One of the easiest examples of unified communications to explain would be routing voicemail recordings to the recipient’s email inbox. A true unified communications strategy seeks to unite as many incoming and outgoing communications channels as possible, including:

• Email
• Mobile, landline and VoIP calls
• Video calls, messaging and conferencing
• Instant messaging
• SMS text messages
• Fax
• Radio

Advanced unified communications systems may also make use of technologies like voice recognition to transcribe a voicemail message into text for an email for instance. By converting audio content to text the message can be accessed by a wider range of devices, allowing the recipient to collect and respond even when away from a “proper” phone.

Depending on the channels that are unified and the technologies applied, communications can in theory be routed to almost any client device. The rise of the smartphone within the enterprise makes it the natural end point for most unified communications efforts, particularly as employees can be reached even more easily.

Why are unified comms important for business?

Unified comms offer businesses several good reasons for adoption; these are the top three.

Improved comms efficiency and mobility

The ultimate goal of any communications unification project is to improve efficiency and responsiveness. By providing methods that allow customers, partners and employees to communicate more quickly you can expect to:

• Resolve issues more quickly.
• Allow closer collaboration between employees regardless of their geographical proximity, particularly homeworkers.
• Reduce communication failures or delays when communicating with mobile employees.
• Ensure that messages and responses are delivered using the most appropriate method in any situation.

It is hard to place a value on improved collaboration, but the boost to productivity should be obvious.

Improved auditing capabilities

Auditing communications also becomes much easier if all messages pass through a central unified comms solution. For businesses needing to prove regulatory compliance, or who are subject to regular disputes, the auditing and tracking of every message sent across every channel will be invaluable.

A unified comms systems allows you to create a complete picture of communications to track “missing” messages, or instances where productivity is below standard.

Reduced operational costs

By unifying the various incoming communications channels into a single interface, businesses are able to do away a lot of supporting hardware. The fax machine can be easily replaced by a fax-to-email system, or desktop telephones can be replaced by a VoIP comms app for smartphones for instance.

The more hardware that can be replaced by a unified comms solution, the less capital expenditure required to purchase new hardware. Businesses should also note a corresponding drop in maintenance costs.

Putting it all together

The hub of the modern unified comms solution is rapidly becoming the humble smartphone. For businesses willing to make the investment in unified comms strategy, the efficiency gains alone should make such a strategy profitable.

Time-poor employees will always gravitate towards communication channels that offer the least resistance, often adopting solutions outside your business’ control. A unified comms policy, backed by robust technology, will help create a solution with which employees will willingly engage, helping to avoid many of the problems and costs outlined above.

If you need help defining a unified comms policy, or implementing a cost-effective technology solution to make your workforce communications simpler and more cost-effective, Dootrix can help.

The post What is unified comms? appeared first on In-traction.

But BBM is just one app competing in a congested category. Google Talk (primarily Android), iMessage (Apple only) and upstart WhatsApp (multi-platform) all offer similar functionality and are incredibly popular. In December 2013, WhatsApp claimed to have 400 million monthly active users (although the BBC claims the user base is nearer 450 million), sending more that 10 billion messages each day. The growth of mobile messaging apps has caused a corresponding fall in SMS text messaging.

The Guardian reports that there were 145 billion SMS messages sent during 2013, down 7 billion on 2012. Deloitte, who carried out the research, estimate a similar drop in use during 2014. In the meantime, IM apps are picking up the slack, costing telecoms providers billions in the process.

The news that Facebook has just acquired WhatsApp for a whopping $19 billion clearly shows that instant messaging apps are not only big business, but also a valuable communications tool which you can also find in socialboosting.com where anyone is able to work with your platform engagement and the boost of a social media content.

IM apps, helping to cut costs

Because messages sent via IM apps are covered by the data allowance included with the mobile contract, users have been able to radically reduce their telecoms costs. Instead of paying up to £0.10 per message, IM messages are effectively free, particularly when sent over WiFi networks.

For businesses, this is great news. Any reduction in costs is welcome, as is the ability to make communications between employees easier. The ability to attached documents, photos and even videos further enhances the usefulness of IM messaging.

A few business concerns

These third party apps perform their given tasks admirably, but there are a couple of issues specific to businesses that need to be considered:

Intellectual property protection

BBM and iMessage are both reported to be extremely secure, protecting messages from theft or compromise. However users of these services have no guarantee that data is completely secure, nor that messages are being stored and accessed by the service provider.

Facebook is well known for collecting and mining the data of their user base, so WhatsApp messaging is almost certain to be subject to the same levels of intervention. For many businesses this level of “intrusion” is unlikely to be welcome.

Sending sensitive company information by public messaging frameworks is ill-advised.

Auditing difficulties

Where disputes arise, businesses often need to demonstrate an audit trail of communications to prove who said what and to whom. With messaging frameworks that are outside your control, obtaining audit data is likely to be difficult or impossible.

Again, mission-critical communications should not be sent via these mediums.

A suitable alternative for business

The business value of IM apps is undeniable, but the current solutions available are more geared towards consumer users. Remote workers will naturally gravitate towards these consumer-based messaging systems as they seek to bring the smooth flow of their personal communication methods into the business arena.

Ideally businesses should be looking at developing their own secure messaging system that protects the flow of confidential content, and maintains a full audit trail of activity for reporting purposes. In this way your business will be able to control (and protect) message content at every stage of the communications process.

However there is no one-size-fits-all approach to the potential problems and risks posed by instant messaging apps. Where businesses are unable to develop their own messaging systems, they should implement a comprehensive training programme designed to help employees understand their responsibilities when sending instant messages using public or consumer services, one of many softwares for a business improvement, such as the use of a clock in and out system, read about the common errors with the time clock software. Sharing responsibility in this way helps to mitigate some of the problems we have discussed here.

Enterprise instant messaging offers significant business benefits, but proper implementation will be a balancing act between privacy, security and flexibility. Why not get in touch with Dootrix today to discuss the available options and how we can help you navigate the minefield.

The post Enterprise Instant Messaging: The rise of the messaging app appeared first on In-traction.

The option of shifting corporate email to a hosted, Gmail solution, can further reduce costs, allowing the company Exchange servers to be retired too. And Cloud storage can be used to reduce the corporate data center and facilitate easier access to data.

So far so good, and with many organisations coming to Dootrix to discuss Android mobility rollouts as well, is everything quite as it seems?

The PRISM effect

The revelation that the US government has been spying on businesses and individuals with the apparent assistance of major IT vendors has become a source of concern for those being monitored. The fact that NSA activity has crossed international borders shows that intervention in this way affects all businesses, regardless of where they may be headquartered.

Google has recently protested about secret government “snooping”, joining with other industry bodies to register their discontent with the current situation. However Google’s own data analysis activities are not dissimilar to those against which they protest. In reality, the only difference is that Google inform users via a clause in their Terms of Service.

The Google Clause

Under the section headed ‘Your Content in our Services’ users agree to the following (emphasis mine):

“When you upload or otherwise submit content to our Services, you give Google (and those we work with) a worldwide licence to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes that we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content. The rights that you grant in this licence are for the limited purpose of operating, promoting and improving our Services, and to develop new ones. This licence continues even if you stop using our Services (for example, for a business listing that you have added to Google Maps). Some Services may offer you ways to access and remove content that has been provided to that Service. Also, in some of our Services, there are terms or settings that narrow the scope of our use of the content submitted in those Services. Make sure that you have the necessary rights to grant us this licence for any content you submit to our Services.”

For individual users, this may not present too many problems. For businesses bound by non-disclosure agreements (NDA) or who are relying on Google Drive Cloud storage space to host commercially sensitive information, the terms are more concerning.

Serving ads based on the content of emails is one thing, but reserving the right to create derivative works is quite another. At present Google claims such rights for improving the service they offer to Apps users but is loose enough to expand the definition at any point. Under the terms of service Google could use content stored with them to create new products and services, even though your business retains the ownership and intellectual property rights.

Creating a business headache

Strictly speaking, storing NDA-protected content in a service where you know the content is routinely accessed by a third party is a breach of that agreement. Should something go wrong, or the content be used for an unforeseen purpose by Google for instance, where does the blame lie?

There is also the not-so-small matter of data retention. The licence granted in the Terms of Service is perpetual – Google reserves the right to retain a copy of all data stored in their apps. Anything already saved in Drive for instance is available for further analysis or exploitation at any point into the future.

Mobile Computing is also affected

For maximum productivity, or to access core Google services, Android smartphone and tablet users also require a Google account. Content stored using Android devices is thus subject to the same Terms of Service and usage by Google.

Even if a business chooses not to use Google Apps, an Android roll out may present the same issues regarding data privacy and ownership. The cheap price of Android hardware could come at a significantly higher cost in the longer term.

Nothing wrong with Google privacy. Yet.

At present there is no indication that Google are using their data mining efforts for anything other than targeted advertising. However Google has reneged on “cast iron” promises in the past (homepage banner ads for instance), so there always remains the possibility that the definition of “service improvement” could be modified in future.

The Google ToS is unique in its claim to license rights to content uploaded by service users. And it should also be a point of serious consideration for businesses considering a move to Google Apps. Second-guessing Google’s future actions may be considered paranoid, but when data is the second-most valuable asset to a business (after its employees), such concerns are rarely misplaced.

