Introduction
Access to the Internet anytime, anywhereWireless Application Protocol (WAP) is an open international standard for application-layer network communications in a wireless-communication environment.
A WAP browser provides all of the basic services of a computer-based web browser but simplified to operate within the restrictions of a mobile phone, such as its smaller view screen. Users can connect to WAP sites: websites written in, or dynamically converted to, WML (Wireless Markup Language) and accessed via the WAP browser.
If you thought that a computer and a modem are what you need to access the Internet, think again. Now, your cellular phone can bring the power of the Internet to you, no matter where you are. Thanks to the wireless access protocol (WAP), an evolving standard for providing Internet access to cellular phone users. Under the WAP model, information is exchanged between the cellular phone and the server over the wireless network. This is different from connecting the cellular phone to a laptop and dialling from thelaptop to access the Internet.
With WAP you can access virtually unlimited information, advice and entertainment—all through your cellular phone. For consumers, the opportunities are endless. WAP enables them to get last-minute theatre tickets while out on the town, get directions to a restaurant, or get in on the closing action of an online auction. Never before, shopping was so easy. With WAP, all you need to do is to access the Internet through your cellphone and purchase things online. You can check on a parcel sent by courier by simply accessing the courier’s Website from your mobile terminal for instant tracking. Even virtual workgroup becomes a reality with just a cellphone as your all-purpose communication tool.
Wireless Application Environment (WAE)
The WAE space defines application-specific markup languages.For WAP version 1.X, the primary language of the WAE is WML. In WAP 2.0, the primary markup language is XHTML Mobile Profile
Changing the business scenario
Mobility is a rapidly growing demand in today’s business environment. Companies want their partners and employees to have access in important information and services, wherever they are and whenever they need them. Customers, meanwhile, want to get information faster than ever and be able to perform all kinds to transactions, without having to drive to a location or even sit behind a PC.
Mobile e-services are opening the door to meet these demands. Made possible by WAP, mobile e-services enable enterprises to reach markets, increase revenue, and improve productivity. WAP combines the convenience of wireless and the richness of the Internet to enhance the productivity of mobile workers, enhance partner relationships, and provide customers with a range of new services.
With WAP-enabled mobile devices, employees in the field can sign up new customers, place orders, provide status updates, or get directions to their next meeting. Authorised workers and partners can gain secure access to customer and product information in corporate databases, send and receive e-mail, and check schedules.
With WAP, Internet financial services are available via mobile devices, such as transferring funds between bank accounts, staying up-to-date on selected stocks, and buying and selling them in real time. Wireless is changing the way companies do business. But to make it happen, they need powerful WAP server solutions.
Mobile e-services are opening the door to meet these demands. Made possible by WAP, mobile e-services enable enterprises to reach markets, increase revenue, and improve productivity. WAP combines the convenience of wireless and the richness of the Internet to enhance the productivity of mobile workers, enhance partner relationships, and provide customers with a range of new services.
With WAP-enabled mobile devices, employees in the field can sign up new customers, place orders, provide status updates, or get directions to their next meeting. Authorised workers and partners can gain secure access to customer and product information in corporate databases, send and receive e-mail, and check schedules.
With WAP, Internet financial services are available via mobile devices, such as transferring funds between bank accounts, staying up-to-date on selected stocks, and buying and selling them in real time. Wireless is changing the way companies do business. But to make it happen, they need powerful WAP server solutions.
WAP-enable your enterprise
With a WAP server, any business can start offering mobile access to its intranet or extranet type of e-services. A WAP server can be hosted in the same manner as a Web server. It connects to the same back-end systems and has a similar graphical user interface (GUI) for administration. Enterprises can offer their WAP-based services by enabling consumers to directly access their WAP server through a modem pool or ISDN connection. By hosting their own WAP server, enterprises can have increased security, flexibility, and control over their wireless offerings.
HP has integrated WAP server software from industry leaders with the powerful HP9000 server line and HP-UX to provide industrial-strength WAP server solutions. HP’s WAP server solutions provide enterprises with unmatched performance, bulletproof dependability, and maximum security.
HP9000 servers set the standard for engineering excellence and low total cost of ownership in a WAP-enabled e-services platform. The HP9000 family is first in Unix servers, from the powerful V2600 server for missing-critical environments, to the mid-range N-class server to the entry-level L-class and A-class servers. All HP9000 servers provide the high availability, manageability, and performance features of the powerful 64-bit HP-UX 11 operating system.
E-speak, the new HP technology that enables easy, dynamic communication among any devices, resources, and people via the Net, further elevates WAP solutions into mobile e-services solutions. E-speak is the open software platform for creating, composing, mediating, managing, and accessing Internet-based e-services. WAP and e-speak combination provides mobile access to e-services, which is immediate, universal, and more powerful than ever. To address the special security issues presented by wireless transactions, HP offers HP Praesidium VirtualVault—the most secure runtime platform for e-business services available today. VirtualVault protects the WAP server, internal resources, transactions, and business relationships from sophisticated security attacks.
