SAP SUP (Sybase Unwired Platform)

In August, 2010 the Sybase company announced the first version of the Sybase Unwired Platform platform which allows to develop the applications doing business data of different sources, including SAP applications, available to mobile workers on all popular portable devices. Thanks to the uniform integrated infrastructure, Sybase Unwired Platform is the most extensive and safe platform which gives new opportunities to workers and will transform the companies.

Sybase Unwired Platform offers the flexible, integrated infrastructure which reduces complexity of development and deployment of mobile applications on all main types of the devices including iPhone and iPad RIM BlackBerry Windows Mobile, Windows and Symbian, and will soon be added also support Android.

Sybase Unwired Platform provides the following main advantages to the mobile enterprises:

• the simple mobility – reduces complexity of development and deployment of mobile applications thanks to the complex and integrated infrastructure;
• gain of IT – fast providing the innovation applications to all employees needing mobile access to corporate information - as that who is engaged in intellectual activity, and that to whom mobile access is necessary for accomplishment of working service tasks;
• the integrated processes are ready tools and services are easily integrated with the existing corporate infrastructure, business processes and corporate applications;
• lower cost of ownership – simplifies and accelerates mobilization and business process integration without attraction of additional resources for development;
• fast reaction to the changing business needs – significantly accelerates implementation of business processes with mobile access.

Sybase Unwired Platform is the key Sybase Mobility Platform component, the first and most comprehensive infrastructure of the mobile servers, applications and services, best in the class.

Sybase Unwired Platform is flexible, opened and we scale the application of a corporate class and also the service platform created on the basis of the checked technologies by the leader of the industry in the field of mobility. Thanks to seamless integration with various corporate applications, for example, of SAP, and support of standard databases, service-oriented architecture and protocols of web services, the platform does possible creation of the next generation of mobile applications and services which will transform any organization. The platform provides reliable providing data and services on all main devices. Developers who aim to create advanced mobile applications will get advantages thanks to powerful 4GL-tools and integration with the general development environment, such as Eclipse. At deployment together with the leading Afaria server, possibilities of Sybase Unwired Platform increase – the enterprises receive the single administrative console for centralized operation, security and deployment of mobile data, applications and devices.

The considered solution is the best platform for mobile applications with the amplest opportunities for scaling. It  the last releases help the enterprises of any size to react more effectively to dynamics of business in real time. It becomes possible thanks to providing cost-efficient and the simplest in terms of deployment, development and management " the family" and web applications for a broad spectrum of mobile devices. At the heart of Sybase Unwired Platform and SDK the approved technologies supporting clients during creation of convenient applications in use for mobilization of business processes and work flows lie and also at the organization of access to the systems of auxiliary office in real time in scales of all enterprise. New offers of SAP and Sybase will promote increase in efficiency, flexibility and overall performance.

The number of the personal and corporate mobile devices used at the enterprise increases therefore the complex integrated platform is necessary for the companies for simplification of development, deployment and protection of the mobile applications installed on devices of different types. In the recent research conducted by Kelton Research company it is mentioned that in 2011 65% of IT managers are going to develop and implement five and more, and 21% — 20 and more mobile applications.

The powerful instrumental environment 4GL allowing to develop applications in the shortest possible time is a part of Sybase Unwired Platform. Integration into the various corporate applications using databases, the service-oriented architecture (SOA) or web services gives the chance to deliver server data of different formats on mobile devices of users. Sybase Unwired Platform supports the main types of mobile devices and operating systems, including iPhone and iRad RIM BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Windows, Symbian and Android. Compliance to corporate security requirements is reached at the expense of a full integration with Afaria, the solution Sybase for mobile device management and ensuring their security.

Sybase Unwired Platform 2.0

The Sybase Unwired Platform 2.0 platform and advanced packet of SDK give new opportunities for developers and IT managers:

• The hybrid web container provides all advantages connected with development of specialized web applications. It has rich functionality for "native" applications, supports standard development environments — HTML5, Javascript and CSS.
• The packet of SDK for development of "native" applications contains the user interface (UI), the platform, means of the organization of interaction and integration of devices and also libraries of mobile business objects.
• krossplatformenny support provides coordination within key mobile platforms (iOS, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile). Support of Android will be implemented in the second quarter 2011.
• Integration with the server systems by means of the integration solutions certified by SAP company or created based on open standards (for example, the JDBC drivers and RESTful Web web services). Besides, caching of data is supported.
• The security protections, best in the industry, including uniform input in the server systems of SAP, the web data warehouse of HTML5 with support of enciphering and the ciphered data transfer protocol.