The post Google and Your Business – Is There a Google Privacy Problem? appeared first on In-traction.

What does the marketplace look like now?

The enterprise mobile OS market is hard to accurately define, with many analysts reporting conflicting statistics to decide whether Android or iOS are currently ahead in terms of market share. The only thing that all analysts agree on is that the situation remains a two-horse race now and into the foreseeable future. Notably the once dominant BlackBerry features almost nowhere in any up-to-date statistics or forecasts.

According to the Citrix Enterprise Mobility Cloud Report, the largest share of enterprise mobility in Europe is held by Apple’s iOS with 43% of the total. Just behind is Android with 36% followed by Windows Mobile with 21% (far higher than anywhere else in the world).

Other studies suggest that iOS is actually strengthening its grip on the enterprise computing arena. Hybrid Cloud storage company Egnyte reported that the 100,000+ business subscribers to their service are overwhelmingly iOS users. Commenting on the figures, they were reported as saying;

“Apple seems to have at least temporarily won the hearts and minds of business users with its products accounting for about 70 percent of our traffic. […] It’s also an indication that when BYOD wrested control over what devices consumers used from IT, they overwhelmingly chose an easy to use product that focused on UI and usability, perhaps even at times over depth.”

It is also worth noting that Windows Mobile is growing significantly. “Windows devices now own 3.7 per cent of the market, representing a 20 per cent gain on the same period in 2012,” claimed IDC in their Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker report in August.

Why choose Android?

Android has a number of major factors in its favour:

• The OS is free, making hardware much cheaper.
• Android is open source, allowing for much greater customisation and development potential.
• Deploying custom apps via an enterprise app store in house is easy.
• A mature app store with 800,000+ available applications.
• Multi-user support makes devices “shareable”.

Android does present some major challenges for developers. Although Android hardware tends to be relatively cheap, there are literally thousands of devices, each of which has its own specifications, from screen size to peripheral support. The more testing required, the more expensive custom development becomes.

The open nature of Android has also seen it become the focus for hackers and cybercriminals. According to antivirus vendor McAfee, malware attacks rose to nearly 40,000 in 2012, the majority if which (97%) where created specifically to exploit Android devices.

Why choose iOS?

iOS is extremely popular in the enterprise for several reasons:

• The OS is believed to be more secure than it’s rivals thanks to a “sand box” approach that prevents resources and apps accessing each other.
• A very limited range of supported devices makes it easy to develop and test custom software.
• The interface is felt to be extremely intuitive, making it popular with employees.
• Apple’s luxury brand status further assists with employee “buy in”.

The Apple App Store is populated by hundreds of thousands of apps that cover most generic business needs, and the implementation of MDM in iOS 7 makes deploying apps to company devices much easier. The fact that the range of iOS 7 devices is small, also makes custom development much easier – there are less variables to consider when deploying apps.

On the other hand, Apple devices command a heavy premium. For the cost of the “cheaper” iPhone 5C, businesses could buy at least two equivalent Android devices.

Why choose Windows Mobile?

One of the biggest selling points for Windows Mobile is that the operating system now appears to offer a consistent experience across devices. Few organisations have yet made the switch to Windows 8, but when they do, operations and appearance will be similar across smartphones, tablets and desktop PCs.

There is also the added benefit of dropping straight into the existing Windows network infrastructure, making management and support much easier than with other devices. Similarly mobile software deployment can be easily managed via Systems Centre.

On the downside, Windows Mobile devices remain quite expensive, and suitable development skills are scarce. Consumer uptake of Windows Mobile is growing, but enterprises committing their future to the Microsoft platform will probably have to supply suitable devices to their workforce.

No easy answers

The bad news is that the choice between iOS, Android and Windows Mobile is purely subjective and should only be made in light of what is right for your organisation. Globally iOS may still be the dominant force in enterprise mobility, but the “open” nature of Android, or a need for native Windows support may be better for your business.

If you have any questions or would like some advice about what platform or platforms is suitable for your organisation then please get in touch with us at Dootrix.

The post Enterprise Mobility: Android vs iOS vs Windows Mobile appeared first on In-traction.

Although free iOS upgrade are nothing new, Apple has now made previously profitable apps for the iWork (Pages, Numbers and Keynote) and iPlay (Garage Band, iMovie and iPhoto) suite available free with new devices.

The move to freemium

The “freemium” model has been used by open source software providers for years as a way of getting users on board with a package before offering “added extras” for a fee. This could take the form of improved service and response times, to the “unlocking” of premium features and functions.

iOS app users are well-used to making in-app purchases to unlock new features or bonuses, and it is this practice that Apple intend to use to recoup some of the “loss” incurred by giving software away free. It is important to note however that only those consumers and businesses buying new devices are entitled to the free apps.

Genius or madness?

Research suggests that smartphone users are increasingly reluctant to pay for apps up front. This latest move by Apple therefore makes good business sense. According to Gartner, 90% of the 81.4 billion apps downloaded from the major stores during 2013 will be free at the point of download.

Gartner’s estimates also reveal a number of other important projections; not only will the number of available apps continue to rise (there are at least 800,000 available in Google Play and the Apple App Store at present), but that the annual number of downloads will continue to rise, topping 309 billion by 2016. The percentage of free app downloads will continue to rise, reaching 93% over the same period.

So how will the app developers make money? Another research company, Distimo, released figures that suggest that paid-for apps have already peaked in importance. In January 2013 in-app purchases accounted for 76% of the Apple App Store revenue, up from 53% on the same period in the previous year. In Asian countries (Hong Kong, Japan, China and South Korea particularly), in-app purchases made up more than 90% of revenue.

The reality is that Apple’s move towards freemium app pricing is neither a gamble, nor out-of-step with the wider app development community. According to the trends, giving apps away for free, and then charging for additional content appears to be the only way by which to generate a sustainable revenue from mobile apps.

This is not just an Apple thing

In reality, Apple is rather late to the freemium game, in effect waiting for their developer community to prove the case for this particular pricing model before adopting it themselves. The aforementioned Gartner report (which discusses the increasing number of free downloads) is based on observing all of the major app stores in addition to Apple’s.

Extrapolating their data, Gartner estimate that downloads featuring in-app purchases will rise from 5% of all downloads (across all stores) in 2011, to 30% in 2016.They also believe that the share of revenue from in-app purchases for developers will grow from 10% in 2011 to 41% in 2016. Although the Distimo’s estimates are much higher than those of Gartner’s, both analysts recognise the increasing importance of in-app purchases for revenue.

An alternative pricing method is to offer a mobile app to accompany an existing service subscription. One of the best examples of such a system is the Office 365 productivity offering from Microsoft; users pay an annual subscription to access a Cloud-based copy of Microsoft’s Office suite. An iOS app is available for free download, but without the paid subscription, cannot be used. Whether Microsoft seriously believe this approach will work remains to be seen – it could be seen as an attempt at moving users to the Windows 8 Surface Tablet which comes with a native Office app as standard.

Mobile apps are expected to generate between $20 and $25 billion in 2013, potentially rising to $75 billion in 2017. But developers and vendors alike need to carefully consider how they intend to claim their slice of that pot – the truth is, charging for apps upfront is unlikely to be the answer and Apple’s move to freemium may prove to be the beginning of the end for the paid app.

The post What Apple’s move to freemium app pricing means for developers appeared first on In-traction.

April 3rd 2010 – The day one Tablet changed the market

The launch of the iPad in 2010 permanently changed the computing landscape. Although tablet computers had been tried in the past (Windows XP Tablet anyone?), each had failed due to a lack of app ecosystem, poorly specified hardware or general indifference on the part of the public.

The iPad however become an instant success, going on to sell millions of units, as has every revision since. According to Apple, 14.6 million iPads were sold in the second quarter of 2013 alone.

Factor in the rise of Android tablets, like the Kindle Fire and Samsung Galaxy and it is easy to see why PC sales declined for the first time ever in the same period. IDC reports that PC sales dropped by a total of 14% worldwide during 2012, although manufacturers are still shifting about 350 million units annually. Gartner predicts that smartphones and tablets will pick up the slack, selling around 1.02 billion units during 2013.

So it’s over for the PC?

With PC sales continuing to decline with each passing quarter, it is easy to believe that the desktop computer has had its day, and will soon be replaced by tablets as standard. For home consumers who typically consume content, tablets could conceivably become the de facto standard device. In the enterprise however, the situation is much more complex.

Although tablets provide a portable way to access and display data any place any time many tasks, particularly data entry, remains more troublesome. The use of customised, web-accessible GUIs can make the process easier, although legacy applications are often almost impossible to access or update in this way. For many businesses, maintaining a PC network is cheaper and easier than purchasing a replacement system, or having a custom mobile module developed.

For sedentary roles, desktop PCs make more sense than any other form factor because there is no need to compromise on screen real estate, input methods, processing or storage capacity or vendor limitations. Although apps can be used to achieve huge productivity gains on the move, once stationary, the limitations of the system quickly become apparent, reducing productivity.

At work it’s both Tablet and PC, not either/or

Microsoft has attempted to stem the flow of sales away from PCs by creating a tablet oriented OS (Windows 8) and a portable PC that mimics a tablet (the Surface). Neither has proven to be particularly popular so far, with users and IT departments alike sticking with “true” tablets and desktop PCs.

