish.com.
For more information on Clipper, visit http://www.standalone.com/palmos/clipper/index.shtml.
For more information on INetLib, visit http://oasis.palm.com/dev/kb/samples/1709.cfm.
For more information on WordSmith, visit http://www.bluenomad.com/ws/prod_wordsmith_details.html.
For more information on PocketPhoto, visit http://www.dreamhs.com/PocketPhoto.htm.
For more information about Palm computers, visit http://www.palm.com.
.H1 Bulk reprints
Bulk reprints of this article (in quantities of 100 or more) are available for a fee from Reprint Services, a ZATZ business partner. Contact them at reprints@zatz.com or by calling 1-800-217-7874.
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.BIO Deen Ferrell is Vice President of Business Development at SkipWire. Over the past year, he has been responsible for developing strong industry partnerships with corporations like Franklin Covey, Eastman Kodak, OhFish Communications, McGraw Publishing, and AI Soft Inc. (Seiko/Epson’s Japan subsidiary). He is a Brigham Young University graduate and completed additional studies at USC’s prestigious Annenberg School for Communications. He currently resides in Tooele, Utah with his wife and three children. He can be reached via email at deen.ferrell@skipwire.com.
.DISCUSS http://powerboards.zatz.com/cgi-bin/webx?50@@.ee6f269
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