Government organizations which have run on an old mainframe for years should consider the usefulness of upgrading to a web based terminal emulator. This gives them the chance to invest more in mobile solutions, which some assert will be crucial for government operations in the future.
Writing for InformationWeek, venture capital professional Stephen Rodriguez referred to the necessity of mobile applications for federal institutions. Although he acknowledges the challenges of IT security and other aspects of the mobile workplace, he writes that the ease of mobile makes it a possible huge boon for relating to large groups of people and addressing important tasks.
This is why government managers need to think carefully about their approach to mobile solutions and choose those which make the most sense for their mission.
"An ideal mobile communications suite for federal IT buyers has features that make the addition and management of large groups of employees seamless," Rodriguez says. "None want to answer for the costs of having to switch technologies if a team reaches a scale that a given technology can no longer support."
A 2012 report from the CIO Council found that the infrastructure needed for successful use of devices was lacking. This is attributed to factors including a lack of network connectivity as well as a need for "ease of use accessing legacy applications from mobile platforms." It called for better use of resources to make important applications accessible.
For government entities, accessing a mainframe terminal through a web browser will help to accomplish these goals and put them on track for more widespread mobile use. It's not just the device itself that is important, however: It's the ability to coordinate everything a project needs.