It is common knowledge these days that with a Microsoft Windows Mobile-based PDA it is possible to get your email, contacts and calendar information pushed directly to your handheld if you are running Microsoft Exchange in the office, can open and edit attachments and re-send them on. But what if you need to access files on the local file server directly?
There are a number of options available for the Windows Mobile platform - which is best for you depends on your requirements. You may be surprised to learn that you already have the means necessary to provide your remote devices with a secure connection back to the office.

Microsoft Exchange 2007

Exchange 2007 introduced the ability to access file shares on the local network remotely either from a PC web browser via Outlook Web Access (OWA) or directly from your Windows Mobile device without the need to first establish a VPN connection:

Specific file shares can be enabled for remote access:

Once configured, files can be accessed from the Windows Mobile device either from within Internet Explorer or directly from the File Explorer application by entering the path to the remote file share in the form \\server\share\filename.xxx (you need to know the name of the specific file you wish to access, it is not possible to browse the contents of the folder itself on the Windows Mobile platform)

NOTE - only devices running Windows Mobile 6 or later support this feature. Because the Windows File Share access feature uses the Server ActiveSync protocol, the Windows Mobile client must be correctly configured for Server ActiveSync and have synchronised at least once successfully with the Exchange Server.

You can read more about how to configure this feature of Microsoft Exchange 2007 here - http://blog.brightpointuk.co.uk/configuring-remote-file-share-access-exchange-2007-server-activesync

Windows Server 2003 / 2008 Routing and Remote Access

If you don't have an Exchange 2007 server, or are not using your PDAs for email, then one option may be to use the VPN client built into the Windows Mobile operating system that is designed to work with the VPN server capabilities of Microsoft's Windows Server platform: the Routing and Remote Access service. A Virtual Private Network connection enables remote devices to connect securely to local network resources over the Internet as if they were physically in the office, be it a file share, intranet site, remote desktop or VNC connection, for example.
Establishing a VPN connection from a mobile device can be tricky, especially if using an IPSec-based VPN solution, but if you are aware of the pitfalls and what is required on the client, the server and also from the mobile operator then your devices can enjoy secure connectivity without the need for any additional hardware or software.

To learn how to configure a Windows 2003/2008 server to act as a VPN gateway, read this article - http://blog.brightpointuk.co.uk/configuring-vpn-access-windows-mobile-6-windows-server-2003-2008

For more information on how to troubleshoot mobile VPN connections, read this article - http://blog.brightpointuk.co.uk/troubleshooting-mobile-vpn-connections

OpenVPN

If you don't have a Microsoft Windows Server machine handy to use as a VPN server, or want to be able to deploy a VPN solution 'on the cheap', then OpenVPN is an excellent open-source SSL-based VPN that supports Windows, MacOS as well as Windows Mobile.
The OpenVPN server software itself can be run on either Windows or Linux, but can be tricky to configure initially.
Once installed on the server and the client, the VPN connection can be initiated by the user simply by tapping an icon on the Today screen and entering a password.

To read a detailed guide explaining how to install and configure the OpenVPN solution, read this article - http://blog.brightpointuk.co.uk/openvpn

If you already have a VPN infrastructure deployed for your remote desktops and laptops, consult the manufacturer to see if there is a client available for the Windows Mobile platform.

Device Management

Should you want to be able to 'push' documents and applications to remote PDAs rather than rely on your users to connect the VPN, browse the target file share and download the required files, a device management solution might be what you need.
There is a wealth of solutions available, especially for the Windows Mobile platform, ranging from relatively simple solutions that can download content to remote devices automatically, to advanced solutions that can push content to devices as soon as it changes on the server, monitor the success or failure of the client update and email status reports to the administrator.
Read the device management section in the blog for more information - http://blog.brightpointuk.co.uk/device-management

If you want more information on anything you have read here, contact Brightpoint GB on +44 870 849 0225