CA unveils wireless device software

Computer Associates (CA) has said its network monitoring software would soon be able to manage, deploy and secure wireless handheld devices, laptops and internet-enabled phones.

As part of the company's new Mobile eBusiness Initiative, CA announced at the CeBit show a new partnership with mobile telephony giants Nokia and Motorola. Other partners include Aether Systems, EDS and Soft Design, which will integrate mobile computing with CA's flagship UniCenter software.

Some of the applications that could be accessed include customer relationship management, enterprise resource management and Lotus Notes. CA expects the market for wireless software systems to grow to $15bn in 2005, from $3bn in 2001.

Tarkan Maner, CA vice president, said successful wireless applications require high availability, carefully tuned performance, robust security and tight integration with existing enterprise applications.

According to CA, its wireless-enabled product line will include three categories: infrastructure management, information management and process management.

Infrastructure management will use CA's next generation UniCenter and eTrust security products for wireless deployment with a focus on enterprise and security management. Information management will include technology based on Wap, while process management will include CA's vertical applications, Eureka and Neugentsii agent technology.

Eureka is CA's server-based production analysis tool, and Neugentsii is used for developing intelligent ebusiness applications.

The company also said customised mobile applications will be brought to market by select system integrators such as EDS who will also deliver mobile applications anywhere at any time.

Stephen Drake, an analyst at IDC, said the ability to provide a mobile middleware platform and an enterprise class management framework in one integrated solution are important criteria enterprises look for when considering mobile workforce automation projects.

"For companies to successfully execute their mobilisation strategies, they need to effectively deploy a wide range of new technologies in a way that integrates appropriately with their existing information resources, communicationsinfrastructure and business processes," Drake said.