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Mobilizing to take advantage of the edgeInsights from today’s global leaders in mobile solutions
There’s an explosion of applications and technologies at the edge of the enterprise. The
traditional office-based work environment is giving way to one that’s fluid and decentralized.
Are your systems flexible and efficient enough to handle this change? Is data that’s
captured and stored everywhere being processed efficiently and turned into useful
information the company needs? With the right mobility solution and support, you
can take full advantage of the edge — for better productivity, intelligence, visibility,
efficiency and more. It’s time to mobilize.
white paper: mobility
EDS, Dell, Intel, Microsoft and Motorola
collaborated on the development of this paper.
Table of Contents
The challenges of the edge 1
Mobility: a key to the edge 2
Today’s edge: early stage 2
Tomorrow’s edge: all about 3devices and access
Getting to the edge 4
Making the case 4
Deployment and management 5challenges
Security on the edge 7
The new competitive “edge” 7
Next steps 8
Conclusion 8
2
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white paper: mobility
Enabling the work force to compute at the
edge typically raises a host of concerns
about how much the corporation should
provide to workers. Do we provide a cell
phone and cell service? Should workers
provide their own laptops for the home
office? How will we support the computer
that runs a customer-facing service in the
field – like a paint color choosing system
at the home improvement store? How
many devices can we support – laptops,
WiFi PDAs, Bluetooth headsets, cell phones?
How many different applications?
The challenges of the edgeWhile workplace services are defined by
employees and their stationary devices,
edge services are defined by the mobility
of data. End users taking advantage of the
edge expect to be able to get at the same
information in multiple ways – over different
networks and computer platforms, at home
and at headquarters. On the downside, a
proliferation of current and potential edge
devices can result in data sprawl.
Because edge computing is more than just
creating a mobile work force, it’s also
important to understand the organization’s
business processes – within and beyond
the office environment – and how edge
solutions can support them. Fully edge-
enabled enterprises, for instance, might
incorporate robotic or mechanical devices
on the plant floor, paint mixing machines
at the home center, or RFID tagging at a
retail location.
Technology is making the world smaller and more interdependent. There’s an explosion of applications and technologies at
“the edge”: mobile, wireless, always-on devices including cell phones, PDAs, and machine-to-machine communications using RFID
and Bluetooth technology. This is transforming how and where work is done. And the explosion at the edge is beginning to tax
the capabilities of legacy information systems originally designed to process manual inputs and batch loads. As the demand for
speed, flexibility and agility becomes even greater, inefficient systems that cannot take advantage of the edge will seriously impede
an organization’s ability to compete, grow and respond to changing market conditions.
The enterprise needs to expand beyond traditional boundaries. According to a recent study by IDC, by the end of 2006, 66 percent
of the work force will be mobile. And according to Ovum research, by the end of 2008, 75 percent of professionals will spend at
least one day per week on the road. This trend has created a situation in which traditional environments blend and blur – network
and compute platforms and home and work environments. As a result, data is captured and stored in more places and more ways.
This change in environment is creating unique challenges for businesses and IT organizations. It requires data not only to be
collected but also processed and synthesized into information very quickly and then directly integrated into business processes
for the mobile workers. All of this is done at the edge.
As boundaries blur, integration of desktop, mobile, network system, applications, help desk and asset management with related
configuration management tools becomes more important. EDS defines the “edge of the enterprise” as where data and transactions
originate – with or without human intervention. Whether LAN, WAN or PAN (personal area network), the edge is the access
point to a global computer network. As the edge extends farther from core applications and transaction systems, the need for a
seamless, extended enterprise emerges.
Today’s workplace is often defined less by physical boundaries than by technological challenges. EDS, Dell, Intel, Microsoft and
Motorola are taking a leading role in defining, planning and collaborating on solutions for enterprises to take advantage of the edge.
This paper:
• Addresses the state of edge computing today
• Defines the value and benefits of a more mobile enterprise
• Looks at the challenges associated with supporting an organization focused on edge computing
• Examines existing and emerging solutions that meet the unique challenges of workers on the edge
By taking advantage of the edge, enterprises can gain better control over their mobile work forces, and enhance productivity,
gain total asset visibility, leverage improved intelligence and create greater supply chain efficiency. As the work force relies
more and more on using the right technology at the right time in the right location, and as everyday devices become smarter
through embedded technologies, the market leaders will be those companies that bring decision-making to the edge.