Although tablets and PCs are used in different ways, end users expect a consistent experience across both. Email for instance looks completely different when accessed from Mail on an iPad to Outlook on a desktop PC. However the similarity between both is enough for users to be (a) familiar and (b) productive.

And the same goes for any business application. To properly integrate tablets into the enterprise, creating interfaces to corporate systems is unavoidable. There are however two routes to achieving this.

The dedicated app interface

Although mobile mail apps display less on screen initially, they still provide complete access to all the data stored in the user’s mailbox. For this reason, mobile apps need to provide access to the same levels of data if they are to be truly useful. Accessing the data may have to be provided in a slightly different way, but limiting availability will also limit usefulness and productivity.

A good mobile app does not remove functionality, but instead reduces, refines and simplifies the interface. The app should understand the user’s context and display or hide functionality accordingly to ensure that key information is readily available with minimal effort on their part. If additional functions or data is required, it can then be unhidden manually by the user, or according to changing context within the app itself.

Choosing a dedicated app, businesses can exercise greater control over how data is captured, accessed and presented, making their staff more productive in the field by simplifying the interface.

The hosted desktop

Ironically, the full desktop experience can be completely replicated on a tablet by use of a hosted desktop solution. Similar to a remote desktop solution, users connect over a VPN to a virtual PC desktop that has been pre-configured with all of the required software that they would find on their machine in the office. In this way, employees have almost exactly the same user experience as they would back in the office. And because all of the processing is offloaded to the virtual machine host, the limitations of the tablet are not so apparent.

Herein lies a problem however. The touch-based interface of a tablet is at odds to the physical input methods of a PC’s keyboard and mouse. Mimicking the right-click of a mouse for instance is unintuitive, and often inconsistent across different apps. PC software also tends to be designed for use on larger screens, requiring additional scrolling to access UI elements – a major source of frustration and lost time for mobile device users. Shrinking the PC screen to fit on a 9.7” iPad for instance makes text virtually unreadable and on-screen buttons extremely difficult to “click” correctly.

It’s a repositioning, not a burial,

The PC is not dead, and it still has a purpose in the foreseeable future. The move to a mobile workforce is challenging the PCs dominance, but it remains an essential part of the corporate network. Tablet technology is changing the way we work, but there is still some way to go until it completely takes over the enterprise.

The post Has the Tablet finally killed the humble PC? appeared first on In-traction.

The reason became clear with the low-key launch of ‘iBeacons’ in iOS 7.

What is iBeacons technology?

The first thing to note is that iBeacons are a software extension to the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) standard, not an item of physical hardware. iBeacons facilitate communication between Bluetooth-powered access points and BLE-equipped smartphones and tablets. Because BLE is designed to be extremely power efficient, version 4.0 of the Bluetooth standard is much more battery-friendly than previous standards.

iBeacons is also a two-way communications protocol, allowing mobile devices to send data back to the beacon.

How does iBeacons work?

For a long time businesses have been investigating the potential for using NFC for permission-based “pull” marketing. Using electronic tags attached to surfaces or goods, information could be drawn wirelessly from the chip embedded in the tag. All of the major banks and credit card retailers have been investigating the use of NFC for payments, as seen in contactless cards.

The problem with NFC is that the data in them can only be accessed by passing a suitable reader, like a smartphone, within four centimetres of the tag. iBeacons technology on the other hand has a maximum range of 50 metres, making it much easier for people to get access to the information, and thereby increasing the likelihood that that they will engage.

A series of BLE access points can be installed to create a ‘geofence’, a virtual perimeter around a geographical location, such as a retail store. Any BLE-equipped devices passing through the geofence perimeter are detected automatically allowing for various interactions to take place, such as push messaging.

How could iBeacons be used?

The reason iBeacons is set to become so important is that they allow businesses to identify devices in relatively small geographical regions, such as in their high street stores. For larger showrooms, the iBeacons could be used to direct customers through different departments depending on which geofenced area they are currently in. iBeacons provide context to activities.

As with many mobile technologies, retailers have been quick to see the potential of iBeacons technology. The idea of pushing discount vouchers to shoppers’ phones as they approach a high street store is attractive, providing a way to publicise products and draw people in store.

iBeacons also opens new opportunities for indoor mapping and technology. GPS navigation relies on being able to “see” global positioning satellites, which is impossible indoors. An iBeacons access point can be equipped with hardcoded GPS coordinates for instance, allowing devices to map their position indoors in relation to it. This feature can then be put to use guiding shoppers around a large store, or tourists around a museum or gallery.

