SyncML
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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.
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[edit] 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.
- According to the documentation in the Funambol SyncML wiki, there is no conflict resolution. The server can only be set to 'client wins' or 'server wins' in case a field has been edited both on server and on client.
[edit] Advantages
- The protocol is open and based upon standardized XML communication over HTTP POST which makes it relatively straightforward to implement on any platform.
- Even though XML documents per definition are text based - the protocol is versatile enough to be used to synchronize any binary file format.
- Many free services available, including clients and applications.
[edit] SyncML client connectors and plugins
| Name | Platform | Application | Contacts | Calendar | Memos | Tasks | Book-marks | SMS | Photo | Video | Music | Files | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syncfriend | Windows | Outlook 2007 / 2010 | Yes | Yes | Userfriendly plug-in for Outlook. The free version synchronizes 200 contacts in any custom folder. | ||||||||||
| Gemalto / O3SIS AG | Windows Mobile | SyncML Client, Personal Life Mobilizer [1] | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | commercial, over-the-air installable client, Videos, Photo, Ringtones, SMS, MMS, as well | ||
| Gemalto / O3SIS AG | Android OS | SyncML Client, Personal Life Mobilizer [2] | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | commercial, over-the-air installable client | ||
| Gemalto / O3SIS AG | iPhone OS (iPhone, iPod, iPAD | SyncML Client, Personal Life Mobilizer [3] | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | commercial, over-the-air installable client | ||
| Gemalto / O3SIS AG | Symbian, Series 60 | SyncML Client, Life Mobilizer Push Mail Edition [4] | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | commercial, over-the-air installable client | ||
| Gemalto / O3SIS AG | Blackberry J2ME from OS 4.5, Nokia S40, Sony Ericsson J2ME | SyncML Client, [5] | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | 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, iOS | SyncML client+server engine library | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Open Source, LGPL+EPL, DB backend via plugins or SQL, custom content formats possible | |||||
| SyncEvolution | Maemo 5 | system address book/Contacts, Dates | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 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 | Yes | No | Yes | plus files in 'briefcase', AGPL v3 | ||||
| Funambol | Symbian OS | Symbian S60 3rd/5th Edition | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | AGPL v3, adds push and picture sync capabilities to native client | |||||||
| Funambol | Android | Android Sync Client | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Open Source, AGPL v3 | ||||
| Funambol | BlackBerry | BB Databases | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Open Source, AGPL v3 | |||||||
| Funambol | iPhone OS | AddressBook | Yes | Open Source, AGPL v3 | |||||||||||
| Funambol | Java Email Client | Java ME, J2SE | Yes | Yes | Open Source, AGPL v3 | ||||||||||
| Funambol | Windows | Outlook | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Open Source, AGPL v3 | ||||
| Funambol | MacOS | Desktop | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Open Source, AGPL v3 | ||||
| Funambol | Multi-platform | Java ME, J2SE, C++ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | * | * | * | Open Source SDK, AGPL v3 | |||||
| Funambol | PalmOS | Palm Databases | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Open Source, AGPL v3, Community Project | ||||||
| Funambol Community Project | Windows, Linux | iPod | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | sync via cable, Open Source, AGPL v3 | |||||
| Funambol Community Project | Windows, Linux, Mac | Thunderbird, Sunbird | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Open Source, AGPL v3 | |||||||
| Funambol | Yahoo!, Google | Contacts, Calendar | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Open Source, AGPL v3 | |||||
| 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 | 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 | Mac 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 | ||||||||||||
| plan44.ch | 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 | ||||||||||||
| SyncJE by Nexthaus | Windows Mobile | Windows Mobile | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | commercial | ||||||||
| SyncJE by Nexthaus | Mac OS X | Mac OS X | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | commercial | ||||||||
| SyncJE by Nexthaus | Windows | Outlook | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | commercial | ||||||||
| SyncJE by Nexthaus | Windows | Outlook Express | Yes | No | No | No | commercial | ||||||||
| SyncJE by Nexthaus | Windows | Lotus Notes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | commercial | ||||||||
| SyncJE by Nexthaus | Windows | ACT | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | commercial | ||||||||
| SyncJE by Nexthaus | PalmOS | Palm Databases | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | commercial | ||||||||
| SyncJE by Nexthaus | BlackBerry | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | commercial | |||||||||
| SyncJE by Nexthaus | iPhoneOS | iPhone | Yes | No | No | No | commercial | ||||||||
| Critical Path (Memova) | J2ME | Phone Backup Client | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | commercial | |||||||
| Voxmobili (An OnMobile Company) | 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 | |||||||||||
| Synchronoss | 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 | ||||||
| Synchronoss | Windows | Outlook Connector | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||||
| Synchronoss | Exchange | Microsoft Exchange Connector | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||||
| Pleex | J2ME | Various | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Media sharing and community networks too | ||||||
| Pleex | Symbian S60/S40 and UIQ | Various | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Media sharing and community networks too | ||||||
| Pleex | Windows Mobile | Various | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Media sharing and community networks too | ||||||
| Pleex | iPhone | Various | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Media sharing and community networks too | ||||||
| Pleex | Android | Various | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Media sharing and community networks too | ||||||
| Pleex | Blackberry | Various | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Media sharing and community networks too | ||||||
| Pleex | Bada | Various | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Media sharing and community networks too |
[edit] SyncML servers
