Palm

Direct Connection

A direct connection allows an email client on your Treo™ smartphone to speak directly your organization's email system (for example, Microsoft Exchange 2003 Server Service Pack 2, or higher). In this scenario, email (and often calendar and contacts) are wirelessly "pulled" or "pushed" to your device.

• No need to pay third party software and maintenance fees
• No need for additional software setup and configuration
• No need to manage another server behind the firewall
• Fewer points of failure for your wireless email system

• Currently only available on Microsoft Exchange and Novell GroupWise platforms. Requires Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 with Service Pack 2 or higher or Novell GroupWise 7 or higher
• May include a subset of features compared to some higher-priced third-party server based solutions

• Organizations, departments, or workgroups within a large organization looking for a straightforward, secure, and easy to deploy solution that leverages the current email infrastructure without adding costs

Behind the firewall third-party server-based solutions

A popular wireless email delivery mechanism to retrieve email from behind a corporate firewall, customers buy software from a vendor and set up and configure that software next to the email system behind the firewall. To simplify customers' configuration process, some vendors choose to set up a Network Operation Center (NOC) outside the firewall.

• Some solutions offer very comprehensive email features as well as device management and security functions
• Some solutions also provide tools to extend other applications wirelessly
• Some vendors offer improved User Interface (UI) for easier visibility and greater convenience

• Need to install and maintain a third party server behind the firewall
• Need to pay software license and maintenance fees

• Organizations with experienced in-house IT staffs that are willing to pay for a fully featured wireless email solution