Introduction
< 2 >
white paper: mobility
access to information on compliance or a
customer’s financial records, whereas an
overseas buyer for a retailer may need to
access information on store allotments and
spending caps. Nonetheless, much of the
planning and implementation for a mobile
work force is common to all industries.
Beyond information access, workers also
should have assurance that their systems
will be updated and managed so they can
continue to get work done remotely.
Enterprises planning to truly enable their
mobile work forces should conduct a
needs analysis on issues such as how to
deploy software to mobile workers, how
often to refresh and how to educate the
mobile work force. Firms also must assess
how and whether they can provide end-to-
end management of mobile devices through
remote management tools and on-site
management, and understand how they’ll
ensure security of devices and corporate data.
Today’s edge: early stageToday’s corporate computing environments
include more mobile workers than ever before.
Many work out of a home office most or
some of the time. “Road warriors” typically
use laptops and are out of the office about
80 percent of the time. Some workers
require access to information from home
occasionally on weekends or at night.
Companies have struggled to safely and
securely provide those workers with access
to necessary information – and to determine
which devices to use to meet those needs.
Matching the right mobile devices to the
right end users means getting the right
balance between usability, size and weight
of device. Additional concerns include how
much help desk support to give; who foots
the bill for laptops, cell phone service and
the like; and when to start thinking about
the right tool for the job. Sometimes it
may be a laptop, but in other cases it may
be a PDA or tablet device.
The edge is expanding – in terms of both
usage and devices. Affordable and avail-
able broadband allows for more mobility
and increases digitization of everything at
the edge of the network. Because the
mobility market is a growth market, mobile
devices and technologies are poised to
fundamentally change the way enterprises
interact with information across their value
chains. It’s important to find the right partner
or partners to help you navigate the com-
plexities and optimize the solution.
Automation of field force and on-location
mobile workers is under way and will continue
expanding into more sectors of the economy.
The trend is global. Intel sees examples in
all of the major geographies and in many
industry sectors – manufacturing, retail,
healthcare, energy, transportation and others.
Why? Because of the concrete return on
investment these transformational solutions
deliver. The ROI includes increased effi-
ciencies, improved processes and greater
responsiveness to the needs of the busi-
ness. These types of innovative solutions not
only transform existing job functions but
in many cases create new and exciting
processes for the targeted mobile worker.
Figure 1 shows recent numbers on mobile
field workers by industry.
Computing at the edge also elevates con-
cerns about data security. Is our information
secure? Are our mobile devices safe? Are our
remote systems protected and supported?
What sort of damage might we suffer if
information or devices are lost or stolen?
What types of security do we need –
passwords, biometrics?
Supporting these edge technologies clearly
brings about a variety of new challenges
for the enterprise. What devices will we
support? What plans and procedures will
we need to put in place to ensure data
security? Do we have the bandwidth to
accommodate a global mobile work force?
Do we have enough help desk workers to
support multiple external devices? And
what should our response time be to
repair or replace remote devices?
Properly implemented, edge computing will
have a positive impact on productivity because
it will include any device in any location.
Edge computing enablement today typically
means supporting laptops and providing
access to data on the corporate intranet.
But the promise of greater edge computing
and smarter devices brings with it the need
to put in place policies and procedures to
support this burgeoning group of edge
users and technologies.
Without an effective edge strategy, simply
deploying larger numbers of devices and
servers can quickly overwhelm scarce
resources and drive costs higher. But well
designed infrastructure and services around
the edge can provide cost-effective ways
to solve problems, increase productivity,
improve intelligence and increase efficiency
by reducing IT complexity.
Mobility: a key to the edgeThe first step most organizations take
toward edge computing involves enabling
their mobile work forces. Beyond being
device-enabled to work outside of the
physical corporate location, the mobile
work force must have the proper knowl-
edge and information to actually perform
critical job functions beyond the confines
of the office.
