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7 essential practices forUTILITY MOBILE DATA DEPLOYMENTS

eBook

7 essential practices forUTILITY MOBILE DATA DEPLOYMENTS

eBook

keep it simple and seamless

ensure continuous connections

use multiple networks

know how you’re covered

#1 prepare to scale up and out

make it manageable

enforce airtight security

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

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introductionTwo factors are driving the increasing adoption of mobile data deployments within the utilities industry:

NEED TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN YOUNGER WORKERS. The utility workforce is highly skilled, experienced, and fast approaching retirement age. As addressed in a study by the American Public Power Association, utilities that are not building a technology-enabled workforce will likely find it difficult to recruit younger workers.

DEREGULATION AND PRESSURES FOR OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY. With the right combination of mobile technologies, workers make fewer trips to the office, don’t have to re-enter pen-and-paper reports, and spend more time in the field completing tasks.

The insights into best practices in this guide are drawn from the 2011 “Mobile Technology Use in the Utility Industry” benchmark survey of 50 utilities, who serve approximately 10% of U.S. households, that have deployed mobile technologies.

#1 keep it SIMPLE and SEAMLESSIn mobile environments, workers roam between various cellular, Wi-Fi and wired networks, consistently use computing devices, and expect uninterrupted use of open applications throughout the workday.

Utilities have found that a mobile Virtual Private Network (VPN) is the essential “glue” that ties together these multiple networks. A MOBILE VPN HANDLES LOGONS AND CONNECTION HANDOFFS TRANSPARENTLY, AND DELIVERS A SINGLE, SEAMLESS MOBILE COMPUTING EXPERIENCE.

According to a recent survey conducted by NetMotion Wireless of top IT decision-makers in utilities, after adding a mobile VPN to their deployments:

• More than 70% of utilities said that their FIELD WORKERS COULD COMPLETE MORE WORK ORDERS PER DAY, with increases of three to five more job tickets among those who could quantify the results.

• Almost all (92%) found THE DEPLOYMENT OF A MOBILE VPN TO BE EITHER “VERY IMPORTANT” OR “IMPORTANT” for the success of their mobile deployments.

##2 Connectivity problems while using wireless networks are the most common source of frustration in a mobile data deployment. Workers often lose connections and need to re-log in to their computer. Applications that are open during those interruptions often crash, requiring workers to not only log in again, but re-enter the data they lost.

A MOBILE VPN KEEPS CONNECTIONS ALIVE through drops and interruptions in wireless coverage. Workers need to only log in once, at the beginning of the shift.

ensure CONTINUOUS CONNECTIONS

27%of utilities surveyed indicated that the ability to persist applications through intermittent network coverage was their primary reason for deploying a mobile VPN.

#3 use MULTIPLE NETWORKSReliable coverage throughout the utility service area often requires using multiple networks.

45%of utilities said that the ability to use multiple networks was their primary reason for adopting a mobile VPN.

Among the utilities surveyed:

• More than 40% USE TWO OR MORE CELLULAR CARRIERS to connect throughout their service areas.

• 15% SUPPLEMENT THE CARRIER NETWORKS WITH SATELLITE CONNECTIONS, which are often the only available option for crews in remote locations.

• 45% TIE INTO WI-FI NETWORKS WHERE AVAILABLE -- often useful for downloading large files, such as GIS and mapping files.

##4 know how you’re COVEREDWith public cellular networks – often from multiple carriers – providing the essential connectivity, it is important to know that networks are delivering as promised and that the organization isn’t paying for little-used connections, especially considering the cost of those connections.

Software is now available that maps, monitors and measures cellular connections and network use by field technicians. By deploying this cellular network management software, administrators know when and where:

• Non-essential applications are OVER-USING EXPENSIVE BANDWIDTH

• Cellular coverage is SPOTTY OR NON-EXISTENT

• Multiple carriers are NEEDED OR ARE SIMPLY REDUNDANT

Armed with this information, administrators can cancel unnecessary plans and align the organization’s investment with the need for data access.

w

#5 prepare to scale UP AND OUTA recent NetMotion Wireless survey of top IT decision-makers in utilities indicated that: 20%

of utilities declared that access to more applications is the primary reason for deploying a mobile VPN.

