If your situation is similar, you should act now to nip this in the bud.

• Define policies that govern use of consumer solutions by your staff (personal – yes, work – no)
• Find and deploy solutions that give your staff reasonable alternatives to consumer solutions.

Keep in mind that these proactive mobile users are some of your most productive colleagues, and their early adoption of these devices to improve their productivity should be lauded and supported.  But you can’t allow their early adopter habits to become the standards for all of your mobile users.

Instead, you need to find business-targeted alternatives that improve the security and manageability of the consumer solutions.

‘Perfect’ alternatives are not always available especially in this new multi-platform mobile environment.   Vendors have recently released new business-targeted solutions for most functions that offer improved security and manageability and more will arrive early in 2012.

I encourage you to act now to adopt these solutions to benefit from their improvements over the status quo consumer solutions.  As you learn from your early deployments, communicate clearly to the vendors the enhancements that you need in order to stay with the solution for the long run.  Maintain regular communication with these vendors until they deliver what you need. I’m confident that every business solution vendor will value your specific customer feedback such as “we need this data encrypted with this class of cypher” or “we need the audit log to reflect these events” because that allows the engineers to focus on those features rather than trying to anticipate your requirements.

In my conversations with well-managed IT organizations on these subjects I learned that they consider the following when evaluating a business-targeted mobile solution to replace a consumer solution:

• Productivity – does it satisfy the use case?
• Security – does it secure your organization’s information on the device and on the network?
• Manageability – can IT manage the solution to ensure productivity and security whenever needed?
• Auditability – does the solution keep track of activity to satisfy your audit requirements?

By starting now, you’ll give your organization a head start in the race to get value from the latest mobile devices while protecting your vital information.

Please send your feedback to info@enterprisedevicealliance.org

Mobile devices are everywhere; and they are gaining in numbers. iPhone, iPad, Android, and various other smartphones & tablet devices are invading your business. Some are deployed by your organization, while many are brought onto the corporate network by employees bringing their personal devices to work. No matter the conduit, they must be managed and supported.

The good news is that you are not alone. A recent survey by the Enterprise Device Alliance of nearly 300 organizations, who represent over 1.5 million end users, reports that in 2012 organizations expect to see a +250% increase in tablet deployments alone! If you’re in IT, this should raise an eyebrow.

If that doesn’t raise an eyebrow, how about this:

When the survey asked respondents how the mobile device influx impacts their IT Department, 56% say they’ve observed a notable increase in help desk calls; and ~50% of respondents reported an increase in costs, security threats, compliance issues, and app support requests. HOWEVER, nearly three quarters, or 74%, report that they have NOT been able to increase their IT headcount. If I knew my emoticons better, I would have switched from an ascii eyebrow raise to a frown face.

Again, everyone is expecting MORE; more costs, more calls, more complaints….but what they are NOT expecting is MORE help.

So how DO you accommodate MORE work with the SAME human resources? With 3 easy steps:

1. Efficiency
2. Efficiency
3. Efficiency

You simply MUST find new efficiencies to grow the capacity of the current IT headcount to accommodate this increase in mobile support.

The easiest and most cost effective way to inject new efficiencies is through the deployment of new IT automation tools. One rich source of  backend automation for  Mobile Device Management (MDM) is available through Absolute Manage.  Absolute Manage uses easy to deploy technologies (let’s call it ‘IT fairy dust’) to obtain nearly 70 hardware and software data points about every single mobile device, providing a proverbial gold mine of data on these formerly ‘rogue’ devices.

Now, let’s bring these golden nuggets of data to the team who needs this data the most, the “customer facing” help desk, through the automated transfer of mobile asset data contained within Absolute Manage into the help desk software by Web Help Desk.

PRESTO! Nearly 70 hardware and software data points about every single mobile device will now be found at the trouble ticket level within your help desk.

Whether a trouble ticket is being submitted by the end user through the Web Help Desk web portal or through the IT staff’s web app, once the end user’s name has been identified, a complete list of his or her assets, INCLUDING MOBILE DEVICES, is displayed for association to the trouble ticket.

Real World Scenario:

Typical scenario, I’m sure you are familiar with: An end user contacts the help desk and pleads, “can we PLEASE replace this mobile device. It is giving me fits.”

Within Web Help Desk, IT Staff can now quickly and easily notice that this particular mobile device has no hardware or software errors, is in policy compliance, and has had over 10 tickets opened in the last MONTH alone……. HOWEVER, the same Web Help Desk reporting also shows that nearly all of these tickets were also flagged as ID-10T errors (along with some PEBCAK errors on his notebook!) …end user issues…with no device defects whatsoever. Now a different set of policies and procedures can be invoked, instead of a costly device replacement scenario or time consuming, hands-on device troubleshooting.

