Pumatech Software and Solutions Review

Pumatech Announces New Enterprise-level Synchronization
April 1, 2002 issue: m-Travel.com

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Pumatech, a major provider of enterprise-level software, is introducing what it calls "Real-time Enterprise" with the second edition of its Enterprise Intellisync. This version synchronizes PIM (personal information management), e-mail and custom database information among desktop PCs, servers and mobile devices.

Pumatech's customer and strategic partner base includes Global 2000 companies such as Siebel, Oracle, Yahoo!, NTT DoCoMo, Boeing, CNET and General Motors. The company has headquarters in Silicon Valley (California), Tokyo and London.

Pumatech said the new product lowers total cost of ownership for handhelds by giving IT personnel the ability to deploy centralized synchronization solutions, and to manage and track mobile devices as corporate assets, with administrative features that integrate with existing enterprise infrastructure. In addition, it provides IT with a centralized administrator's console for securely configuring, deploying and upgrading mobile software applications, and for managing handheld devices.

Pumatech CEO Brad Rowe said the Second Edition provides enterprises with instant access to information, helping organizations begin to realize the promise of a 'Real-time Enterprise' environment that allows a mobile workforce to make informed and timely decisions. "At the same time, it gives IT the management capabilities required to maximize the usefulness of mobile devices while ensuring corporate security," he said.

Enterprise Intellisync offers LAN-based and remote synchronization of e-mail, calendar, contacts and tasks among Palm OS/Windows CE/Pocket PC handhelds and groupware applications like Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Notes. It also connects to back-end corporate databases, including Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Access, FileMaker and other ODBC-compliant data sources.

Pumatech said features of PIM and custom database syncrhonization are: 

  • Delivers real-time e-mail alerts to the user's desktop or wireless phone when new appointments or e-mails are added. 
  • Enables users of Pocket PC handhelds to download, upload, forward, and even view e-mail attachments created in PC applications like Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint. 
  • Allows users to access and update Lotus Notes and Microsoft Exchange PIM data using WAP and i-mode phones or any HTML browser, without additional expense or complexity. 
  • Ensures accurate, convenient PIM synchronization by utilizing renowned Intellisync capabilities such as conflict resolution, field mapping and filtering. 
  • For desktop-based PIM synchronization, supports Microsoft Outlook and Schedule+, Lotus Notes and Organizer, Novell GroupWise, ACT! and Palm Desktop software (see Pumatech Web site at www.pumatech.com for specific versions supported). For server-based PIM synchronization, supports Microsoft Exchange 5.5/2000 and Lotus Notes 4.6/5.0. 
  • Provides access to custom corporate databases via wireless and direct network connections using standard TCP/IP, including cradle sync. 
  • Lets users specify the method that works best for custom database synchronization: fast sync, table copies, or query/response. 
  • Includes Pumatech's Satellite Forms software for rapidly developing and deploying custom mobile applications that integrate with back-end data. Companies can leverage Pumatech's soon-to-be-released MobileXtension suite to integrate mobile applications with custom data sources such as Lotus Notes. 
  • Provides a single Palm OS or Pocket PC mobile application for managing and performing both PIM and database synchronization.