More than

• FIELD TECHNICIANS, METER TECHNICIANS AND LINE CREWS ARE THE MOST PREVALENT MOBILE USERS; many utilities are also expanding mobile access to street light servicing and tree crews.

• Roughly 70% OF UTILITIES HAVE DEPLOYED GIS / MAPPING and Mobile Workforce Management applications.

• FLEET MANAGEMENT, ASSET MANAGEMENT AND CRM ARE EITHER ALREADY IN PLACE, or are the next applications to "go mobile.”

A best-in-class mobile VPN allows any application designed for a wired network to be accessed reliably in a mobile setting.

#6 make it MANAGEABLEManaging mobile devices across a dispersed workforce is a challenge, and more so in large deployments. In fact, 15% OF UTILITIES IDENTIFIED THE ABILITY TO CENTRALLY MANAGE MOBILE DEVICES TO BE THE OVERRIDING REASON FOR ADOPTING A MOBILE VPN. A reliable “connection-aware” link allows devices to be managed “over the air” as easily as desktops and laptops on a wired network.

Nearly all utilities reported that, after deploying a mobile VPN, there was an immediate reduction in IT support tickets related to mobile deployment problems, with decreases as high as 80%.

By using a mobile VPN in conjunction with cellular network management software, administrators gain visibility into how devices and applications are consuming cellular bandwidth, so THEY CAN USE POLICIES TO FINE-TUNE THE DEPLOYMENT FOR THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE. A granular view into where and when devices encounter connection problems aids in troubleshooting and allows many problems to be prevented proactively.

#7Ensuring security of data flowing to and from mobile devices was identified by 15% of utilities as the primary driver behind adoption of a mobile VPN. A mobile VPN that supports best practices for utilities:

• SUPPORTS AES ENCRYPTION, meeting FERC/NERC requirements;

• CREATES A SECURE TUNNEL at power-up without worker intervention; and

• PROVIDES A SINGLE SIGN-ON that supports two-factor and multi-factor authentication via smart cards, RSA SecurID tokens, or device certificates.

enforce AIRTIGHT SECURITY

A secure, seamless and simplified user experience is at the root of the significant productivity gains that the surveyed utilities achieved. A MOBILE VPN DELIVERS A POSITIVE USER EXPERIENCE THAT SPEEDS ADOPTION OF THE NEW FIELD TOOLS.

CONCLUSIONMobile technologies have been widely deployed among utilities, and have delivered proven results for those who adopt a best-practices approach as described in this guide. Ultimately, THE PAYOFF IS IN GREATER EFFICIENCY and, for forward-thinking utilities, THE ABILITY TO ATTRACT A NEW GENERATION OF WORKERS.

NetMotion Wireless supports such a best-practices approach with two software products:

The MOBILITY XE® MOBILE VPN maximizes mobile field worker productivity by maintaining and securing their data connections as they move in and out of wireless coverage areas and roam between networks.

LOCALITY™ CELLULAR NETWORK PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE gives organizations the insight and visibility needed to optimize their mobile data deployments.

To learn more about best practices for field service mobility orto receive a more detailed version of this eBook, visit NetMotionWireless.com.

Or contact us at: 1.866.262.7626 info@netmotionwireless.com

ABOUT NETMOTION WIRELESS

NetMotion Wireless develops software to manage and secure wireless data deployments for organizations with mobile field workers. Their products address the unique challenges introduced by the use of wireless, enabling customers to maximize the return on investment in workforce automation. More than 2,000 of the world’s most respected organizations across multiple industries including utilities, healthcare, telecommunications, public safety, government, insurance, manufacturing, and many others use NetMotion Wireless products. Founded in 2001, the company is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

© 2012 NetMotion Wireless, Inc. All rights reserved.