The Server utilizes the Open Mobile Alliance's
Device Management (OMA DM) protocol to remotely diagnose and repair configuration issues in Windows Mobile 5.0 devices as well as to deliver firmware updates over-the-air (FOTA), according to Synhcronica. The client side on the device makes use of the OMA DM/FOTA support built into Windows Mobile 5.0, and also supports Microsoft's extensions to the OMA DM standard.
Sychronica points out that smartphones bear higher customer-care burdens than feature phones, due to being more complex to configure, and more likely to have firmware defects. The company cites data from Strategy Analytics indicating that in 2004, the mobile industry suffered $685 million in additional support costs due to device recalls resulting from firmware defects on the latest generation of mobile devices.
The company says its software can be used to implement self-care portals that diagnose a device, ask the user for confirmation, and automatically correct configuration issues or apply patches to the firmware. The "business logic" and on-device user interaction are implemented in the company's server-side XML-based scripting language, Sydemas.
SyncML DM Server for Windows Mobile 5.0 devices has been "rigorously tested" in recent OMA "Test Fests" as well as with prototypes from major Windows Mobile handset manufacturers, according to Synchronica. It provides carrier-grade scalability, has been proven in a live installation with a European device manufacturer, and runs on any J2EE-compliant application server, RDBMS, Solaris, or Linux, the company says.
Related stories:
