STRATEGIES

December 21, 2000

Profile by Lisa Phifer,
VP Core Competence, Inc.

While many technologies in the ASP market aim to take files and applications away from the desktop, Silicon Valley startup uRoam takes a different tack. Service providers can use its technology to let users access their own desktops from remote locations.

This secure "anytime, anywhere" desktop access provider plans to help data service providers — ILECs, CLECs, and ISPs — serve two rapidly-growing markets. According to uRoam, there are 14.3 million mobile professionals today, a bountiful $2.2B market. And many workers carry WAP-enabled phones and wireless PDAs — a market projected to exceed $15B by 2002. What corporate traveler hasn't forgotten a file or yearned for a peek at email while out of the office? uRoam provides secure remote access to home or office PCs from any device with Internet access and an off-the-shelf browser.

The key ingredient in this recipe is the absence of client software. Mobile professionals can walk into a nearby Internet cafe, stop at an airport web kiosk, or whip out a PalmPilot, log into uRoam, and gain encrypted, authenticated access to a host computer.

uRoam adjusts to the client device, rendering output in HTML or WML format as needed by the browser. Netscape and Internet Explorer, ProxiWeb on the PalmPilot, GoAmerica on the RIM BlackBerry, and micro-browsers on Neopoint and Sprint phones are supported now. AvantGo and OmniSky are also supported, with some limitations.

The uRoam solution beats ASP solutions that force users to transfer files to a remote server, VP of Sales George Finnerty told ASPnews. "Our solution gives you browser access to your own desktop, with 128-bit SSL protection," he said.

The uRoam system uses a 4MB uRoam agent and web server installed on the desktop, which must be a Win32 machine (Apple Mac owners need not apply). An extensible collection of weblets act as middleware between the uRoam server and desktop applications, providing remote host control of the desktop PC and giving full access to files and applications. Accessing the desktop directly in this way means, for instance, that Microsoft Outlook users can avoid inbox replication and synchronization hassles, because the application never leaves the desktop.

The company expects to develop other common weblets to meet market demands. Quicken, camera, and jukebox weblets are among those already developed. Custom weblets can provide access to backoffice systems — for example, uRoam developed a weblet to browse schedules in a physician's database.

Making connections

Launched in 1998, uRoam leverages the storage, streaming, and on-line collaboration background of its founders: CEO Michael Herne, VP of Engineering Igor Plotnikov, and CTO Alexander Sokolsky. They believed that addressing security was paramount. uRoam does not proxy traffic; the browser and desktop communicate directly. Because nothing is cached at the browser, private data and credentials are never left on a public PC after the session ends.

URoam engineers also realized the importance of connection independence. Browsers can connect over wireline or wireless; the uRoam agent adapts content as needed. As long as the desktop PC is powered on, with a modem to answer incoming calls, uRoam can reach it. uRoam and the desktop authenticate each other, then drop the call. The desktop dials back out to the Internet. uRoam redirects the browser to the desktop's (possibly dynamic) IP address, and an SSL session is established between the desktop and browser. This entire setup typically takes about a minute.

uRoam is compatible with dynamic IP addressing and network address translation — it even assigns temporary hostnames to facilitate access. But desktops must be reachable through public addresses, and many corporate LANs use private addresses. Some users may circumvent this by forwarding ports from a public router or firewall to a private desktop. Those who cannot do so must wait for uRoam's Enterprise service, scheduled for release at year end.

For some companies it may be a concern that, when a remote user unlocks the desktop, anyone back at the office can watch the PC's monitor or use its mouse and keyboard. Running uRoam desktop software as a service will address this problem — a planned, high-priority addition, according to Sokolsky.

uRoam's initial service is designed for small to medium businesses that require secure, roaming access to entire desktops and networked shares. "uRoam really solves the 'but I left that file on my other computer' problem easily and elegantly," explained early beta user David Strom. "Especially these days, when may people have broadband connections, uRoam makes it simple to move around the world without having to tote along all your data."

Additional services

uRoam plans additional services, such as the ability to grant one-time guest access to third parties — again, from any device with a browser. The desktop owner enumerates guests by email address, specifying access rights and connect time. A temporary URL and password are generated for each guest, who connect to the desktop over SSL. The desktop owner can monitor and terminate sessions at will.

uRoam is also developing an Enterprise service to facilitate large scale corporate deployment. This service will eliminate the requirement for public IP access to desktops, and will support centralized software administration, control, and monitoring. In other words, adapting single-user uRoam for deployment by IT organizations.

According to Finnerty, "uRoam's initial play is to channel partners — broadband providers, ISPs, and CLECs who want to resell our branded service to their own SMB customers, either standalone or as a bundled offering." uRoam also licenses its technology to strategic partners — for example, desktop and wireless device suppliers.

The company generates revenue through licensing, setup, and hosting fees, negotiated with each partner. During setup, the partner's brand is added to uRoam web pages. A scheme is implemented to redirect requests from the partner's server to uRoam's server for session establishment. Sales and product training are provided by uRoam. "A 45-60 day rollout timetable is expected to be typical, although the uRoam portion of this is nominal," said Finnerty.

uRoam elected to go B2B rather than B2C so that it could focus on meeting partner needs — for example, by creating new weblets and supporting additional browsers. "uRoam may eventually sell direct to consumers, but that's at least 12 months down the road," said Finnerty.

In August, uRoam announced its first channel partner, and expects to announce others shortly. As it transitions from a nine month field test to commercial deployment, the pressure is on uRoam to perform — and to deliver promised extensions. To say that diverse challenges may be encountered during large enterprise deployment is an understatement. But uRoam stands to benefit from growth in broadband access, an increasingly mobile workforce, a generation obsessed with peer-to-peer computing, and — above all — our ever-present thirst for convenience and simplicity.

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