It’s not exactly a newsflash anymore: Mobile devices have revolutionized the way business is being conducted all over the world. No one is more aware of the phenomenon than IT professionals, because they’re the ones who drive organizational responses to technological shifts in the marketplace.
The Brave New Mobile Enterprise
Although the relentless march to business mobility might seem new and daunting, you’re already accustomed to dealing with two of the primary challenges involved:
- You must ensure worker productivity by providing access to core business applications.
- You must effectively manage the way workers use corporate data—especially critical mainframe data.
You’ve been meeting both basic challenges for years; now you just need to tweak the delivery mechanism.
Verastream-Driven Mobility
Verastream provides a single solution for connecting existing applications to any and all devices.
While there are a number of ways to achieve mobile enablement, IT must stay in the driver’s seat. And as many IT organizations are discovering, the best way to manage mobile terminal emulation is the approach offered by Attachmate Verastream middleware.
The driving force behind the Verastream design is practicality. Because the Verastream server acts as the focal point for host connectivity, it reduces the application footprint on the mobile device. Verastream works behind the scenes to simplify the connectivity process so mobile workers can get seamless access to the applications they need.
Why is Zero Footprint Important?
If you plan to provide terminal emulation in a mobile environment, don’t rush to install a basic client on employees’ devices. While this method might meet immediate needs, it’s not easily extensible and puts more of a burden than necessary on the mobile device.
Your individual IT criteria will dictate your migration strategy, but you can always count on these Verastream zero-footprint advantages:
- Increased agility. Employees can access the host application regardless of what devices they bring to the table.
- Greater IT control. You protect the host data stream because it is not accessible from the mobile device.
- Future compatibility. As mobile technologies evolve, you can respond by serving up applications in any way needed.
You can achieve these benefits and more because Verastream doesn’t run the app; it just shows the app.
Achieving Zero Footprint Terminal Emulation
With the Verastream server sitting between the mainframe and mobile device, you get an advanced three-tier approach to terminal emulation. No native code is required on the client.
In fact, it takes only minutes for you to provide application access to the whole range of devices that support modern web technologies. You can determine the level of access for mobile workers while maintaining full visibility into every application they are using.
The host data stream is protected because it stops at the server and never leaves the firewall. Verastream also ensures security through the use of FIPS-validated encryption libraries among the three tiers.
How Does Verastream Work?
The Verastream zero-footprint solution ensures that IT can provide safe, flexible access to critical host applications. It’s done by allowing the use of terminal emulation, via HTML5 or other language, to the mobile worker.
You simply select an enterprise host application and let Verastream auto-generate a green screen or web form. Mobile devices can then access the application in the same way they would access any portal application. You can choose from pre-built themes that determine look and feel.
Verastream advanced functionality gives IT administrators many terminal emulation options. You can provide open access to host applications as they actually are, you can suppress data, or you can modify any information that is presented. You can also offer automations, macros, or even custom workflows as desired.
All of this functionality is easily created and run from servers that provide robust IT controls and monitoring. Verastream session control on the HTML5 browser lets you make informed data-suppression decisions while you scan to see who is using the host system at any time.
The Server-Side Advantage
System administrators like the Verastream approach because it saves time and work. You can manage everything from a centralized point and then disseminate selectively to your decentralized audience. For example, when upgrades are needed, you simply make them—once—on the server, where they become available to your mobile users.
End users like the Verastream approach because it keeps their lives simple. The distributed-access framework means they don’t have to interact with an app store or perform any installations on their mobile devices. They can get the same green-screen access provided by their familiar desktop computers, so there is no learning curve to conquer.
BYOD and Beyond
In the current communication era of Bring-Your-Own-Device, Verastream is also a notable hedge against volatility in the mobile market. Using Verastream, the application does not actually reside on the tablet or smart phone, so swapping out mobile devices does not impact your application life cycle.
Whether you need unaltered terminal access or you plan to provide tailored mobile-specific application support, Verastream is the platform that can get you there, and then keep you ahead of the curve. This zero-footprint solution ensures that your IT enterprise stays nimble and ready to plug into the next generations of cloud computing, legacy service enablement, and further mobile proliferation.
Verastream: Rapid Results That Keep Your Options Open
Verastream versatility means you are never locked in to a designated project or a designated technology. Instead, you can take incremental steps toward your IT goals because the solution you implement today can be expanded—horizontally and vertically—to meet a variety of needs. So if you are ready to bridge the gap between your trusted applications and your changing workforce, you can rely on the trusted Verastream zero-footprint method for both mobile terminal emulation and custom mobile applications.
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