Users of BMC's Service Desk Express application will soon be able to extend its features to an array of mobile devices, with new software from Aeroprise.

With Aeroprise Mobility for BMC Service Desk Express, technical troubleshooters in the field will be able to directly access, update, manage and clear IT trouble tickets using a BlackBerry, Windows Mobile device or Palm Treo.

Aeroprise offers a gateway, tools and application-specific code that let users in effect reorganize a client/server help desk application, and tailor it for use on handhelds. The BMC software, an ITIL-based program for automating help desk services at midsize enterprises, can now get the same treatment.

The Aeroprise software has three parts. A gateway program handles requests from mobile users. The "personalization console" lets them pick what they want to see on their device. The "application adapter" feeds the console with specific features from a given application, typically the BMC Remedy or HP Peregrine help desk products (compare network monitoring and management products). The software lets customers organize task-specific workflows for mobile workers, focusing just on the functions they need in the field.

By giving mobile workers direct, tailored access to the application's functions, Aeroprise can minimize or eliminate having to constantly be on the phone to human dispatchers. The vendor says response times are shorter, fixes are often faster, technicians can do more in the same time, and IT groups can offer tighter service level agreements to their customers.

Once the Aeroprise offering is installed and configured, a field tech can automatically be alerted to a new trouble ticket for one of his regular customers, and use his mobile device to download the ticket with its associated details, call up a repair and maintenance history of the server or switch he's working on, search a knowledgebase of problems and fixes, and so on.

Beta testing for Aeroprise Mobility for BMC Service Desk Express starts in March, and the product is scheduled to ship in April. Customers can chose either a standard licensing model, with a starter pack including 10 client licenses for $15,000, or a monthly, per-user subscription fee, which depends on several variables including the number of users.

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