Depending on the worker’s industry, differ-
ent types of information and mobile devices
may be needed. For instance, workers in the
financial services industry may need quick
Services
Wholesale and Retail Trade
Construction
Manufacturing
Transport, Storage & Communications
Government
Utilities
Educational Services
Health Care and Social Assistance
Banking
Population
0 125,000,000 100,000,00075,000,00050,000,00025,000,000
117, 699,978
78,527,439
58,005,294
54,860,680
41,221,048
14,155,147
7,500,451
4,067,179
3,110,917
212,264
Source: Information Ventures
Figure 1. Worldwide mobile workers by industry (2004)
< 3 >
white paper: mobility
A recent study of 1,047 workers commis-
sioned by EDS and conducted by pollster
Harris Interactive1 gives us additional
insights into mobility trends. The study
found that about half the companies with
revenues of US$1 billion or more are likely
to employ at-home or remote workers. See
Figure 2. While the percentage of these
workers was less at smaller enterprises, it
was clearly on the rise at all types of firms.
According to the study, companies that said
they don’t have a mobile strategy are actually
being pushed in that direction whether they
like it or not because of the proliferation
of laptops in the work force – particularly
those 58 percent (according to the study)
with built-in wireless capabilities.
Most workers (81 percent of respondents)
said they only need a laptop when they’re
out of the office, but nearly one in four
said they need both a laptop and a PDA.
Nearly 70 percent of laptop users have
access to all the same applications whether
they’re on the road or in the office.
Users surveyed by the Harris organization
said they valued access to certain enter-
prise applications more than others. For
instance, 78 percent of the mobile workers
felt having e-mail access was the top priority,
followed by intranet access and access to
company-specific programs.
Mobile workers cited outdated software,
operating systems or computer equipment
as top restraints on their productivity.
However, about a third of those surveyed
said their companies had no formal policy
regarding software updates.
Respondents also indicated poor or inade-
quate problem-solving by the help desk as
a major concern. Generally, workers feel
that if they’re provided with the right tools
and a knowledgeable, responsive help desk
when they’re out of the office, they’ll be
much more productive.
Figure 3 shows the devices workers said
they were using. A printer or copier is the
most common device used by all respon-
dents (87 percent). Laptop, cell phone or
PDA usage for job tasks is significantly
more likely among those who work out of
their homes or at a remote location.
Tomorrow’s edge: all aboutdevices and accessEdge-enabled devices typically include
laptops, cell phones and PDAs. The list
is expanding and in many instances includes
everything from laptops, Bluetooth head-
sets and WiFi devices to a plethora of
wireless systems, thick and thin desktops,
and other output devices. Accessing the
edge requires wireless networks, IP networks,
local and wide area networks, and wireline
voice networks.
A variety of drivers in IT are making the
move to the edge not only possible but a
competitive necessity:
• Access cost – inexpensive, abundantbandwidth
• End-point/end-user hardware (convergedPDA/cell phones; RFID tags and readers) that’s inexpensive, pervasiveand wireless
• Consumer technology now in the enterprise and the CIO’s domain
• Security challenges able to be mitigated
• Automation improvements such as self-help, self-heal, self-install and self-upgrade
• Sensor-based computing using autodata capture – a massive increase in thenumber of sensors and data collectors,resulting in billions of data transactions
• VoIP, where managed business voiceservices will help ensure the greatestproductivity and uptime
74% 78
%71
%
56%
48%
66%
51%
43%
59%
45%
42% 49
%
28%
19%
37%
19%
8%30
%
13%
12%
13%
9%3%
16%
Total On-Site Workers At-Home/Remote Workers
E-mail IntranetAccess
Company-Specific
Programs
Calendar CustomerContact System
Expense ReportSubmittal System
HR Information Sales AutomationTool
Source: EDS/Harris Interactive
Figure 2. Remote access: Enterprise applications extremely/very necessary
74%
78%
71%
56%
48%
66% 51
% 43%
59%
45%
42%
49%
28%
19%
37%
19%
8%30
%
14%
14%
14%
1% 1% 2%
Total On-Site Workers At-Home/Remote Workers
Printer/Copier Desktop Fax Machine Laptop Cell Phone PDA Pager Tablet PC
Figure 3. Devices used for work Source: EDS/Harris Interactive
< 4 >
white paper: mobility
Early adopters of edge computing should
consider providing:
• Remote connectivity to enterprise applications
• Remote, centralized data management
• Edge device support
• Teleworker support
• Bandwidth/traffic management
• Security
Edge solutions should incorporate best-in-
breed mobile and wireless technologies
yet leverage the organization’s existing
IT infrastructure and hardware when poss-
ible. Solutions generally should be vendor-
independent, as well — to help control costs
and lessen risk.