The two-way communication potential of iBeacons also raises the potential of using it as a contactless payment mechanism. Rather than ‘bumping’ phones or cards, payment details can be extracted securely from a smartphone, potentially without removing it from the shopper’s pocket.

Extending iBeacons

One of the most high profile iBeacons implementations has been completed by Major League Baseball in the USA. Taking their existing app, the MLB have a number of iBeacons-powered functions such as the inclusion of indoor navigation to help people get around each stadium on game day. Other Bluetooth access points recognise devices as they approach the ground, triggering the app to load and displaying the user’s eticket on screen ready for scanning at the gate. Other features include downloadable videos about the teams playing, and push discount vouchers for use at the food concession stands or merchandise stores inside the ground. There is also potential for loyalty schemes to be included in the app, updated automatically via iBeacons without any kind of manual intervention.

Speaking about the iBeacons implementation, the MLB’s iOS developer said, “The whole concept is to give the user an individualized experience that is always different. The next time a fan comes to Citi Field [one of the Baseball fields in New York], you might not get a prompt to visit the apple because it knows you’ve been there. Instead, it will highlight another area of the stadium.”

Other businesses can use iBeacons to perform similar tasks which, when backed by Big Data-type analysis can add value to the user’s experience and create opportunities for increasing revenue. Where a mobile device user browses products using a retailer’s app that information is captured as standard. The next time that shopper passes within range of a store, iBeacons can launch the app or push a discount voucher to their phone. Uniting back office data with context provides a more relevant experience for the shopper.

iBeacons is probably one of the most exciting developments in iOS7, which makes the low key launch all the more mystifying. The increased range, and therefore lower cost of iBeacons (compared to NFC smart tags) opens a number of valuable new channels for data collection and use to businesses. And as MLB has demonstrated, the functionality can be extended and adapted to meet virtually any business need.

If you want to have a chat about how iBeacons can impact your organisation then get in touch with us at Dootrix

The post iOS 7 – Introducing iBeacons appeared first on In-traction.

At the most basic level, an MDM solution is not unlike Active Directory, used by many businesses to manage network resources, deploy software and define data access rights and permissions. Devices are registered with the MDM console (similar to joining PCs to a domain), allowing greater configuration by your systems administrator.

Improved app distribution and management

Where your business wants to provide access to company resources from mobile devices using approved apps, MDM can help pre-configure and deploy approved, standardised installs to registered BYOD devices. Deploying apps with MDM gets around many of the common issues administrators face, particularly convincing staff to buy business-related apps using their personal app store accounts. Using MDM, businesses can deploy apps to handsets and tablets using a corporate app store account or volume purchasing plan.

As well as the deployment, MDM can assist with applying app configuration changes remotely. Instead of asking users to “drop by” to have their apps reconfigured, changes can be deployed over the air (OTA) reducing demands on IT resources and saving end users time. Businesses also benefit from ensuring that staff are always up to date with the latest fixes and patches.

Simplified content delivery

Cloud file storage undoubtedly assists with transferring corporate information to remote workers, but many end users are circumventing security procedures by using public solutions. Dropbox and Google Drive (among others) can help share information outside the corporate firewall, but also make managing issues like data security and privacy extremely difficult.

MDM provides a mechanism whereby content can be delivered direct to mobile device users, avoiding security risks associated with public Cloud file storage or free email services. Deploying direct to handhelds is quicker and easier than configuring file shares and mobile VPN connections to access resources directly from the company network. MDM also provides a mechanism to remove corporate information OTA from devices once it has served its purpose.

Improving security

BYOD increases the amount of attack surfaces available to hackers and cyber criminals, presenting a serious problem for the CIO. Each handset represents one potential route through the corporate firewall and onto the network.

MDM systems can help reduce the potential for disaster by denying access to network resources from devices that are not registered with the system. Approved devices can be subjected to more granular controls, from requiring the use of a passcode on all connected devices (more than 50% of smartphones are still left completely unprotected) to locking out certain stock apps to ensure that company devices remain business-focused.

Registered devices can also be wiped or disabled OTA in the event that they are lost or stolen, instantly destroying any intellectual property or sensitive data stored on them. Although the physical asset may be lost, the cost of each mobile device incident is dramatically reduced, as are concerns regarding data protection. According to a recent survey by security specialist ZoneAlarm, lost or stolen data was cited by 94% of respondents as the most important concern when dealing with lost devices. The same survey discovered that just 21% of businesses had never experienced a mobile security incident, whilst Mobile Enterprise’s IT Headaches poll found that only 56% of businesses were confident they could wipe a device remotely.

Device tracking

As well as providing a facility to secure data stored on mobile devices, many MDM solutions also provide functions allowing stolen or lost assets to be traced. By triggering the built-in GPS functions of a tablet or smartphone it becomes possible to locate the device anywhere in the world. Armed with this information, recovery of the device becomes much easier to organise, either with police assistance or by helping the owner retrieve their lost phone.

