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SyncML

 
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SyncML

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An open standard protocol for synchronizing data between corporate servers, Web servers, desktops, laptops and handhelds. One of its primary applications is configuring remote devices. Founded in 2000 by IBM, Lotus, Motorola, Nokia and others and supported by more than 500 organizations, SyncML is designed for wireline and wireless and is based on industry standards including XML, MIME, vCard and iCalendar. In 2002, the technology of the SyncML initiative was folded into the technical working groups of the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA). For more information, visit www.openmobilealliance.org.

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SyncML

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 This article's external links may not follow Wikipedia's policies or guidelines. Please improve this article by removing excessive and inappropriate external links or by converting links into references. (November 2009)

SyncML (Synchronization Markup Language) is the former name for a platform-independent information synchronization standard. The project is currently referred to as Open Mobile Alliance Data Synchronization and Device Management. The purpose of SyncML is to offer an open standard as a replacement for existing data synchronization solutions, which have mostly been somewhat vendor-, application- or operating system specific.

SyncML is most commonly thought of as a method to synchronize contact and calendar information (personal information manager) between some type of handheld device and a computer (personal, or network-based service), such as between a mobile phone and a personal computer. The new version of the specification includes support for push email, providing a standard protocol alternative to proprietary solutions like BlackBerry.

Philippe Kahn was instrumental in the founding vision for synchronization with Starfish Software, later acquired by Motorola. The founding vision as expressed by Kahn was: "Global synchronization and integration of wireless and wireline devices".

Several major companies such as Samsung, Motorola, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, LG, IBM and Siemens AG already support SyncML in their products. Some products by now use SyncML for more generic information synchronization purposes, such as to synchronize project task information across a distributed group of team members. SyncML may also be used as a base for backup solutions.

Contents

Problem areas

  • A fairly intricate and vague protocol specification has meant that in general there are major interworking problems with different servers against different clients.
  • In addition to the server address, user name and password, SyncML requires a database name to be specified for opening a connection. This database name is not standardized, and different servers use different names for the same service. E.g. one server might use card while another ./contacts for the contact database.
  • Only the over-the-air (OTA) interface has any degree of standardization (e.g. OMA CP 1.1, OTA 7.0) whereas synchronization over a local interface is not standardized, and requires specific solution for any device, if available at all.