The goal as expressed in Motorola’s vision
of Seamless Mobility is:
• Always on, always connected – sessionsthat cross networks and devices –seamlessly
• Network-agnostic services – full mobili-ty across heterogeneous networks
• User-centric content that is device- andcontext-sensitive – driven by affordableand available broadband
• Embedded privacy, safety and security –critical for shared content
Making the caseIt’s no surprise that costs to manage office
PCs are lower than those of managing lap-
tops and a host of other devices. But the
value in providing edge services will easily
outweigh the additional costs.
A recent study conducted by UTech
Consulting and commissioned by Dell Inc.2
measured productivity (number of hours
worked) for notebook PC users vs. desktop
PC users. It showed an average 7.7 more
hours of productivity per week for each
employee who used a notebook PC.
The 1,000 employees interviewed for the
study worked full-time in businesses, gov-
ernment agencies and higher education
institutions and used a PC in their jobs at
least 10 hours a week. These PC users
(595 use a desktop; 405 use a notebook)
estimated the number of hours per week
of additional productivity they achieve (for
current notebook users) or would achieve
(for current desktop users) by using a
notebook PC rather than a desktop PC.
The upshot? Notebook PC use substantially
boosts personal productivity through the
opportunity to work on the road, at home or
on location. Adding 7.7 hours per week of
productivity for each desktop PC user can
result in a dramatic boost in work flow and
organizational efficiency, and this needs to
be factored against the increased costs
that come with a comparable notebook PC.
These drivers will result in trends toward
more diversity, mobility and distributed
computing, as well as greater numbers of
“virtual” employees. Another important
consideration is the migration of data to
smaller and smaller devices – moving from
laptops to PDAs, tablets or other unique
devices – and how this will impact the
work force and productivity.
Like laptops and other devices, cell phones
have continuously taken on new forms and
capabilities over the years – and the evolu-
tion will continue. See Figure 4.
Getting to the edgeMost companies will benefit from using
outside expertise in their move to edge
computing. Providers with proven best
practices, mobile computing services and
extended office capabilities can offer a great
deal of insight into the methodologies,
security policies and procedures, and
technology solutions to make it all
come together.
FirstCommercial
PortablePhone
GSM SMSPTT
WAPGPRS
Downloads
PhotoCamera
3G
SeamlessNetwork
SeamlessExperience
Video Streaming & Camera
BroadcastVideo
Surround Sound
PolyphonicCompose
PolyphonicMP3
WindowsMobile
Linux-JavaWinCEJava
J2ME
QDualhingeTransFlashSkinsRotator
DesignColor
Display
OutlookiModeIMMMSEMSVoice Mail
AMPS Dual-band
Tri-band
HS-CSD Bluetooth A-GPS
Quad-bandWiFiEDGE
DVB-HUWB
83 92 94 97 99 00 01 02 03 04 05
Source: Motorola
Figure 4. Evolving capabilities of cell phones
< 5 >
white paper: mobility
With laptops, PDAs and cell phonescurrently ranking as the top mobiledevices, companies need to put policiesin place on who pays for them andhow they’re supported.
Figure 5 compares the productivity gains.
Ultimately, organizations benefit in a variety
of ways when they fully enable edge workers:
• Higher productivity with better utilizationof people and technology resources
• Better response times for users who are no longer burdened by the need tophysically connect
• Better throughput for applicationsbecause of increased bandwidth andbetter devices
• Cost-effectiveness through the ability tomanage people where they need to workwhile ensuring they stay productive whenaway from corporate headquarters
• Reduced cost of delivery through assetconsolidation and fit-for-purpose solutions
– Better manageability – remote manage-ment tools that provide fast resolutionto most problems
– Ability to maintain corporate standardswhile also giving users flexibility tochoose the services they need
• Simplified operations
• Enhanced collaboration and participa-tion as people can access knowledgefrom anywhere without having tophysically gather
Deployment and management challenges To take advantage of the incremental benefits
from a more mobile work force, companies
will need to transform the way they deploy
and manage mobile solutions. With laptops,
PDAs and cell phones currently ranking as
the top mobile devices, companies need to
put policies in place on who pays for them
and how they’re supported. The EDS/Harris
Interactive study showed that nearly 90
percent of workers who need to access their
data remotely said the laptop they use for
work is provided by their company. More than
half of respondents said they have laptops
with wireless capabilities. But 18 percent
of on-site workers said they’re more likely
to own the laptop they use for work pur-
poses, while the same was true for only
10 percent of at-home workers.