Usage monitoring

When dealing with mobile devices there are two critical factors that businesses need to monitor to ensure that resources are being used properly. First, is the use of apps and Internet. To protect against lawsuits and negative publicity, many businesses actively block certain websites and applications, as well as monitoring other use to identify potential problems. Because mobile devices typically use their own cellular data connection, similar monitoring is difficult to perform. MDM can provide a console to gather such information from each registered device, thereby offering a mechanism to extend monitoring for abuse or misuse.

And because mobile contracts tend to be costly, businesses need to be assured that data connections are not being abused or used beyond bundled data limits, thereby incurring sizeable additional charges. MDM provides a full audit trail of usage so that there are no disputes about how data allowances have been used.

MDM makes mobile computing more manageable

MDM solutions provide the panacea to the many problems that are holding business back from full-scale mobile device roll-outs. MDM can also balance the different requirements of managing company devices and BYOD thanks to baseline security provisioning along with advanced deployment depending on the specific application required. At Dootrix we are seeing that, in effect, MDM could actually be more important than the mobile device revolution itself.

The post What is a MDM? appeared first on In-traction.

BYOD provides businesses with a way to increase productivity and output as staff willingly extend their own working day. However BYOD adoption needs to be managed from the outset, or organisations will face significant challenges trying to resolve issues later on. At Dootrix we work with business and enterprise to help them understand and implement their mobilisation needs and strategy.

Here are some of the major considerations every business, regardless of size need to address in terms of the use of personal devices for corporate applications.

Data security

By far the most obvious concern for BYOD adoption is data security. By increasing the number of access points to sensitive data, the greater the risk of compromise.

In situations where data is downloaded to smartphones or tablets, the dangers are even more acute. Loss or theft of the device means that thieves can access sensitive information without even having to connect to the company network, not unlike leaving a briefcase full of business documents on the train for instance.

Simple steps such as requiring staff to use screen locks on their devices is a good start, but for proper protection the CIO should be considering ways of providing mobile access to data without letting it leave the company firewall, i.e. preventing data from being stored insecurely on the local device wherever possible.

Network security

The more devices your business has accessing corporate data, the more points of exposure are made available to cybercriminals. IT security will already manage each connection to company systems, however the number of connections will increase, creating an increased administrative burden in the process.

The theft of a device authorised for BYOD use could allow direct access to company resources. By using such a device, cybercriminals can easily steal data, simply by using the stored credentials of a company employee.

As mobile computing becomes more important, hackers and cybercriminals are devoting additional time and resources to developing mobile exploits. Open platforms like Android OS have already proven fertile ground for malware developers, suggesting sophisticated data theft apps like those seen on PCs will not be far behind.

The CIO and his team will need to thoroughly investigate securing mobile endpoints to prevent unauthorised access through the use of VPN connectivity or similar technologies. They will also need to look at implementing across each platform that staff use to ensure that network security is enforced consistently.

Network load

As more devices join the company network, the available bandwidth will be further reduced as each connection takes a proportion for itself. Where the activities are business-related, any loss of quality can be justified. However personal devices are also used for personal activities like streaming video and audio. Should these activities cause a significant increase in network load (and a corresponding drop in service level), BYOD could become a major technical and political problem.

For those organisations looking at implementing BYOD “properly”, they will need to estimate bandwidth usage and upgrade where necessary. It would also be good practice to address acceptable use of company resources in advance.

3rd party apps

Personal devices tend to have personal apps installed that could hide all manner of undesirable features and functions that compromise network security and steal data. Without control over what is being installed on a device, the IT team face a much bigger struggle trying to prevent unauthorised apps accessing sensitive systems on the company network.

Businesses will need to negotiate with their employees to “vet” apps, and agreeing not to use those which have been identified as containing malware. Insisting on the use of a mobile antivirus solution for any BYOD devices will also help in reducing incidences of data theft and loss. Your business may have to bear the cost of AV software, but the investment will pay for itself in the long run if data loss can be prevented.

Departing employees

When an employee leaves, their personal device goes with them. If there is no procedure or mechanism in place to recover company data, staff could be taking intellectual property or protected data with them to their next role at a competitor. Where the staff member is leaving under less than amicable circumstances, the need to recover company data and block access to business systems is even more pronounced.

Device support

Where the workforce remains relatively small, managing BYOD is relatively simple. However when there are multiple devices, each with its own mobile operating systems and apps, the administrative burden becomes far greater. Additional resources may be required to support users and devices, eroding many of the proposed cost savings and benefits.