HP has integrated WAP server software from industry leaders with the powerful HP9000 server line and HP-UX to provide industrial-strength WAP server solutions. HP’s WAP server solutions provide enterprises with unmatched performance, bulletproof dependability, and maximum security.
HP9000 servers set the standard for engineering excellence and low total cost of ownership in a WAP-enabled e-services platform. The HP9000 family is first in Unix servers, from the powerful V2600 server for missing-critical environments, to the mid-range N-class server to the entry-level L-class and A-class servers. All HP9000 servers provide the high availability, manageability, and performance features of the powerful 64-bit HP-UX 11 operating system.
E-speak, the new HP technology that enables easy, dynamic communication among any devices, resources, and people via the Net, further elevates WAP solutions into mobile e-services solutions. E-speak is the open software platform for creating, composing, mediating, managing, and accessing Internet-based e-services. WAP and e-speak combination provides mobile access to e-services, which is immediate, universal, and more powerful than ever. To address the special security issues presented by wireless transactions, HP offers HP Praesidium VirtualVault—the most secure runtime platform for e-business services available today. VirtualVault protects the WAP server, internal resources, transactions, and business relationships from sophisticated security attacks.
WAPserv for WAP-ready solutions
Hewlett-Packard and Nokia, the industry leaders in mobile e-services, have collaborated to deliver the industry’s most complete solution for wireless Internet communications based on WAP. The ready-to-run product bundle, WAPserv, includes hardware, consulting, training, and integration services to be provided by the two companies. It is compliant with the WAP 1.1 Protocol Standard and includes a selection of servers on Windows NT and HP-UX running the Nokia WAP server software.
Enterprise customers can quickly implement and deploy WAPserv with mobile WAP application provided by Isis International and other WAP-application partners. Isis International will provide its Isis Wireless Now and Isis Wireless Future solutions on the HP/Nokia bundle. Isis Wireless Now is tailored for businesses which demand a quick and effortless solution to utilise wireless technologies to reach their customers out in the world at large. While Isis Wireless Future offers the businesses the competitive edge to deliver wireless products and services, and conduct mobile e-commerce.
With WAPserv companies will not only be able to deploy and administer WAP solutions more easily but also gain access to hardware, software, and expert advice on security, scalability, and reliability issues when deploying their e-services solution.
The HP9000 L-class server and the NetServer LPr are the first batch of HP systems that are optimised for the Nokia WAP server software. These are ideal for the emerging WAP market because these bring high-end business-critical capabilities to the entry-level market. Business-critical support enables companies to offer reliable Internet and intranet access to their customers and employees. HP and Nokia will also work together to optimise the Nokia WAP server on all HP9000 and HP NetServer platforms, allowing easier deployment of WAP-based e-services solutions in business-critical environments.
Enterprise customers can quickly implement and deploy WAPserv with mobile WAP application provided by Isis International and other WAP-application partners. Isis International will provide its Isis Wireless Now and Isis Wireless Future solutions on the HP/Nokia bundle. Isis Wireless Now is tailored for businesses which demand a quick and effortless solution to utilise wireless technologies to reach their customers out in the world at large. While Isis Wireless Future offers the businesses the competitive edge to deliver wireless products and services, and conduct mobile e-commerce.
With WAPserv companies will not only be able to deploy and administer WAP solutions more easily but also gain access to hardware, software, and expert advice on security, scalability, and reliability issues when deploying their e-services solution.
The HP9000 L-class server and the NetServer LPr are the first batch of HP systems that are optimised for the Nokia WAP server software. These are ideal for the emerging WAP market because these bring high-end business-critical capabilities to the entry-level market. Business-critical support enables companies to offer reliable Internet and intranet access to their customers and employees. HP and Nokia will also work together to optimise the Nokia WAP server on all HP9000 and HP NetServer platforms, allowing easier deployment of WAP-based e-services solutions in business-critical environments.
Spin-off technologies
Spin-off technologies, such as MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) (picture-messaging), a combination of WAP and SMS, have further driven the protocol. An enhanced appreciation of device diversity, supported by the concomitant changes to WAP content to become more device-specific rather aiming at a lowest common denominator, has allowed for more usable and compelling content. As a result, the adoption rate of WAP technology is on the upswing
future
Wireless Internet is likely to grow in the near future. "Nokia projects that there will be a billion mobile phones in the world by 2003," says Michael Braun, sales direector, Nokia Corporation. "Of these, an estimated 50 per cent will be WAP-enabled. This creates a huge critical mass that can leverage opportunities for the WAP technology to implement mobile services." At present, the only WAP-enabled handset available in the Indian market is the Nokia 7110 which comes at a price of Rs 20,000-plus. Many other companies will soon make available WAP-enabled handsets in the country at prices less than Rs 10,000. IBM, Nokia, NTT, X.Com, and Akamai Technologies are likely to develop and introduce this technique in their future products. ‘‘Mobile e-services will become a key differentiator and a competitive weapon for companies to suceed in e-business,’’ said Mathew Lim, vice president, Emerging Technologies, Isis International. ‘‘Unlike Net-based operations, which work best with business-to-business models, WAP facilitates direct business-to-customer services,’’ he added, ‘‘India’s IT and financial sector will love it!’’
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