Earthblog

Going "Mobile"

With today’s technology people are no longer confined within the walls of their office or cubicle. This has been true of the enterprise for quite a while now, but it is only relatively recently that this has become true of the small business. Companies like Microsoft simply were not thinking about the small business back then, as they strove to corner the enterprise market. But that has changed.

Now small businesses are capable of a mobility that rivals the enterprise. People can “remote” into their office networks. People can remotely control their office computers anywhere an Internet connection is available. People can log into their company email remotely from the Web. People can get their Outlook emails, contacts, and calendar items on their mobile phone. With the advent of cellular broadband cards for laptops, this remote access can be found almost anywhere.

How can small business improve their mobility, becoming more efficient and productive in the process? What technologies exist to make this possible? How affordable are they? . . .
 

Blackberries, iPhones, and Smartphones
 

When it comes to mobility the first technology to discuss is the mobile phone, as it is by far the most portable. In addition to the phone itself, you'll need an unlimited "data plan" from your wireless carrier. This entails a monthly cost--typically in the range of $30 to $50--and allows your phone to connect to the Internet and send and receive email.

But these types of phones have more than just the ability to send and receive email. When combined with Microsoft Exchange Server (in the case of a Windows Mobile phone and Apple iPhone) or BlackBerry Enterprise or Professional Server (in the case of a Blackberry), they are capable of fully integrating with your office Outlook. Not only will you see your Outlook email on your cell phone, you'll see your calendar items, contacts, notes, and tasks as well. Plus, email is "pushed" to your phone, meaning there is very little delay between the time someone sends you an email and the time it takes to appear on your phone.

The cellular (or mobile) broadband card

Below are two types of cellular broadband cards for laptops:

Most all cell phone carriers (Sprint, Verizon, AT&T, etc) offer cellular broadband. They generally charge between $40 and $60 a month for unlimited service. If you are often on the move, travel frequently, or just like to be mobile, the $60 or so a month is well worth the cost. The Internet speed from these cards is very good, although not quite as fast as your home DSL or cable Internet connection is going to be. The beauty of these mobile broadband cards is that they enable you to access the Internet--and potentially your email and your company network--from your laptop wherever you go without having to search for a Wi-fi "hotspot." Internet coverage is very broad and is comparable to your cell phone coverage.

The "Netbook"

A netbook is basically a tiny laptop or notebook computer. Extremely lightweight and portable, they are becoming increasingly popular with mobile workers. They are also surprisingly cheap, starting at around $300. They run off the Intel "Atom" processor and bridge the gap between a standard laptop computer and a mobile phone: Much more portable than a standard laptop, and much more functional than a mobile phone.

A netbook combined with a cellular broadband card is a very handly little setup and will do a lot to free you from the physical confines of the office. Netbooks often have the cellular broadband card built right in, and certain cell phone carriers are starting to sell these devices quite cheap with the purchase of a cellular broadband plan.

Microsoft Windows 2003/2008 Small Business Server & Remote Web Workplace
 

Remote Web Workplace is technically not a device like a mobile phone or a netbook. It is software that runs off of your small-business server. It is a component of Windows Small Business Server, the portal through which you can access your company computer, email, and network. It is published by your Windows Small Business Server like any other web page. You launch a web browser, like Internet Explorer, type in the web address of your server, and you are taken to a log-in screen. You type in your username and password, and then you are taken to the web page pictured above. Clicking on "Connect to a Computer" will enable you to remotely control your office computer, say, from your laptop while you're on a business trip, or from your home computer. All that is needed is a high-speed Internet connection. It is a very elegant and effective mobile solution from Microsoft, tailored specifically for small businesses.

How Remote Web Workplace works:

Through "Check E-mail " you get to Outlook Web Access like below:

Outlook Web Access is the web version of Outlook and very closely resembles Outlook. If you don't like to use webmail, Outlook can be set up to access your company mailbox through a feature called "Outlook Anywhere."

See demo of Outlook Web Access 2007 here.