Ericsson will add WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) and SMS (short message service) capabilities to its Directory Gateway product in release 2.1, scheduled for general availability in the third quarter of this year. Directory Gateway provides a single point of access to distributed information such as commercial content, e-mail addresses or phone listings. Rather than centralizing data storage, Directory Gateway handles queries from a variety of end user access methods, sets up search attributes, finds the appropriate source for the information, then converts protocols from the source so the end user can access the information. The owners of the information retain control of their own data. With release 2.1, Directory Gateway now supports mobile access using WAP and SMS for sending queries and receiving results. Directory Gateway also supports queries from personal computers through mail, browser or directory access protocols such as Lightweight Directory Access Protocols (LDAP). "Directory Gateway offers a more efficient way to find and access information," said Harry Hakansson, general manger, Interactive Communications, for Ericsson. "It enables service providers to create attractive services to differentiate themselves and generate revenue, and it provides new ways for content owners to expose their content to potential customers. With the addition of mobile access, Directory Gateway makes it quick and easy for end users to find exactly the information they need, when they need it." Directory Gateway is already being used by SUNET, the Swedish University Network, to provide a single portal for searching directory information on students and employees at Swedish universities. Several customer trials in Europe also are in progress. Directory Gateway is a software product that runs on UNIX systems. It is based on industry standards for both client and server access, including WAP, SMS, HTTP and LDAP.
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