AMD began looking for an alternative mobile messaging solution in January 2006. The company was dependent on mobile messaging and wanted to guarantee its employees continuous service. During its research, AMD became intrigued by the capabilities of Windows Mobile version 5.0 software with Direct Push Technology.




Several features of Windows Mobile 5.0 were immediately appealing. The company liked Global Address Lists lookup, with which users can look up their corporate address lists from their mobile devices. Microsoft ActiveSync® technology keeps contact information, e-mail messages, and calendar entries current by synchronizing Windows Mobile powered devices with Exchange Server 2003 SP2 directly over the air. Agarwal and his team also thought that the ability to use a Windows Mobile device as a modem with a portable computer would be an asset. “If you are somewhere without network connectivity, you can plug your device into a USB cable or use Bluetooth technology to dial out over the Internet,” he explains.

The company began testing the new solution in April 2006 and was ready to begin deployment in February 2007. AMD uses AT&T as its primary mobile carrier; in some regions, the company also uses T-Mobile, Verizon, and other carriers. The pilot began with approximately 200 users. Agarwal says, “We were trying to set it up in such a way that we were using pilot hardware, but we also wanted to allow people to use the devices for their production e-mail systems. So that made the project more challenging initially.” At first, the company allowed employees to use personal hardware from any manufacturer, in addition to the pilot devices supplied by AT&T. As deployment progressed, AMD chose a more managed approach for supporting mobile users.

To support AMD operations worldwide, the company has 14 server computers running Exchange Server in the United States, Asia, and Europe. Because AT&T did not reach into some of those areas, AMD established two tiers of users. The first tier could choose either the AT&T 8525 or BlackJack™ model and receive full IT support. The second tier of employees, typically those who travel to more remote areas, could choose any device and receive only limited help-desk support. However, these employees were given an instruction guide to help them set up the device and access the messaging system. Agarwal says that this management strategy has worked well. “We have not had any problems with the ability of any of the mobile devices or carriers to communicate with the Windows Mobile infrastructure.”

The company has also strengthened security by integrating Windows Mobile with its security infrastructure, including firewalls, proxy servers, and a corporate directory service through which AMD sets and enforces access policies. AMD uses Windows Mobile with the Active Directory service to set up certificate-based user authentication, which provides two-factor authentication through digital certificates deployed on employees’ computing devices. Employees are assigned a certificate from Active Directory by using ActiveSync technology to link their mobile devices with their portable computers. “They cannot get around authentication and the Active Directory process. It’s more steps for them to follow, but it gives us a more secure environment,” says Agarwal.

As more users transition to Windows Mobile, the company will expand the range of communication and collaboration options. For example, AMD already uses Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile for access to corporate instant messaging. Communicator Mobile is a Windows Mobile powered unified communications client that allows mobile users to stay connected to Microsoft Office Live Communications Server 2005. Live Communications Server 2005 provides presence awareness information, which indicates if a colleague is available or offline. AMD employees use this tool for instant communication when a timelier response is required. Agarwal and his team also appreciate that users communicate securely without requiring a virtual private network.

In addition to Communicator Mobile, AMD employees mostly use e-mail and Microsoft Office System applications on their mobile devices. The company also plans to implement Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, and it is exploring Windows Mobile and telephony integration.

Benefits

With its new messaging solution, AMD has improved productivity and access to corporate data. Integration with technologies like Active Directory helps the company strengthen security and simplify administration. The result is an advanced operating environment that will help AMD continue to expand and develop new collaboration opportunities for its employees.

Improves Productivity and Collaboration

Mobile communication is essential to the work force at AMD. Windows Mobile, client devices, productivity applications, and the corporate messaging infrastructure now work together as part of a single solution. Before, AMD employees were happy just to receive e-mail. Now one device connects employees to e-mail, the Internet, and corporate instant messaging. Employees can extend access even further by using their mobile devices as modems with portable computers. “What we had before was very basic—we had e-mail, calendaring, and perhaps a bit of contact information,” says Agarwal. “But our messaging solution now is a lot more sophisticated and we can do more with it.”

Agarwal also reports that employees get e-mail faster with Direct Push Technology, which ensures that new messages reach mobile devices almost immediately. Global Address List lookup also increases efficiency. “When you want to send somebody an e-mail address, you can look up contact information in the corporate database,” Agarwal says. “Having the correct information available when you need it saves time.”

However, the new messaging solution delivers more than faster, broader access to corporate data—Windows Mobile also handles file attachments better. “Employees can view and edit attachments in their native file formats. So documents are a lot easier to work with, and are certainly more visually appealing. This also enhances our productivity,” says Agarwal.