LANSA has announced the availability of LongReach, an Apple iOS mobile application for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch devices. LongReach is not dependent on LANSA’s technology stack; in fact, LANSA says that LongReach is its way of giving back to the IBM i community. So what is LongReach, anyway? LongReach provides file and folder creation, management, and secure data transfer between mobile devices and IBM i servers. According to LANSA, the application can manage documents, presentations, spreadsheets, photos, audio recordings, video, text, and many other types of files. Files and folders can be created on the mobile device or on the server -- and can be synchronized securely between the two.
As you might expect, LongReach comes in two parts: the mobile iOS app as well as the server software component that runs on IBM i. Here’s the basics on how it works and what it can do -- according LANSA, LongReach:
- Enables you to create, manipulate, and store a complete range of files on your mobile device, especially mobile device-specific files such as photos, videos, audio recordings, and geolocation data that cannot be easily accessed by traditional browser-based mobile applications
- Securely uploads files and folders from your mobile device to an IBM i server’s IFS; optionally, LongReach can send messages to a message queue at the completion of a file transfer to the server; applications can use the messages to start or resume automated business processes
- securely downloads files and folders, created by IBM i server-based line-of-business (LOB) applications, to your mobile device
- Provides a refresh feature that updates the mobile device’s view of files and folders on the IBM i server without having to download any files or folders; after refreshing the view, users can choose which files and folders they wish to download to the mobile device
In addition, LongReach lets organizations insert data collection via mobile devices directly into their company’s business processes. For instance, LANSA says LongReach allows organizations to extend data collection tasks for LOB applications into the mobile world at the location of the data source. For example, consider a vehicle crash repair quotation process: An insurance assessor, allocated to assess a crashed vehicle, downloads all pertinent information for the job to a mobile device from a corporate server via LongReach. The assessor then uses the mobile device to record video of the damage, take photos, make notes, and record a voice memo. All these files can then be transferred to the server with a notification of delivery for immediate action by a LOB application.
Plus, LANSA envisions that LongReach could also be used for:
- Standalone folder/file creation and management using mobile device capabilities (photos, video, audio, geolocation and more)
- Securely backing up files from a mobile to an IBM i server
- Private corporate file sharing among mobile staff where your company controls account access to files
- Downloading instructions and daily work schedules (work orders, routing instructions, job locations, etc.) to mobile devices from an IBM i server; on notification of completion of a job, the mobile device user can receive instructions for the next job, minimizing travel time and cost and maximizing customer service
- Uploading data captured mobile device taken at the source (job details, notes, photos, video, audio recordings) to an IBM i server for use by LOB applications; when used with the arrival notification feature, the LOB application can immediately start processing the uploaded data
- Circumventing email attachment size limits by using LongReach to transfer the files instead of sending them by email
- Providing an alternative way to distribute reports and allows recipients to control when they download them
- Business-to-business communication for sharing information and to pass data, forms and messages between an organization and its closed community of suppliers or resellers
LongReach comes in two parts:
As for pricing, the iPad and iPhone app is free, and the first 1,000 IBM i server software downloads will also get free server licenses.
Q&A with David Brault, Product Marketing Manager at LANSA
Since LongReach certainly doesn’t appear to be LANSA’s usually application development sort of tool, I reached out to LANSA for some additional detail. Here’s the Q&A:
Q. Am I understanding this correctly: The first 1,000 people to license the server piece . . . get it free . . . and everyone after, it will be a paid product from LANSA?
A. Yes, the first 1,000 companies to download the server portion of LongReach get it for free. Just to clarify, installing LongReach server on a company’s server enables them to have unlimited LongReach clients (iPhone/iPad users) access their IBM i. After 1,000 companies download LongReach server, we plan to review the ecosystem -- along with how the solution has evolved -- and we’ll decide on the next steps.
Q. It seems as if LongReach is a departure for LANSA -- is it? And how does it relate to LANSA's mission these days?
A. Actually, LongReach is a departure from LANSA’s traditional solutions because it is not dependent on LANSA’s technology stack. This is not to say that LANSA’s technology won’t take advantage of LongReach as well, but any IBM i company that downloads and installs LongReach is not required to install or use any LANSA tools to deploy LongReach and benefit from its features. LongReach is LANSA’s way of giving back to the IBM i community and preparing them for the next big technology wave about to hit this platform.
LANSA has always been a technology leader on the IBM i. Over the last 25 years, we’ve pioneered innovation on the IBM i with our Repository, Web tools, rich-client tools, legacy modernization, and IBM i integration solutions. As for how LongReach is part of LANSA’s mission, LongReach is the first step in establishing LANSA as the leader in native mobile apps for the IBM i. LANSA customers have been deploying Web application for 15 years already and mobile Web applications for the past few years -- and now they are ready to step up to native mobile apps. Since LANSA acts as the “technology insurance” for 1000s of customers worldwide, it’s our obligation to get our customers ready for native mobile apps for the IBM i and LongReach is the first step in that direction.