The high tech van that is a CEO's dream
Ray Geroski
Published: 26 Apr 2002 16:22 BST
Believe it or not, the most important piece of hardware installed on the van may not be the server or the drives or the communications equipment, but the suspension. Bumps in the road pose a serious threat to connectivity. It took engineers three months to perfect the shocks and suspension to prevent connectivity loss as a result of the van hitting a pothole. Jones has even joked that the suspension is the most sophisticated of Digital Wheels' technologies.
Physical bumps in the road aren't the only challenges Jones' staff and technicians have faced, either. The original Windows 2000 Server installed in the van was a PC with a Sierra Wireless AirCard installed for connectivity, but recurring issues forced repeated replacement of the AirCard until the PC was finally replaced with a laptop. The laptop appears to be more AirCard-friendly; the related connectivity issues disappeared following the switch.
Keeping the server rolling
The server used in the van is now a Dell Latitude C800 laptop with PIII 1-GHz CPU, 256 Metgabyte of RAM, a 48 Gigabyte hard drive running Windows 2000 Server and equipped with routing and remote access, as well as a Lucent Residential Gateway. Because of the laptop's better compatibility with the AirCard, Jones has experienced few problems with the new setup.
He can synch up with his office or with his home computer from the comfort of his van. The only issue he faces with his hardware is the relatively slow performance of the AirCard itself, which is comparable to an average 56kbit/s dial-up modem.
Regular maintenance checks help head off potential problems to ensure that Jones is connected while on the road. Residence Manager David Moore handles the weekly "tech audits," during which he checks each piece of functionality on the van to make sure that the operation performs as expected. For example, Moore will connect to the Internet and browse pages to make sure that the Web connection is maintained. If he encounters any problems and finds that repairs or parts are needed, the necessary work is contracted out to IT professionals.
Sticker shock
If you're thinking about working on a similar setup to create a mobile solution for your company, be advised that customizing the van for this purpose wasn't easy or cheap, so it might not be the most cost-effective mobile office solution.
Jones has been keeping the actual price tag of the customised van a tight secret, but he says that it cost more than a Rolls-Royce and less than a Lamborghini. That's probably a little steep for most companies' mobile office budgets, but Jones' time is obviously so valuable this was considered a necessary, if expensive, solution. As the van allows him to take a staff of eight with him on the road to conferences, it truly is a mobile office in every sense of the word.
Down the road
Obviously, there are more economical ways to provide mobile communications. Computer users who travel frequently have a number of other communications options, and it could be argued that a staff of several people would rarely need to travel together and hold meetings on the road.
Still, Scott Jones' Digital Wheels shows us that ingenuity--and a deep wallet--can provide a unique and effective solution to the challenge of keeping in touch with the office while traveling for business or commuting to and from work. Many companies and top executives want to stay connected while traveling: Digital Wheels works best for Scott Jones and Escient, and may be the sign of greater things to come in terms of mobile commuting, especially as wireless and cellular technologies mature.
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