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Lotus Mobile Connect

Features and benefits

IBM Lotus Mobile Connect software allows enterprises to efficiently extend applications to mobile workers over many different wireless and wireline networks. It allows users to select the best wireless network for their situation and to seamlessly roam between different networks.

Lotus Mobile Connect software is a distributed, scalable, multipurpose communications platform designed to optimize bandwidth, help reduce costs, and help ensure security. It creates a mobile VPN that encrypts data over vulnerable wireless LAN and wireless WAN connections. It integrates many standard IP and non-IP wireless bearer networks, server hardware, device operating systems, and mobile security protocols. Device support includes Microsoft Windows® Mobile 5 and 6 clients, Microsoft Windows Vista® workstations and Nokia E50, E60, E61, E62, E70 and E90 devices (added in recent releases).

Lotus Mobile Connect software (the follow-on release to IBM WebSphere® Everyplace® Connection Manager) can be used with IBM WebSphere® Portal, IBM Lotus Expeditor, IBM Lotus Sametime®, IBM Lotus Notes®, and IBM Lotus Forms to encrypt and extend business applications to mobile users. It is a critical component in the User Platform infrastructure solution and in many industry-specific solutions from IBM.

Benefits

Connects enterprise resources via a wide selection of Internet Protocol (IP) and non-IP network communication protocols and wireless and wired network connectivity options.
Helps protect sensitive information transmitted over wireless networks.
Allows mobile users to maintain session persistence through seamless network roaming.
Helps reduce mobile transmission costs and lower connection fees through data optimization functionality.
Provides greater choice by supporting multiple client platforms and devices, including Linux, Symbian, and a variety of Microsoft Windows clients (Windows Mobile 5, Windows Mobile 6, Windows 2003 Server and Windows Vista).
Helps boost productivity by synergizing with other powerful collaboration products such as IBM Lotus Sametime®, IBM Lotus Notes®, IBM Lotus® Expeditor, and IBM WebSphere® Portal software.

Advantages over a traditional IPSec VPN

Mobility client feature	Lotus Mobile Connect	Traditional IPSec VPN
End-to-end encryption	X	X
Seamless, cross-networking roaming on IP and non-IP networks	X
Encrypted IP routing through non-IP networks	X
Network address translation (NAT)	X
Bidirectional, two-factor authentication	X	X
Header reduction, IP data compression and filtering to reduce packet overhead	X
TCP optimization to help minimize costly retransmissions due to network latency	X
Dynamic disconnect and reconnect	X
Performance-tuning profiles customizable for differences in connection technologies	X
Support Microsoft Windows Pocket PC 2002, Windows Mobile 2003, Palm OS, Symbian and Linux platforms	X	X

Features

Security features help protect data security in mobile applications. The software incorporates SSL connectivity, WTLS and Point-to-point Protocol (PPP) remote access standards from PPP clients. A symmetric encryption key is used to encode or decode data with varying key lengths - the strongest of which is the 256-key used in the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). Lotus Mobile Connect is certified for FIPS 140-2, 197, 186-2, and 1801-1 standards. The cryptographic libraries used by IBM have been tested and verified for U.S. and Canadian federal agencies.
Dynamic Session Profiles allow recognition of the type of network over which you are connecting and automatic application of tuning parameters to help achieve optimal performance. This can simplify configuration and enhance the seamless roaming capability by automatically switching network-specific performance settings when roaming occurs.
The ability to export/import client configuration files can facilitate deployment of client configuration changes over the air.
An administrator has the ability to set or change client parameter options and then distribute the new configuration to the client. The client can import the new configuration and accept the changes.
Application Check/Autostart allows the Mobility Client to be configured to check whether certain programs are running, such as antivirus or personal firewall software, before allowing the connection to start.
Installation with Quickstart Mobile VPN is improved with the use of the VPN Wizard. The VPN wizard can configure Lotus Mobile Connect with common parameters that can help you get up and running quicker.
A new connection option may allow implementation without any firewall changes. The software can be configured to use commonly open firewall ports used for Internet browsing.
Expanded support for wireless networks includes UMTS, HSDPA, Motorola Astro and WCDMA.
Additional client support, including Nokia 9500, 9300, 9330i, E50, E60, E61, E62, E70 and E90 devices and Windows™ Mobile devices and Windows Vista workstations in portrait and landscape modes.
Support for Linux -- Red Hat Enterprise Linux™ V4 AS and ES for Intel™ processors, and for SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 9,10.
Support for Windows - Windows 2003 Server (in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions) added as a platform deployment option in Lotus Mobile Connect 6.1.1 software. Lotus Mobile Connect 6.1.1.1 software supports Windows Mobile 5 and Windows Mobile 6 clients.
Compatibility with selected third party VPN solutions is expanded.