Overall, the EDS/Harris study showed that
the majority of companies (85 percent) make
the purchase decision and pay all costs for
the laptops used for work. More than one-
third (37 percent) make the decision and
pay all costs for cell phones. For PDAs, just
slightly more than half (53 percent) leave
the purchase decision and all payment of
services entirely to the employee. As more
devices are supported, companies may
need to reexamine their policies on sup-
porting and paying for equipment.
13 or more added hrs of productivity
9 to 12 added hrs of productivity
5 to 8 added hrs of productivity
1 to 4 added hrs of productivity
0 added hrs of productivity
Total Sample7.7 hrs/week
Current Desktop Users5.7 hrs/week
Current Notebook Users10.8 hrs/week
21%
21%
21%
14%
23%
13%
18%
18%
15%
36%
33%
26%
25%
12%
4%
Source: Dell/UTech Consulting
Figure 5. Additional productivity gain with a notebook PC vs. a desktop PC
< 6 >
white paper: mobility
• No laptop or PDA mobile devices (22 percent)
• Phone equipment that’s three or moreyears old (15 percent)
Those concerns were echoed in a study
commissioned by Intel and conducted by
Wipro Technologies3. It showed that con-
tinuously refreshing technology can be
cumbersome and costly — but also that
failure rates increase as the technology
gets older. Having a formal policy in place
and replacing and refreshing hardware and
software on a regular basis can help keep
production levels high. And that clearly
justifies the costs associated with the refresh.
Additionally, the EDS/Harris poll shows the
importance of having good help when
problems do arise. Respondents said:
• The help desk created a negativeimpact on productivity because it tooktoo long to fix problems (noted by 63percent of mobile and at-home workers)
• Technicians are slow to respond whenthere is an issue (48 percent of mobileworkers)
• Technicians have difficulty understandingwhat the problem is (40 percent)
• Technicians are not available when Ineed them (37 percent)
• The same problems keep occurring/solutions are temporary (32 percent)
• The process to report problems is difficult to use (23 percent)
In most cases, on-site workers felt these
impacts slightly more than work at-home/
mobile workers did.
The EDS/Harris poll shows mobileworkers feel as productive as, if notmore productive than, those who work in the office most of the time.
This data shows that some enterprises
aren’t yet giving their full attention to
edge computing. If they’re not managing
and controlling employee spending on
mobile solutions like cell phones, laptops
or PDAs, they may be spending more than
they need to. For instance, when compa-
nies allow workers to select their own
cell phone plans and bill back the costs to
them, they could be losing out on group
rate discounts. When users pay for their
own cell phones, they’re likely charging
back work calls on expense reports – burying
costs that can have a significant impact on
the bottom line.
While productivity may be a concern for
companies as they expand their mobile work
forces, the EDS/Harris poll shows mobile
workers feel as productive as, if not more
productive than, those who work in the
office most of the time. That’s assuming they
have access to the information, updated
technology and knowledgeable help desk
support they need.
What does slow down remote workers?
According to EDS/Harris poll respondents, it’s:
• Outdated operating systems or softwareapplications (31 percent)
• Old PC equipment (31 percent)
• Poor or inadequate problem-solving bythe help desk in one call (30 percent)
• Poor or inadequate network or localprinting capabilities (23 percent)
• No wireless connections to work outsideof the fixed office location (26 percent)
Desktop Failure Rates by Refresh Cycle
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Refresh Cycle
Failu
re R
ate Operating Systems
Major Application
Minor Software
4-53-42-31-20-1 5+
Office Warrior Failure Rates by Refresh Cycle
Refresh Cycle
Failu
re R
ate
Longer refresh cycle means markedly higher failure rates for OS, major and minor software deployments.
• OS deployments suffer the most, becoming prohibitively high after just 3.5 years.
• Reported failure rates for desktop, office and road are effectively identical.
