Wireless Business & Technology
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`Welcome to WIPS
`Your new wireless workplace
`May 20, 2004
`
`Summary
`Imagine having all of your data on you, whenever and wherever you go.
`Most of us use some sort of wireless technology to keep us looped into the
`wired world. The problem is that even with all the advances in wireless
`systems and devices, some fatal flaws remain.
`
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`Story
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`Magazine
`Issue
`
`About
`Bob Hendry
`
`By Bob Hendry
`Page 1 of 1
`
`Imagine having all of your data on you, whenever and wherever you go.
`Most of us use some sort of wireless technology to keep us looped into the
`wired world. The problem is that even with all the advances in wireless systems and
`devices, some fatal flaws remain. Wi-Fi (W-LAN) can be used for high-speed Internet
`access, but Wi-Fi coverage is quite limited. In most cases, the user cannot expect to
`always remain within an access point.
`
`Advertisement
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`The rest of the time, Wireless Wide Area Networks (W-WAN) can be used. Those of you
`who have tried to download a Web page, or even check your e-mail, will agree that W-
`WAN is slow, and is not suited for large-scale data transfer. Even when high-speed data
`transfer is available, often the data to be transferred is limited to proprietary formats to run
`on branded devices.
`
`What's lacking in the marketplace is the ability to access any type of data, seamlessly and
`wirelessly. The protocol should be invisible to the user, and the data should be able to
`transfer in its native format; regardless of platform or the operating system it runs on. And
`it should be fast. Actually, such a product is foreseeable in the near future. That product is
`WIPS.
`
`FREE WBT NEWSLETTER
`
`Success, Arrogance,
`Rise and Fall
`
`Last
`week
`we
`were
`
`copied in on an internal
`e-mail from a software
`company with a market
`cap in excess of a
`billion dollars. As I read
`through this long e-mail
`thread, which included
`references to our
`company, I couldn't
`help but reflect on the
`past. I forwarded this e-
`mail to their CEO and
`he acknowledged its
`receipt. History is
`repeating itself, I
`realized, and I wanted
`to share my thoughts
`with our readers and
`with the CEO of this
`software company.
`(continued...)
`
`View Cover
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`Rosetta-Wireless
`http://www.sys-con.com/story/?storyid=44921 (1 of 5)5/21/2004 5:48:23 AM
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`
`Wireless Business & Technology
`WIPS is a new technology currently under development from Rosetta Wireless. In a
`l Subscribe
`nutshell, WIPS will provide an "always on" connection to the data that is important to you.
`It won't matter if you're in the back room or in Boston. WIPS will ensure that your data is in
`sync and transferred securely. Rosetta-Wireless, a Chicago area-based company, is
`betting heavily that WIPS will be adopted en masse over current technologies such as Wi-
`Fi and GSM. WIPS does not attempt to replace high-speed Internet access at the airport
`or your local coffee shop; it's better than that. Simply put, with WIPS your enterprise data
`is wherever you are.
`
`How It Works
`The WIPS system is a two-part, hardware-plus-software solution. The components are an
`intelligent fixed-end server called the central server (CS) and a small, intelligent, portable
`device called the personal server (PS). The CS is where most of the work occurs. It's in a
`fixed location and (for the most part) is invisible to the end user. On the other hand, the PS
`is carried by the end user and acts as a bridge between the mobile device (laptop PDA,
`etc.) and the CS. The PS is an independent piece of hardware, not a network card or a
`PDA expansion device. The PS is small and typically could be carried in the glove box of a
`car or a briefcase - wherever your mobile office takes you.
`
`The CS can work successfully behind the firewall with available enterprise-based
`solutions, or it can stand alone outside of the firewall and "log-in" to the enterprise and
`access all other data repositories the user is authorized to utilize.
`
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`The CS continually polls the enterprise looking for changes and updates to the user files.
`Changes, deletions, and new documents are immediately forwarded to the PS, over both
`W-LAN and W-WAN connections. The data transfer and connection is automatic and it
`continues without user intervention. WIPS always keeps track of which wireless
`connections are available, and which one to use. As a result of this prepositioning
`information on the PS, users experience a simulated, always-on, connection with instant
`access. In reality it's a virtual connection; the user is not really connected to his/her
`network. The user never really knows this. As far as end users are concerned, they have a
`hot-wired connection into their network. That's the beauty of WIPS. Most of the network
`specifics are hidden, freeing the user from worrying about technical details.
`
`As an added benefit, because WIPS is able to determine which wireless service is
`available, it then has the ability to determine which wireless connection should use W-LAN
`(expensive and fast) or W-WAN (cheap and slow). WIPS provides a nice balance of
`increased reliability, speed, and lower data transfer costs.
`
`Who Needs WIPS?
`Mobile workers who rely on large amounts of data need WIPS. Picture a doctor who in the
`course of the day travels between hospitals. WIPS would allow him or her to keep current
`patient records. It wouldn't matter that the patient's chart had just been updated, or that
`the patient just had a digital chest X ray. These files would automatically be updated on
`http://www.sys-con.com/story/?storyid=44921 (2 of 5)5/21/2004 5:48:23 AM
`
`SYS-
`
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`Wireless Business & Technology
`the doctor's laptop. No matter where he or she was, the files could be opened up in their
`native format (Word, Photoshop, etc.). WIPS works so seamlessly, our doctor may even
`forget that it's on.
`
`WIPS would not add much value to mobile users who don't require large amounts of
`synced data. If your mobile experience is limited to checking e-mail, or you frequently visit
`a popular coffee shop (with W-LAN), your wireless needs are most likely being met and
`WIPS would not add much to your wireless experience, except for perhaps keeping files
`updated.
`
`Final Thoughts
`With the exception of pending patents covering the WIPS concept, algorithms, and basic
`operation, WIPS does not add many technology components. By using existing standards
`and protocols, WIPS makes existing technology work harder and more effectively for the
`mobile professional. Not surprisingly, Rosetta-Wireless is a bit tight lipped about WIPS
`insofar as product development and a rollout schedule. But expect WIPS to enter the
`marketplace within the next year.
`
`Rosetta-Wireless Corporation
`1 TransAm Plaza Drive - Suite 420
`Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
`Web: www.rosettawireless.com
`Phone: 630-424-8044
`Fax: 630-424-8045
`
`What do you think? Read / Join the Feedback to this item.
`
`About the author
`Bob Hendry is a PowerBuilder instructor for Envision Software Systems and a
`frequent speaker at national and international PowerBuilder conferences. He
`specializes in PFC development and has written two books on the subject,
`including Programming with the PFC 6.0. (more)
`
`version of SYS-CON's IT
`Solutions Guide is also
`available starting today
`at www.sys-con.com/
`itsolutions and its "digital
`edition" will be e-mailed
`to 211,605 readers this
`week. (continued...)
`
`Two
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`
`http://www.sys-con.com/story/?storyid=44921 (3 of 5)5/21/2004 5:48:23 AM
`
`Rosetta-2020
`
`0003
`
`

`
`Wireless Business & Technology
`
`All Rights Reserved
`Copyright © 2004 SYS-CON Media, Inc.
`E-mail: info@sys-con.com
`
`http://www.sys-con.com/story/?storyid=44921 (4 of 5)5/21/2004 5:48:23 AM
`
`applications, and vice
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`
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`Rosetta-2020
`
`0004