Alternatives

One solution is to offer CYOD – Choose Your Own Device. Under this scenario staff can select from a list of approved mobile devices. In this way, IT departments can ensure that they are familiar with the OS, can define “safe” apps, install security software and reduce the administrative burden somewhat. Introducing CYOD can be difficult – people like to choose their own personal devices according to their specific preferences. Instead businesses may need to consider providing company devices to approved staff, potentially losing some of the hardware cost benefits of BYOD.

Another approach is using an MDM – Mobile Device Management solution. An effectively implemented MDM solution can neutralise a large number of these potential issues as well as providing other benefits to the organisation. Of course, they are not a perfect match for BYOD and we will examine the pros and cons of such an approach in our next post.

As a CIO you would do well to remember that members of your organisation want to use their mobile devices, in part, because of the freedom they offer in allowing them to work the way that they want to work. There is benefit in allowing them to blend their personal lives with their work lives. If you get this balance wrong then not only is the benefit lost but you could even risk alienating your team, damaging both morale and productivity.

The post BYOD considerations and alternatives appeared first on In-traction.

Aside from a shiny new interface, iOS7 has added a number of new features that are clearly intended to capitalise on the markets in which the iPad already dominates – namely corporate computing and the education sector. In light of the experience that Dootrix has in the education sector here are our thoughts on some of the new features which schools, colleges and universities should find of particular interest.

Volume Purchase Program

Managing a fleet of iPads can be difficult, but overseeing the apps installed on them even more so. Because each iTunes account is limited to 5 separate devices, a class of 30 students needed 6 iTunes accounts to deploy apps correctly.

The new Volume Purchase Program allows schools to create a single account through which multiple app licenses can be purchased. These licenses can then be deployed to any iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch owned by the school without requiring a proper iTunes account.

Apple’s determination to become a one-stop shop for content is also reflected in the extension of this new volume purchasing program to other content. Schools will be able to buy and deploy textbooks via iBooks for instance, or license apps for use on Mac desktop and laptops too.

Easier device management

iOS is an incredibly resilient platform, thanks in part to its approach to ‘sandboxed’ apps. As such, iPads are less vulnerable to tampering or hacking by inventive students. iOS7 boasts improved support for Mobile Device Management (MDM) systems allowing for easy app deployment, configuration changes or even addition of personal devices to the school system for use in class.

Improved collaboration

Sharing information between iOS devices has almost always relied on email to send files, which in turn requires the set-up of an email accounts on each unit. iOS7 brings the concept of Ad-Hoc WiFi networks to the iPad and iPhone, in the form of AirDrop.

AirDrop allows for specific files to be sent to other nearby users without any additional configuration. Teachers can select a photo, document or other file and use the option to send by AirDrop. Students receive a notification, accept the file and begin work. Once the lesson is complete, the students simply perform the same process in reverse.

App Store parental controls

The new Volume Purchase Program (VPP) also allows for students to add their own iTunes account to the list of “authorised” IDs. Students doing this obtain additional benefits, such as being able to use their own iCloud storage area for saving homework and assignments for instance.

Currently personal iTunes account holders must be 13 or over, but the VPP promises to introduce a parental consent option. In this way primary school pupils and their parents will be able to access age-appropriate content and block out more “mature” apps, videos and songs. Parents can also be reassured that any personal data attached to these iTunes accounts is protected by the new security encryption tools built into iOS7 that prevent recovery of data without the correct device unlock code.

Accessibility advances?

iOS6 was widely praised for its accessibility features that opened tablet computing to an even wider audience. Features like VoiceOver screen reading technology help visually impaired users understand what is being displayed on screen, and support for 30 wireless braille displays further enhanced experience and usability.

Apple have not yet released many details themselves about accessibility in iOS7, but beta testers of the operating system have published some of their own findings. Students with physical and motor issues will benefit from a new “Switch Control” feature that uses head movements to detect user input. By moving their head to the left, students can “tap” an option on screen. Move to the right and the iOS device will interpret the action as a press on the Home button.

Switch Control is configurable according to the student’s specific needs, even allowing for the launch of Siri so that voice commands can be given to the device. Early testing suggests that Switch Control can be quite laborious to use, but demonstrates a continued commitment by Apple to opening their iOS platform to as many students as possible.

iOS7 for education makes a compelling case

iOS7 is attempting to be many things to many people. A shiny new interface has been added to appeal to consumers. Advanced network management tools should impress business users. However all these features are also important to educational establishments who need to use mobile computing in the classroom.

Schools and colleges that need to maintain a fleet of secure, accessible tablets will find that iOS7 continues to provide a compelling reason for using Apple, in addition to the generous hardware price discounts available to educational establishments.

The post What does iOS7 mean for education? appeared first on In-traction.