Operating Systems
Major Application
Minor Software
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
4-53-42-31-20-1 5+
Road Warrior Failure Rates by Refresh Cycle
Refresh Cycle
Failu
re R
ate Operating Systems
Major Application
Minor Software
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
4-53-42-31-20-1 5+
Source: Intel/Wipro Technologies
Figure 6. IT responsiveness: Software deployment failure rates due to refresh cycle
< 7 >
white paper: mobility
Security on the edgeAnother concern for the more agile work
force is security. While most participants in
the EDS/Harris survey said their companies
could replace stolen laptops or lost phones
within a day or two, most said there were
not formal policies in place around the loss
of data. It’s important for companies to
implement security plans and processes; that
way, if devices are lost or stolen, valuable
access to corporate data is denied, loss of
data is minimal, and workers are up and
running again quickly. Firms should draft
security policies using input from various
constituents:
• Outside consultants with expertise inmobile and edge computing
• IT staff
• Departmental workers who access the data
• Users who access information remotely
In the EDS/Harris study, more than half
of the laptop users who responded said
they’re extremely or very concerned with
the protection of data on their laptops.
Fifty-one percent also said they would
consider the use of biometrics to help
keep their data protected.
A recent study sponsored by EDS and
the International Association of Privacy
Professionals (IAPP) and conducted by the
Ponemon Institute4 offers additional useful
data. It surveyed users about the types of
biometric devices they found acceptable.
These included finger print recognition
(cited by 85 percent of the more than 1,000
respondents), voice recognition (84 percent),
hand geometry (57 percent), eye (iris) scan
(46 percent) and facial scan (45 percent).
Most users who said they favored biometric
security solutions said the convenience of
not having to remember passwords was
key, followed by the ability to speed up
transactions and information security.
The new competitive “edge”The paradigm of the traditional office is
shifting. There’s no long a corporate hub
and separate field locations; the field is
becoming fluid. Corporations that adapt to
this new paradigm must be willing and able
to float core information out to the edge to
support their users just as easily as they’ve
gathered it from the field force in the past.
Their success will depend on their ability to
build strong policies that enable them to get
information to and from users – irrespective
of device – securely, seamlessly and with
strong help desk support. See Figure 7.
Selecting the rightsolution and support
EDS, Dell, Intel, Microsoft and Motorola have
been global leaders in mobile computing for
many years. Together we’re helping define edge
computing solutions for enterprises worldwide.
Our consultants have access to proven technology
and best practices from across a broad range
of industries.
We’re also collaborating to deliver a variety of
edge computing solutions. One is the EDS-man-
aged, end-to-end Mobile Workplace solution. It
gives enterprise users secure remote access to
critical corporate data and brings order to bur-
geoning mobile environments. The solution
delivers automated and remotely managed
mobile device provisioning, break/fix and man-
agement support with service level agreements
and associated predictable monthly cost.
EDS, Dell, Intel, Microsoft and Motorola are
extending traditional support services for the
office environment out to mobile devices and
processes. Ours are the first fully managed services
for both mobile and corporate users – providing
help desk support, data recovery and more.
Enterprises working with us get managed services
that extend the desktop footprint to mobile
devices, incorporate the latest automation tech-
nology, use a profile-based user-centric approach
and provide secure connectivity from the data
center to the edge.
Figure 7. The seamless enterprise
The Seamless EnterpriseYour enterprise must move faster, reach farther, and be better more interconnected than ever before. Data must be accessible to your employees at each step throughout the transaction lifecycle, whether they’re in the office or on the road. Mobile technologies fill in all the gaps, and give your people access to real-time data, when and where they can use it.
Getting up-to-date information about rapidly
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PLAN
You control every aspect of
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Salespeople have
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SELL
You know where every piece of inventory is, from factory to warehouse to point-of-sale. Instant feedback from customers enables you to plan future distribution.
MOVE
Total visibility into your supplier network means you don’t waste time or money when buying materials.
Prices become more competitive and procurement much quicker.
BUY
PLAN BUY
MAKE
SELLMOVE
SE
RV
ICE
MARKET FORCES
BUYING TRENDS
REAL-T
IME
AUCT
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OIL PRICES
DATA HELPS CLOSE
COMPETITOR
RATES
PRESCRIPTIVE INFO
ACMEWIDGETS
ACMEWIDGETS
VIRTUAL
LOGISTICS
TRANSPARENT
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PERSONALIZED
CUSTOMER
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OPTIMIZEDPRICING DATA
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SUPPLIER
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PROGRESSTRACKING
Widgets are in sub-assembly 3 in Brazil.