Thanks to ensuring mobile access to corporate information systems at any time and in any place for a wide range of users — heads, employees and sales representatives — the companies reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) and try to obtain high return from investments (ROI). In the research conducted in 2010 by the University of Texas at Austin it is mentioned that to the companies from the list of Fortune 1000 annual economy in the amount of 2.01 billion dollars will be provided by only 10% of increase in convenience of use of data.

Sybase Unwired Platform 2.1

The enterprises implementing mobile applied means often face that the field of data, necessary for management, on the scale of the organization in general is unavailable to point solutions. Flow output of Sybase Unwired Platform — one of the first completely integrated platforms of mobile corporate applications expected the existing qualification of developers and supporting industry standards thanks to what the volume of the changes required in most cases when mastering mobile programming and mobile informatization is reduced.

"The enterprises should include mobile applications in the portfolio of applied means, otherwise they will lose competitiveness — Jack Gold, the president of J. Gold Associates, LLC said. — However development native and web applications can present difficulties because of variety of types of devices, information systems, etc. Therefore there is a sharp need for the universal, standardized platform which could facilitate, reduce the price and accelerate development process. The market of mobile informatization of the enterprises ripened and requires platforms of the mobile corporate applications allowing to create and implement the effective applied remedies automating different activities. For such companies as SAP and Sybase, it is a promising opportunity and at the same time an imperative to promote formation of community of developers and ecosystems of partners in creation of multifunction and cost-efficient mobile applications for corporate application".

Assistance of mobile informatization using the standardized platform

Sybase Unwired Platform 2.1 and mobile SDK contain a set of new instrumental and server components and also the libraries simplifying for developers mobile and web applications process of creation of diverse applied means for different platforms, including iOS, BlackBerry, Android and Windows Mobile. The Sybase platform is initially expected the solution of the most different problems of mobile informatization for the companies of all sizes, and in its last release support of information integration with the systems of SAP by means of the gateway SAP NetWeaver® Gateway is planned. It in addition increases powerful integration capabilities of the solution, simplifying application development, working together with information systems of SAP. Besides, the platform can be complemented with the advanced management tool the mobile information Sybase Afaria® equipment in the industry which will help IT services to operate mobile devices and applications.

Among the new and advanced product capabilities which are of special interest for developers and IT managers, the following:

• The SDK self-contained unit simplifying access, loading and integration with libraries of the Afaria platform.
• SDK OData for creation of the on-line mobile applications working with data and processes of the systems of SAP by means of SAP NetWeaver Gateway.
• Support of different types of applications, including multifunction autonomous applications with synchronization of data, "lightweight" applications for work only online and applications based on Sybase Unwired Platform Hybrid Web Container.

Creation of strong community of developers and ecosystem of partners

SAP and Sybase also placed in SAP Community Network new resources for developers, such as videocourses and samples of the code today, having made them available more than for 2 million participants of network. This extensive community is information enriches a global ecosystem of developers of mobile applications, offering articles, blogs, manuals and possibilities of participation in forums.

"Scales of the community of developers numbering more than 2 million participants, and the customer base of SAP which is made by over 170 thousand organizations define the amplest opportunities of innovations and implementation of our strategy of mobile access to information systems for SAP and Sybase — doctor Raj Nathan, the executive vice president, the marketing director and the head of mobile applications Sybase said. — Interest in mobile applications and services mentioned in consumer market like on-line app stores arose also in business market. However here the successful business model requires considerably different architectural approach. Emergence of the standardized, universal platform and the program of support of community considerably will facilitate work to community of developers of mobile applications and our growing ecosystem of partners, having allowed them to combine efforts for creation of the wide range of means of mobile informatization".

The release of Sybase Unwired Platform 2.1 and mobile SDK is planned for the fourth quarter 2011. It is possible to study comments of partners of SAP and Sybase about these products here: "Partners Go Mobile With Latest Release of Sybase Unwired Platform". The video topic about rapid development of mobile applications using Sybase Unwired Platform is available here: "Video: SAP Mobility InnoJam, July 2011".