Goodlink and Memory Issues - Treo Forums

Richard_P_Harvey · 02-14-2006, 07:31 AM

I very recently got my 700w up on my companies Exchange server using the corporate approved Goodlink solution that many have spoke of here. The goodlink software loaded on the 700w is the version intended for standard Windows Pocket PC devices and as expected it works just fine on this device. But......

1. It must be a memory hog because with nothing else running but Goodlink my total free program memory is down to 6.49MB and now I'm having lots of troubles with other programs. Even VoiceCommand throws errors about lack of memory and closes on me.

2. The Goodlink software is written in such a way that it auto-starts at boot-up which is a good think I think BUT it does not show up in the running programs list at all so there is no way to kill it if you want to run something else.

Anyone have an experiences with this version of Goodlink on the 700w

Richard_P_Harvey · 02-17-2006, 09:02 AM

Does nobody here have experience with Goodlink.....?

MystaMax · 02-17-2006, 11:53 AM

We actually have a goodlink server setup in our facility. But, most of the users are 650 owners. The ones that are 700w users access Exchange via ActiveSync. We are satisfied with this in the short term. We are waiting for this update, like everyone else.

We did not utilize Goodlink on our 700w's for the reason you state in your previous posts. The phone IMO has terrible memory management, as a result makes Goodlink almost inusable w/ other applications.

Personally, i'm waiting for the memory upgrades (some would call them hacks) to make progress.

norm911 · 02-17-2006, 12:35 PM

Yep, same here. Everyone we have seen with the Treo 700w has moved to Exchange ActiveSync and that focus shift is propagating rapidly. Goodlink was great on the Treo 650 (it's what I used to sync mail when I had the 650) becacuse their integrated mail/calendar/contacts app was much better than the native apps. But with Pocket Outlook and Exchange ActiveSync being built-in to the 700w there is no need for Good anymore.

Oh, AND there's no need to run an additional server anymore, AND theres no need for additional licensing anymore, AND there's no need for administrative support staff to maintain the Goodlink server, etc.

Norm

Richard_P_Harvey · 02-17-2006, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by norm911

Yep, same here. Everyone we have seen with the Treo 700w has moved to Exchange ActiveSync and that focus shift is propagating rapidly. Goodlink was great on the Treo 650 (it's what I used to sync mail when I had the 650) becacuse their integrated mail/calendar/contacts app was much better than the native apps. But with Pocket Outlook and Exchange ActiveSync being built-in to the 700w there is no need for Good anymore.

Oh, AND there's no need to run an additional server anymore, AND theres no need for additional licensing anymore, AND there's no need for administrative support staff to maintain the Goodlink server, etc.

Norm

Norm,

I work for a company that is really big on security and only allows corporate access via their own secure VPN connection. How would Exchange Active Sync work for me, can you elaborate...?

MystaMax · 02-17-2006, 12:45 PM

our exchange activesync connection is over SSL, so everything is encrypted.

All the stuff Norm pointed out about support, administrative staff, another server, are so very true. We still have our good server in production, but hopefully it'll be gone once everyone moves to the 700w.

norm911 · 02-17-2006, 12:50 PM

I'm glad you brought up security

Every enterprise should be concerned about security and their mobile devices. I've been in the security field for a while and I think threats from mobile devices are one of the biggest threats enterprises face today.

But enough of that, let's get to your question:

I know many companies like yours, and I work for one that's likely even more strict about security. The bottom line is that your current GoodLink implementation doesn't go through your existing corporate VPN solution either. Your handset talks to the Good NOC via an encrypted channel, and the Good server inside your enterprise also talks to the Good NOC via an encrypted channel. Both devices stay in contact with the Good NOC and that's how notifications of new messages, calendar entries, contacts, etc get back and forth to your phone. You use your corporate ActiveDirectory credentials (the username and password you use to log in to your computer at work) to authenticate. While this communication channel is encrypted, it is not traveling within your existing corporate VPN solution.

In the Exchange ActiveSync scenario, your handset communicates directly with your companies Exchange front end via an encrypted SSL channel. This is a secure tunnel just like in the Good scenario, but without the middle man NOC and the other middle man Good server. In this case you also use your Active Directory credentials to authenticate. While this communication channel is encrypted and secure just like in the Good example above, it also does not use your existing corporate VPN solution.

Since we're on this topic though, there is a corporate VPN solution that can be used to access Exchange ActiveSync from mobile handhelds within your corporate VPN solution. It also adds additional security features (which neither Good or the default ActiveSync solutions can provide) like compliance checking, security policy enforcement, centralized management, etc. If your IT or security people are interested have them drop me an e-mail and I'll be glad to help.

Norm

MystaMax · 02-17-2006, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by norm911

Since we're on this topic though, there is a corporate VPN solution that can be used to access Exchange ActiveSync from mobile handhelds within your corporate VPN solution. It also adds additional security features (which neither Good or the default ActiveSync solutions can provide) like compliance checking, security policy enforcement, centralized management, etc. If your IT or security people are interested have them drop me an e-mail and I'll be glad to help.

Would this require that we setup VPN clients on each phone?

Richard_P_Harvey · 02-17-2006, 01:04 PM

Norm,

I work for Avaya, not sure that rings any bells but trust me they are not the most flexible IT shop to deal with at all. What I was hopeful of was there was something that I could set up on the 700w ONLY that would let me get access to the existing Exchange Server but I'm guessing that is not the case. What it sounds like to me is something needs to be set up and the Exchange server side as well, and I would be better attempting to move a mountian then try to get that approved.

norm911 · 02-17-2006, 01:18 PM

To MystaMax: Yeah, it requires a VPN client on the end devices. The plus side of this is that you get access to lots of juicy internal resources. Internal intranet web sites, file shares, etc.

To Richard_P_Harvey: Oh yeah, I know Avaya well. If you can get to Outlook Web Access to read your mail from home then you might be able to just point ActiveSync on your Treo700w at that URL and make it work. It depends on whether the administrators have disabled it in ActiveDirectory or not. Anyway, I'd try it and see what happens. Hopefully they are running Exchange '03 SP2 and things will just work.

Norm