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white paper: mobility
Next steps1. Put priority on business results. Let
form follow function. Focus on what
mobility can do to improve processes,
increase productivity and gain competi-
tive advantage for your enterprise.
Then address technology.
2. Put emphasis on the user. Focus on
what the user experience will be. Conduct
user testing and pilots first to evaluate the
benefits of your new mobility strategy.
3. Look for industry experience. Select
mobile partners that have experience
in various industries and, more specifi-
cally, experience in your industry. The
experience is valuable in ensuring that the
mobile solution can easily be integrated
with your company’s systems and cus-
tomized to fit your industry-specific needs.
4. Ensure there is a clear vision. Make
sure your mobile partner(s) have a
clear vision and that their views on
mobility clearly link with your business
improvement goals.
5. Evaluate total costs of ownership. The
edge is exploding with new applications
and devices. Make sure you really
understand the current and future
costs of transforming your enterprise
to take advantage of the edge. You can
gain savings by using the latest tech-
nology and deploying consistent policies
and practices across the enterprise.
ConclusionJust automating existing processes doesn’t
harness the full potential of mobilized
solutions. The goal is not to incrementally
improve processes – but to transform
them outright. The way to do that is by
turning data into information that means
something – information that creates new
linkages between customers, operations
and suppliers.
Mobilized solutions are changing the way
field force and on-location mobile employ-
ees work. As a result, they’re transforming
the way organizations conduct business,
enabling them to be more profitable, more
competitive and faster to market. The
solutions allow organizations to develop
stronger customer relationships, improve
employee job satisfaction and give these
previously overlooked workers technology
tools to do their jobs better.
Companies that work with EDS, Dell, Intel,
Microsoft and Motorola to take advantage
of the edge will have an enormous oppor-
tunity to transform how business, employees
and consumers interact for long-term
value and gain.
Some key questionsto think about
• What new or existing information, if available
in real time, could you benefit from? And
what will it take to gather and assimilate
that information?
• What processes could most benefit from being
performed in a consistent, optimal way across
your enterprise?
• Where is your “edge” of engagement with your
market? And who owns the information at the
edge? What is valuable?
• What is your “information relationship” with
all around you? And what can your suppliers or
customers do faster/cheaper/better than you?
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white paper: mobility
End notes
1. Harris Interactive (sponsored by EDS), “EDS Workplace Productivity and Mobility Topline Report,” Q1 2005.
2. UTech Consulting (sponsored by Dell), “Dell Desktop Replacement Productivity Impact Study.”
3. Wipro Technologies (sponsored by Intel), “Measuring the Benefits of Mobile PCs in the Enterprise,” 2005.
4. Ponemon Institute (sponsored by EDS and the International Association of Privacy Professionals), “EDS Privacy and
Identity Management Survey,” Q4 2004.
For more information, visit:eds.comdell.comintel.commicrosoft.commotorola.com
Contacts
EDS5400 Legacy Drive
Plano, Texas 75024
1 800 566 9337
eds.com
Dell Inc.One Dell Way
Round Rock, Texas 78682
1 800 WWW DELL
dell.com
EDS Agility Alliance Partner
Intel Corporation2200 Mission College Blvd.
Santa Clara, California 95052-8119
1 800 628 8686
intel.com
Microsoft CorporationOne Microsoft Way
Redmond, Washington 98052-6339
1 800 426 9400
microsoft.com
EDS Agility Alliance Partner
Motorola, Inc. 1303 E. Algonquin Road
Schaumburg, Illinois 60196
1 847 576 5000
motorola.com
EDS Solutions Alliance Partner
© 2005 Electronic Data Systems Corporation. All rights reserved. EDS and the EDS logo are registered trademarks of Electronic Data Systems Corporation. EDS is an equal opportunity employerand values the diversity of its people. 07/2005 5GCPH5245
Dell and the Dell Logo are trademarks of Dell Inc. Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products.Dell disclaims proprietary interest in the marks and names of others. Copyright 2005 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.
© 2005 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved. Intel and the Intel logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.Other trademarks and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
© 2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft and the Microsoft logo are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
© Motorola, Inc. 2005. MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners.