SyncML client connectors and plugins

Name Platform Application Contacts Calendar Memos Tasks Bookmarks E-mail SMS Photo Video Music Files Notes
O3SIS AG Windows Mobile SyncML Client, Living Phone Safe [1] Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes commercial, over-the-air installable client, Videos, Photo, Ringtones, SMS, MMS, as well
O3SIS AG Symbian, Series 60 SyncML Client, Living Push Mail [2] Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes commercial, over-the-air installable client
O3SIS AG Blackberry JAVA SyncML Client, Living Address Book [3] Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No commercial, over-the-air installable client
SyncEvolution Unix/Linux Evolution Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No free, command line, Genesis GUI frontend
libsynthesis Linux SyncML client engine library Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Open Source, LGPL, DB backend via plugins or SQL, custom content formats possible
SyncEvolution Maemo system address book/Contacts, Dates Yes Yes No No No No No free, command line
SyncEvolution Mac OS X, iPhone system address book Yes No No No No No No free, command line
Funambol Windows Mobile Pocket PC, Smartphone Yes Yes Yes Yes No * No plus files in 'briefcase'
Android Sync Client Android Android Yes No No No No No No free, GPLv3
Funambol Windows Outlook Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No GPLv3
Funambol Java Email Client Java ME, J2SE Yes No No No No Yes No GNU GPLv3
Funambol JVM Java ME, J2SE, C++ Yes Yes Yes Yes * * * Open Source SDK
Funambol BlackBerry BB Databases Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes GPLv3
Funambol PalmOS Palm Databases Yes No No No No No free, Community Project
Funambol Windows iPod Yes Yes No No No No No sync via cable
Funambol Windows, Linux Thunderbird, Sunbird Yes Yes No Yes No No No [GNU GPLv2] Community Project
Funambol Yahoo!, Google Contacts, Calendar Yes Yes No No No Yes No [GNU GPLv3]
Nokia Symbian 9.x Nokia S60 3rd/5th Edition native Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes MMS, too!
Synchronica Windows Mobile Pocket PC, Smartphone Yes Yes No Yes Yes emails, attachments and folders
Synchronica Sun Java Systems Communication Suite Sun Comms 4, 5 and 6 Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Synchronica Microsoft Exchange 2003 and 2007 Yes Yes No Yes Yes Using OWA (WebDAV)
Synchronica Lotus Domino 6 Yes Yes No Yes Yes Using IMAP and CORBA
Synchronica Google Calendar, Contacts Yes Yes No No Yes
Synchronica MSN/Hotmail/WindowsLive Contacts Yes No No No No
Synchronica Java Content Repository Any JCR compatible server Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes JCR (JSR-170) back-end API
Synchronica Palm OS mobile devices Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Synchronica Apple OS X iPhone No No No No Yes over the air (OTA) using IMAP/SMTP
TSync Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, * Thunderbird Yes No No No No No No free, GPL
SyncML2iPhone iPhone iCal No Yes No No free
MyTT Symbian S60 all version Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes free, support file upload/download, only Chinese version
MyTT Windows Mobile Pocket PC, Smartphone Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes free, support file upload/download, only Chinese version
MyTT Windows Outlook Yes Yes Yes free, only Chinese version
MyTT MTK 25,26,28 Yes Yes Yes Yes
MyTT Brew Yes Yes
Synthesis iPhoneOS Built-in contacts, separate calendar/todo Yes Yes No Yes commercial
Synthesis PalmOS Palm Databases Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No commercial, multiple sync profiles, scheduling
Synthesis Windows Mobile Pocket PC, Smartphone Yes Yes Yes Yes commercial
Synthesis Windows Outlook, Outlook Express Yes No No No commercial
Synthesis Windows, Linux, Mac OS X SQL, ODBC, SQLite3, PlainText Yes Yes Yes Yes * * * Programming SDK w/API's in C, C++, Delphi, Java, & .Net
Synthesis Windows, Mac OS X Sunbird/Lightning Yes Yes No No DEMO application included with SDK
Synthesis Windows, Linux, Mac OS X Client Desktop DEMO/ODBC/Plugin Yes Yes Yes Yes * * * Scriptable utility to connect with any other client side application or database.
TTSync Windows Mobile Pocket PC, Smartphone Yes Yes Yes Yes * * * commercial
TTSync Symbian S60, 1,2,3 version Yes Yes Yes Yes * * * commercial
CompanionLink Windows Various commercial
Nexthaus Windows Mobile Windows Mobile Yes Yes No Yes commercial
Nexthaus Mac OS X Mac OS X Yes Yes No Yes commercial
Nexthaus Windows Outlook Yes Yes Yes Yes commercial
Nexthaus Windows Outlook Express Yes No No No commercial
Nexthaus Windows Lotus Notes Yes Yes Yes Yes commercial
Nexthaus Windows ACT Yes Yes No Yes commercial
Nexthaus PalmOS Palm Databases Yes Yes Yes Yes commercial
Nexthaus BlackBerry Yes Yes No Yes commercial
Nexthaus iPhoneOS iPhone Yes Yes Yes No commercial
Critical Path (Memova) J2ME Phone Backup Client Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes commercial
Voxmobili Windows Mobile, Android, MacOS, Symbian, J2ME... SyncML Client, VoxMobili Client Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes commercial
Yota Contacts Windows Mobile SyncML Client, Address book Yes free, shipped with Yota HTC MAX 4G
FusionOne Blackberry, Symbian, PalmOS, Windows Mobile, Android SyncML Client, MightyBackup, Network Address Book Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes commercial, with over 10 Million clients deployed
FusionOne Windows Outlook Connector Yes Yes Yes Yes
FusionOne Exchange Microsoft Exchange Connector Yes Yes Yes Yes

SyncML servers

Name Platform Application Contacts Calendar Memos Tasks E-mail Photo Video Music Files Notes
Alt-N Technologies' MDaemon Email Server for Windows Windows SyncML Server Yes Yes Yes Yes SMB email OTA mobile device sync
ObexCode Python (Linux, Windows, Mac OS X, BSD) SyncML/OMA DS Server Yes Yes Yes Yes REST based API & SDK, OEM & ISV Partners, Hosted solution, ActiveSync support
O3SIS.com SyncML Server OMA DS Synchronisation Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Photo, Video, SMS, MMS, Ringtones, Bookmarks Backup&Restore with Living Phone Safe
Group-Office PHP (Linux, Windows, Mac OS X) Data Synchronization but not Device Management Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes E-mail is synced with IMAP
Funambol Java (Linux, Windows, Mac OS X) Data Synchronization and Device Management Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Open Source, SDK, OEM & ISV Partners
PhoneCopy Python (Linux, Windows) SyncML Server Yes Yes Yes Yes Hosted solution, REST based API & SDK, Web access to data
Synthesis Windows, Mac OS X, Linux x86 SyncML Server Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes SDK - (Java, C/C++, .Net API's), OEM & ISV Partners
sync•gw PHP SyncML Server Yes
libsynthesis_srv Linux SyncML server engine library Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Open Source, LGPL, DB backend via plugins or SQL, custom content formats possible
MyTT Linux, FreeBSD, HP-UX, SunOs SyncML Server Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Full-text search engine,built with CORBA/C++
Compelson ASP .Net, IIS, SQL Server SyncML Server Yes Yes Yes Yes
FonePIM SyncML Server Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes SDK, Mobile Operators
IceWarp Windows, Linux SyncML Server Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Enterprise Groupware
Winfonie mobile 2 Windows Desktop SyncML Server Yes Yes Yes Desktop SyncML server, connects with Microsoft Outlook, Lotus Notes, Lotus Organizer, Mozilla Thunderbird, Lightning, Tobit David, Palm Desktop, combit etc.
Winfonie mobile 2 Server Windows SyncML Server Yes Yes Yes SyncML server, connects with Tobit David
Synchronica Java (Solaris, Linux, Windows, Mac OS X) Mobile Gateway Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Service Providers, OEMS, Enterprise, supports OMA CP, OMA DS Push, OMA EMN and IMAP IDLE
Toffa SyncML Server
ComEase SyncML Server Enterprise data management
Horde PHP Horde Yes Yes Yes Yes No Web Groupware, open source
OpenSync platform independent OpenSync Yes Yes Yes Yes No Synchronization Framework, open source
hotpim Windows SyncML Server Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Full-text search engine,built with CORBA/C++
Synkia Linux SyncML Server Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Critical Path (Memova) Linux, Solaris SyncML Server, Network Address Book, Calendar & File Store Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Access NetFront Sync Linux, Solaris SyncML Server Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Enterprise sync solution
MCE systems Windows Data Synchronization Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Address Book, Photo, Video, SMS, Ringtones, Backup&Restore
eGroupWare PHP (platform independent) SyncML Server Yes Yes Yes Yes Email uses IMAP, Open Source groupware
WIT Software Mobile Backup Linux SyncML Server Yes Yes Yes Yes Bookmarks, SMS, MMS. Carrier-grade solution. Compliant with SyncML 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2.
FusionOne Services Platform Oracle Content Backup & Restore, Calendar Synchronization, Network Address Book Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Carrier grade solution with over 1.5 Billion contacts protected.

