3000 connections still Padding in the future
January 31, 2012
Not long ago, HP business server users started to ask about iPad connectivity once again. Some of the answers included pretty good advice on getting access to HP's Unix servers. The HP 3000 connectivity, which would be best served with 700/92 emulation nuances, might be a more complex prospect.
Back in the summer of 2010 we were waiting on the arrival of a 3000-grown solution. Minisoft intended to release its Javelin connection for iOS. It had even set a $9.95 price. But then the developer Neal Kazmi weathered some health issues and the project had to be tabled. But it's not canceled, according to Minisoft's founder and president Doug Greenup.
We were all set to do this with Neal and then had to pospone. He is back working on a number of projects here at Minisoft. The Javelin port to iPad is still on the "to do" list. I know there are people interested in a robust HP connectivity app for iPad. We just haven't had the development resources to finish the project.
So while we'll keep an eye on the App Store for the first 3000-savvy iOS app, there might be another solution available in the meantime. Something demoed on the Macworld show floor, just getting on its feet, can give users control over their desktop back at the office -- and so they'd be able to use a Windows PC running 3000 connectivity solutions, or even something hosted on the Mac.
But back to that desktop control solution. Splashtop Remote Desktop requires a wi-fi connection between the desktop and the tablet. It even supports Android devices. So you can use this app, plus a free Streamer client on that desktop, to control any interface you can drive from the desktop. There's one level of connectivity while inside the same wi-fi network. But Splashtop can also reach outside of a company's net for even greater remote range.
A connection through a working Gmail account lets the desktop certify itself to the iPad or Android tablet. Using this network, a worker in a secured wi-fi net in another location can touch the software on his desktop. I saw the on-the-same-net demonstration at Macworld and was surprised at the level of control. I don't know if I'd try this with an iPad 1, because more processing power is better. It will hum along even faster in a little while when the iPad 3 is released this spring.
There are three kinds of IT managers who respond to these mobile connection needs. The first wants to wall off IT from mobile access. The second is willing to see why mobile will make the enterprise better. The third knows that mobile is essential to keeping a company abreast of modern access. You don't want to be the first for very much longer. This is a wave that's not going to be stopped; it's a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) world out there now. Apple's sold 55 million iPads already, not to mention the 100 million iPhones. Android will bring even more devices into the shop. And there's usually a good chance they arrive under the arm or in the pocket of a VP who simply wants to use their favorite laptop replacement.
As for entrusting Google to certify a remote computer's indentity, it's better than nothing. Even the developers of Splashtop understand Gmail is a stopgap. But an internal wi-fi linkup is a great way to be responsive to a request for mobile 3000 access. The ultrabooks will make laptops lighter, but those are not the devices causing the BYOD wave. You can get ready for tablets now, and keep an eye on what else will emerge this year.