Windows Mobile 6.5 SharePoint Workspace Sync

Windows Mobile 6.5 managed document synchronization by integrating Microsoft Office Mobile 2010 with SharePoint Workspace Mobile, allowing users to access, edit, and synchronize document libraries directly from their handheld devices. This system relied on direct server-to-device web protocols, local caching mechanisms, and delta synchronization to ensure users could collaborate on Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files even with intermittent cellular connectivity.

The Role of SharePoint Workspace Mobile

With the release of the Office Mobile 2010 update for Windows Mobile 6.5, Microsoft introduced SharePoint Workspace Mobile. This application acted as the primary client interface, replacing older file transfer methods and enabling direct integration with SharePoint Server 2010 and SharePoint Foundation 2010 document libraries.

Connection and Authentication

Windows Mobile 6.5 connected to SharePoint environments over standard HTTP or HTTPS protocols. The client supported standard enterprise authentication methods, including:

  • NTLM and Kerberos: Facilitating integrated Windows authentication for corporate intranet connections.
  • Basic Authentication: Used primarily across secure SSL/TLS connections.
  • Forms-Based Authentication (FBA): Allowing remote users to authenticate through external reverse proxies such as Microsoft Forefront Unified Access Gateway (UAG) or Threat Management Gateway (TMG).

Local Caching and Offline Access

To support mobile workflows, SharePoint Workspace Mobile implemented a local cache on the device's internal memory or storage card:

  1. Document Browsing: Users navigated through document libraries and selected specific files to download.
  2. Local Storage: Downloaded files were stored in a secure local sandbox, making them accessible via Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, or PowerPoint Mobile without an active data connection.
  3. Status Indicators: Files displayed clear visual states within the interface, indicating whether a document was synchronized, modified locally, or currently checking in or out.

Delta Synchronization via FSSHTTP

Rather than re-uploading entire files over slow 2G and 3G cellular networks, Windows Mobile 6.5 leveraged the File Synchronization via SOAP over HTTP (FSSHTTP) protocol—internally known as "Cobalt."

  • Differential Updates: When a user edited a document, the application identified the specific binary changes (deltas) made to the file structure.
  • Bandwidth Preservation: Only the modified chunks of data were packaged and transmitted back to the SharePoint server, significantly reducing data usage and synchronization latency.

Check-In, Check-Out, and Conflict Resolution

SharePoint Workspace Mobile respected the document governance rules established on the SharePoint host:

  • Check-Out Enforcement: If a library required check-out, the mobile client checked the document out to the user upon download, preventing other users from making conflicting edits on the server.
  • Check-In and Metadata: Upon completing edits, the user could check the file back in through the mobile interface and enter version comments or update custom metadata fields.
  • Conflict Handling: In the event of a simultaneous edit where a conflict occurred, the mobile client flagged the collision. Users were prompted to resolve the state by either saving their local modifications as a new copy on the server, overwriting the server version, or discarding local changes to accept the server's current state.