SyncML hosted services

Provider Name Target Market Price Contacts Calendar Memos Tasks Bookmarks E-mail E-mail to SMS SMS MMS WebDAV CalDAV Notes
Access NetFront Sync Enterprise sync solution commercial Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes SyncML standard sync server,has been deployed for Japan KDDI ,China Telecom
basota.com Consumers 10€/year Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No
ComEase cell phone backup
CompanionLink data synching of disconnected applications commercial Yes Yes Yes Yes
Compelson demo free Yes Yes Yes Yes
Contails Provides a one address book solution to contact management. Supports sync via mobile phones and several other services like mail and Instant Messengers. Free Yes SyncMl based synchronization, webmail synchronization
eneia consumer free / paid Yes contact self-update feature
FonePIM demo free Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Requires T-Mobile email account
GooSync Beta paid Yes Yes Yes Google Calendar Synchronisation
GSMSync Yes Yes Yes Yes
hotpim Service Providers, Device Manufacturers, Enterprises free Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Support media file with self client,full-text search engine，only Chinese version
MemoToo Consumer free / paid Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes* Yes No Yes Yes Free services limited to 10 to 40 items stored for any category - OTA configuration, Photo for contact, Category support, Sortable tasks
MightyPhone Brew Cell Phone Owners Yes Yes No No limited client support
Mobical free Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No No No OMA CP: Open Mobile Alliance Client Provisioning
Mobilesynchro cell phone backup free / paid Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes SyncML based SMS synchronization, OMA/OTA configuration
myFunambol consumer demo Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No No No Tasks and notes can not be viewed or edited online [4].
myFunambol iPhone demo Yes No No No No No No No No No Safari Optimized
MyTT Beta free Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Support media file with self client,full-text search engine，only Chinese version
O3SIS.com Carriers and Service Providers, Enterprises, Retail, Device Manufacturers, Partners commercial Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Showcase available with OTA configurator, downloadable clients
O-Sync Consumer free Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes contact self-update feature
PhoneCopy consumers, comunity free/paid Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No All data can be viewed, edited or deleted online. SMS works with Symbian only and can't be edited.
picoBeat consummer and SoHo free Yes Yes Yes Yes Elements can be edited online
PhoneBackup Consumer paid Yes Yes No No No OTA configuration
ScheduleWorld consumer paid Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes calendar sharing, multiple calendars, Google calendars
Soocial Provides a one address book solution to contact management. Supports sync via mobile phones and several other services like GMail. free Yes No No No No Yes No No No No No SyncML based Contact synchronization. Outlook client in beta stage, OTA configuration & downloadable clients.
Synchronica Service Providers, Device Manufacturers, Enterprises Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Live demo available with OTA configuration
Synkia cell phone backup free / paid Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes SyncML based SMS synchronization, OMA/OTA configuration, server alerted sync.
Voxmobili Provides a complete synchronisation solution. Supports sync via mobile phones and PC clients. commercial Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes SyncML based Personal Data synchronisation
Yap-Yap Yota users, online community free Yes Contacts management as a part of social network
ZYB Online Community free Yes Yes No No No No Yes Partial support for uploading picture associated to contacts (vcard photo field).
MightyBackup paid Yes commercial, with over 10 Million mobile clients deployed
Network Address Book Service Providers, Enterprise commercial Yes
MightyPhone Brew Cell Phone Owners paid Yes Yes Yes Yes

See also

References


This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 
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