| Name | Platform | Application | Free? | Contacts | Calendar | Memos | Tasks | Book- marks | Photo | Video | MMS | Files | SAN1 | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alt-N Technologies' MDaemon Email Server for Windows | Windows | SyncML Server | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SMB email OTA mobile device sync | ||||||||
| Group-Office | PHP | Data Synchronization but not Device Management | No | 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 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Open Source, Java and C++ SDK, OEM & ISV Partners, AGPL v3 | |||||
| Synthesis | Windows, Mac OS X, Linux x86 | SyncML Server | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SDK - (Java, C/C++, .Net API's), OEM & ISV Partners | |||||||
| sync•gw | PHP | SyncML Server | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | platform independent PHP SyncML server, OMA push service; Support for WebDAV (CardDav/CalDAV) | |||||
| libsynthesis | Linux | SyncML client+server engine library | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Open Source, LGPL+EPL, DB backend via plugins or SQL, custom content formats possible | |||||||
| Compelson | ASP .Net, IIS, SQL Server | SyncML Server | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||||
| IceWarp | Windows, Linux | SyncML Server | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Enterprise Groupware | |||||||
| Winfonie mobile 2 | Windows | Desktop SyncML Server (discontinued, no longer available) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Desktop SyncML server, connects with Microsoft Outlook, Lotus Notes, Lotus Organizer, Mozilla Thunderbird, Lightning, Tobit David, Palm Desktop, combit etc. | |||||||||
| Synchronica | Java (Solaris, Linux, Windows, Mac OS X) | Mobile Gateway | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Service Providers, OEMS, Enterprise, supports OMA CP, OMA DS Push, OMA EMN and IMAP IDLE | |||||||
| Horde | Linux | Horde | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Web Groupware, open source | |||||||
| Access NetFront Sync | Linux, Solaris | SyncML Server | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Enterprise sync solution | ||||||
| eGroupWare | PHP | SyncML Server | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Email uses IMAP, Open Source groupware | ||||||||
| Mooha SyncML Server | PHP | SyncML Server | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Open-source platform independent SyncML server written in PHP with MySQL database backend. Also Drupal module is available | |||||||
| TimeMaker Server | Linux | SyncML Server | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Leadership software. E-mail is synced by using integrated POP3/SMTP. |
1SAN = Server Alert Notification. This SyncML Push technology is based on definitions by the Open Mobile Alliance and extends the existing SyncML protocol specification by offering a method of server initiated synchronization.
[edit] SyncML hosted services
| Provider Name | Target Market | Price | Contacts | Calendar | Memos | Tasks | Bookmarks | E-mail to SMS | SMS | MMS | WebDAV | CalDAV | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| syncgcal.com | Google Calendar sync service | free / paid | Yes | Google Calendar Synchronisation (including shared calendars) | |||||||||||
| Syncfriend | A self updated phonebook. Supports multiple phones per each account. Automatic duplicate elimination. | Free | Yes | Yes | User friendly web interface. | ||||||||||
| 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 | ||||
| AOL Sync Service | Consumer | free | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | SyncML standard sync server | |||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||
| Google Sync via SyncML | free | Yes | Contacts sync only | ||||||||||||
| GooSync | Beta | paid | Yes | Yes | Yes | Google Calendar Synchronisation | |||||||||
| GSMSync | free / paid | Yes | Yes | 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 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Free services limited to 100 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 [6]. | ||
| 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 | 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, community | 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 (service shut down on November 30, 2010) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | calendar sharing, multiple calendars, Google calendars, Email via Over The Air (OTA) provided by IMAP/SMTP | |
| Sony Ericsson | Sony Ericsson mobile device owners | free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | As well as files synchronization. | ||||||||
| Soocial | Provides a one address book solution to contact management. Supports sync via mobile phones and several other services like GMail. | free/paid | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | SyncML based Contact synchronization. Outlook client, 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 | paid | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SyncML based SMS synchronization, OMA/OTA configuration, server alerted sync. | |||||||
| Ubuntu One | Ubuntu Linux and Android users | paid | Yes | Provides cloud storage and streaming music service to mobile devices for free. Contact sync is a paid upgrade. | |||||||||||
| Voxmobili(An OnMobile Company) | Provides a complete synchronization solution. Supports sync via mobile phones and PC clients. | commercial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SyncML based Personal Data synchronisation | |||||
| Yota users, online community | free | Yes | Contacts management as a part of social network | ||||||||||||
| 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 |
[edit] See also
- iCalendar
- The SyncML Initiative
- Funambol - Free and open source SyncML server software.
- OpenSync - Free and open source synchronization software written with C-language.
- Yahoo! Mobile and Yahoo! Calendar - Yahoo services offered in some countries that uses SyncML technology.
- CalDAV
- CardDAV
[edit] References
- OMA Data Synchronization Working Group
- OMA Data Synchronization V1.2.2 (including SyncML)
- OpenSync - Open Source synchronization framework
- libsynthesis - Open Source SyncML client library
- Duct Tape Solution
- Toolkits
- LibSyncML - Open Source SyncML library
- SyncML C Reference Toolkit
- SyncML Conformance Test Suite
- SyncML Compatible Devices list at Funambol.com
- SyncML Compatible Devices list at Mobical.net
- Device Onboading & Device Client Suite at O3SIS.com
- SyncML Compatible Devices list at Synchronica.com
- SyncML Compatible Devices list at Zyb.com
- SyncML Compatible Devices list at Comease.com
- SyncML Compatible Devices list at Synkia.com
- SyncML Compatible Devices list at phonebackup.eu
- SyncML Compatible Devices list at Memotoo.com
- SyncML Compatible Devices list at Phonecopy.com
- KeySyncML - A JavaCard library allowing SyncML data synchronisation at SIM card level.
