The following sections describe the key ZfH features and their benefits:
ZfH does not require the mobile user to make special connections to the LAN. Instead, ZfH uses the user's normal connection mechanism (synchronization software, such as Palm HotSync*, Microsoft* ActiveSync*, or TCP/IP connections) to transfer data between the ZfH server and the handheld device.
ZfH is optimized for low bandwidth, unreliable communications using queued messaging, compression, and checkpoint/restart strategies.
In ZfH, a policy is a set of rules that defines how handheld devices can be configured and controlled, including security options, application availability, file retrieval, and more. Policies are contained within policy packages, where they are also administered and customized.
Using ConsoleOne, you can create, configure, and associate policies to do the following:
Because sensitive business information is stored on handheld devices (meeting notes, contact lists, and so forth), your organization might have a policy that all handheld devices must be password-protected. Using the Security policy, you can ensure that each enterprise Palm OS and Windows CE device has a password set. If a password is not set on a handheld device, the user will be prompted to set one.
You can specify a list of software programs that are allowed to be installed on Palm OS and Windows CE devices. Using the Configuration policy, you can ensure that each handheld device in your organization has only authorized software programs installed. If a user installs an unauthorized program, the application will be automatically removed according to the policy schedule or when the user synchronizes the device. Having only authorized applications on managed handheld devices helps lower help desk costs associated with troubleshooting.
By default, Palm OS and Windows CE devices have specific applications assigned to the buttons on the actual handheld devices. Your organization might have several applications that are used frequently. Using the Configuration policy, you can associate different applications to those buttons, making your users more productive.
You can ensure that each Palm OS device in your organization has the same general settings. Using the Configuration policy, you can ensure that all enterprise handheld devices are consistent across your organization to help lower help desk costs.
You can ensure that each Windows CE device in your organization has the same power settings. Using the Configuration policy, you can make your users more productive by preventing battery power loss to idle Windows CE devices.
You can ensure that mission-critical information is copied and backed up to the network. Using the File Retrieval policy, the files that you specify will be retrieved from the device and copied to the network location you specify. You can then back up these files during your normal network backup process.
Because handheld devices are rarely available at a central location for updating, you need a mechanism to distribute files to them, so that mobile users are kept current with the latest applications, including bug fixes, application updates, and so forth.
ZfH provides this mechanism by allowing you to distribute applications and install them on remote handheld devices at your convenience.
You can even schedule distributions to recur so that handheld devices are updated with the latest files when any components of an application change.
ZfH provides a comprehensive mechanism for scheduling distributions to run on handheld devices. The scheduling and management of distributions and clients is performed from ConsoleOne.
ZfH provides you with the following benefits:
Managing software and hardware assets is a critical function. By keeping up-to-date inventories, you can use ZfH to do the following:
ZfH identifies the number of handheld devices and the number of copies of an application that are installed on those devices so you can easily verify the license count against your internal records.
If you decide to update to a specific version of an application or you decide that a certain amount of RAM is required for a new application that has been deployed, ZfH helps you to quickly identify which handheld devices need to be upgraded and how many components you need to order.
ZfH can help pinpoint possible problems on remote handheld devices at the component level.