Page 31 - Federal Computer Week, January/February 2019

collaboration on equipment needs. Clearly, the military is sold on
the benefits of mobile, whether commercial-grade systems that are common in business, or more rugged mobile systems built for harsh and hostile environments.
For front line troops there’s no argument. They need specialized, ruggedized devices that can stand up to challenging environments.
For workers in supply or maintenance depots, the best solution may be less clear. Consumer-grade systems, substantially less expensive than ruggedized versions, have also become more durable over the years.
Recent studies, however, have highlighted the problems with that choice. International Data Corporation (IDC), a market-intelligence firm, for example, found a high rate of failure for consumer devices. The average annual failure rate for consumer notebooks
is 18 percent. Within five years of
use, 61 percent of the commercial devices required repairs. Tablets and smartphones had similar failure rates. The average cost of those repairs was between $224 and $300.
A 2016 study by Panasonic, Mission Critical: The True Cost of Mobile Computer Failure, assessed attributes that users of mobile devices rely on, including battery life, connectivity, durability, average lifespan, screen usability and peripheral needs, such as service and support. The study found that reducing device failure is a significant contributor to lowering the total cost of ownership, concluding that the TCO for rugged systems
was lower than for consumer-grade alternatives.
For military organizations, device failures leading to substantial
downtime is unacceptable. The importance of continuity will likely become more pronounced as DOD focuses on “resilient” logistics. For that and other reasons, such as lower prices, rugged has become more acceptable
to military users than in the past, Heckman said.
As use of rugged systems for logistics and maintenance increases, the mobile devices are evolving
to better accommodate the needs
of users. Vendors are integrating specialized supply-and-logistics software solutions with purpose-built hardware features such as barcode scanners that enable logistics staff
to react more quickly to changes in supply chain requirements and to better support mission goals.
Panasonic has a broad range of rugged products, Heckman said. Options range from long- term solutions, such as Windows
professional devices that have a barcode scanning option, to handheld devices designed specifically for logistics tasks.
Panasonic’s Toughpad FZ-N1 fully rugged Android handheld, for example, has an angled barcode readers that allows a user’s hand to remain in a neutral position when scanning and viewing results. The fatigue-saving feature helps to eliminate errors and improve scan speeds.
In a March 2018 survey, the company found that 77 percent of respondents consider the rugged devices they use to be important to their effective job performance.
The company’s rugged mobile devices are widely available to military buyers, Heckman said, on a range of defense contracts, including the Army ADMC and NETCENTS-2, as well
as other vehicles, such as the GSA schedules and NASA SEWP.
Is Your Mobile IT Tough Enough?
When it comes to evaluating whether or not to choose rugged devices, Panasonic advises agencies to consider a number of questions:
• Where and how will your device be used? Consider all the ways and places your device will be used on the job.
• Will you deploy a device to each person or will the device be shared? If everyone in your agency will get a device, it’s important to keep IT costs and support time to a minimum.
• What is your organization’s policy on life cycle management?
Look for a manufacturer with a comprehensive service and support program that will maximize mobile workers’ uptime and increase their productivity.
• How much does your organization typically spend on IT support? Investing in rugged technology promotes device reliability and lowers IT sup- port costs, resulting in more productive workers.
• What is the impact of downtime if your mobile device fails?
Device downtime reduces productivity, and compromises critical data and mission.