Press Release
July 29, 2003
Onset Announces METAmessage for Wireless Disaster Recovery Capabilities for BlackBerry
Stores Continuity of Operations (COOP) Plans, Emergency Documents Directly on BlackBerry Wireless Handhelds™ for Immediate Access; Enables Emergency PIN-to-PIN Communications with PIN Lookup and PIN-to-PIN Message Archiving
Santa Cruz, CA - Onset Technology, a leading developer of enterprise access software for wireless handheld devices, announced today METAmessage enhancements that ensure that BlackBerry handheld users maintain uninterrupted access to vital data such as Continuity of Operations (COOP) plans in the event of natural disaster or terrorist attack. The features provide storage of up-to-date emergency documents on a BlackBerry handheld; PIN address lookup; PIN-to-PIN message archiving; and, handheld access to emergency data from diverse information sources such as file servers, enterprise applications, Web portals, etc. The features are designed for use in conjunction with the BlackBerry wireless platform from Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM, TSX: RIM).
"COOP planning is one of the most important tasks facing both enterprises and government agencies today." says Gadi Mazor, President and CEO of Onset Technology. "We developed these disaster recovery tools because our government and enterprise customers wanted to leverage the greatest possible performance from their BlackBerry deployments. We hope this is a significant contribution to the effectiveness of BlackBerry in difficult times."
Handheld Document Storage, PIN-to-PIN Messaging, and Data Access
The METAmessage handheld document storage capability lets a user read emergency information immediately on their handheld even if out of wireless coverage. When in coverage, METAmessage monitors specified network folders that contain emergency documents. It converts the documents into handheld-readable format, and uploads the documents to the handheld. METAmessage maintains the latest versions of emergency documents on the handheld, and the original documents can be in virtually any format, from WordPerfect documents and Excel spreadsheets to MS Project files, PowerPoint presentations and .html pages.
In the event of a catastrophic loss of network, email, or back-end infrastructure, BlackBerry users can take advantage of PIN-to-PIN messaging to communicate directly with other BlackBerry users over the wireless network. However, up to now, two factors have impeded this feature: the need for easy access to PIN addresses and the decision by many organizations to "turn off" PIN-to-PIN messaging due to the absence of message archiving. Now, users can update their BlackBerry address books with PIN addresses using METAmessage's PIN lookup feature. And, organizations can enable PIN-to-PIN messaging with the knowledge that all transmissions will be securely archived.
METAmessage data access capabilities let handheld users access emergency information located in network file servers, document management systems, enterprise applications, and databases using simple forms. Users either request information or enter information into the data source without having to launch a Web browser. The system currently works using either email transport or the Mobile Data Service feature of BlackBerry Enterprise Server™. METAmessage data access capabilities are currently available for over 180 information systems.
Emergency Data Access Gateway - Anticipated Release
Onset anticipates an on-time, Q3 release of its patent-pending Emergency Data Access Gateway. The Gateway provides BlackBerry users with secure, archived PIN-to-PIN access to vital information despite the loss of email services or back-end infrastructure in the event of a natural disaster or terrorist attack. Benefits of the Gateway include:
- Users immediately access emergency procedures, plans, contact info, etc.
- No user training is required - PIN-to-PIN functionality is automatic and transparent to the user.
- Redundant email/BES systems are unnecessary, while backup METAmessage systems are quick and easy to add and configure.
- Emergency information retains formatting and is easy to read on handhelds.
- Documents can be printed anywhere phone lines to fax machines are intact.
Availability
All of the new disaster recovery capabilities are features of METAmessage for Wireless, a complete, out-of-the-box software solution that should be an integral part of any BlackBerry deployment. METAmessage currently serves over 1000 customers, including numerous US government agencies, with over 100,000 users.
The METAmessage handheld document storage, PIN-to-PIN lookup, and PIN-to-PIN archiving features will be available this month. Data access capability is now shipping. For pricing information, contact your Onset representative or call 1 (877) 847-8329.
About Onset Technology
Founded in 1997, Onset Technology is the developer of METAmessage® for Wireless - a unique software solution that gives business users access to virtually any data on their enterprise network using just a wireless email device such as RIM's BlackBerry® handheld. The software is broadly compatible with virtually all wireless devices and servers including those from strategic partners AT&T, Ericsson, Microsoft, and RIM. Since its introduction last year, METAmessage has been widely adopted by Fortune 1000 companies, government agencies, and a range of large service organizations.