Hopefully the efficiencies that are gained in this simple scenario are obvious and applicable. Imagine having a plethora of device details available at the point of service request. Relax. Help Has Arrived.

Terry Siddall – VP @ Web Help Desk

Read Press Release

The members of the EDA see this as the natural evolution of our Alliance, meeting the changing requirements of enterprise IT organizations.  Since 2008, when our organizations came together in recognition of the growing importance of the Mac in enterprise IT, the landscape has evolved considerably. But the rapidity of the adoption of mobile computing is unlike anything in our collective experience.  Thus, it’s natural that the EDA adapted to support organizations’ IT infrastructures as they grapple with this new landscape in which mobile devices will play a major and perhaps even dominant role as the tool to access the power of information technology.

Moving ahead, the Enterprise Device Alliance will work to identify and address the challenges faced by IT organizations when they deploy iPhones and iPads in their organizations.  Existing EDA offerings such as our Resource Center will now include material on mobility solutions such as mobile device management (MDM), mobile file management (MFM), identity and access management (IAM), IT support management (ITSM) and other solutions that are important to IT organizations.   The Alliance is dedicated to adding new solutions that address issues that are unique to enterprise mobility.
EDA webinars, whitepapers, articles, surveys, and presence at industry events will include solutions for iPhones, iPads and other mobile devices as well as the Mac. In these materials, we’ll explore the issues that confront organizations as they plan and deploy these mobile devices and explore how solutions from our companies can help.

Apple recommends that you upgrade your Xserve hardware to MacPro or MacMini hardware. These systems support nearly all of the software functions of Xserve but neither provides the data center ready form factor and remote LOM management functionality of Xserve.  Given those limitations, you may decide to migrate to another server platform such as Windows or Linux.

If you decide to migrate to Windows, The Enterprise Desktop Alliance can help as we provide a range of software tools to support Macs connecting to Windows servers and support those tools with a strong technical support teams well versed in multi-platform solutions.

The Windows ecosystem has wide range of tools that support your Xserve transition and supports nearly all of the critical functions that you need to replace.  The partners in the Enterprise Desktop Alliance are just part of the extended ecosystem for integrating Macs into the infrastructure.

If you have questions or suggestions about your migration, please email us at info@enterprisedevicealliance.org

• Frequently Asked Questions regarding the announce of the end of life for the Apple Xserve
• Xserve Transition Survey (chance to win $50 gift card) – Tell the community about your Xserve transition plans.
• Options for Migration From Xserve to Windows:

Q: Where can I see what Apple has announced about Xserve?

A: The official announcement is here:  http://www.apple.com/xserve/resources.html

Q: What is the Enterprise Desktop Alliance response to this announcement?

A: The Enterprise Desktop Alliance response:  http://enterprisedevicealliance.org/eda-response-to-the-xserve-end-of-life

Q: What does this mean for the operating system software, Mac OS X Server?  Will there be an upgrade for Mac OS X 10.7 Lion for Xserve?

A: Apple has made no announcement about its plans for Mac OS X Server software.

Q: What are the alternatives sources of hardware?

A: At the time of this post, there are no other suppliers of rack mounted hardware than can run Mac OS X Server.

Q: Can I run OS X Server in a virtual machine on other hardware?

A: At the time of this post, no.  The license for OS X Server prohibits installation on hardware from any manufacturer except Apple.

Q: What does this mean for XSAN that currently uses Xserve?

A: At this time, Apple has made no announcement about its plans for XSAN.

• Alternatives

Q: What are the alternatives for an organization dependent on Xserve?

A: You must plan to migrate to another hardware platform, either Apple’s (Mac Pro or Mac Mini) or transition to servers running Windows or Linux.

Q: If I choose Windows servers, can I accomplish the same key tasks as Open Directory, File Server, Print Server, Mail Server, Calendar Server and Update Server?

A: See the chart below to see that Windows server, augmented with third party tools, supports most if not all of the critical functions of OS X Server on Xserve.

Q: How can I tell the Mac community my plans for the Xserve transition?

A: Tell the community about your Xserve transition plans via this EDA survey (chance to win $50 gift card)

• Windows Solutions

Q: Where can I learn about file server solutions for Windows?

A: Our file server solution is ExtremeZ-IP http://www.grouplogic.com/extremez-ip

Q: Why do I need ExtremeZ-IP for file server access – can’t I use the built in SMB client?

A: The built in SMB client is not only slower than using ExtremeZ-IP, but lacks many features that your Mac users expect starting with Spotlight searches.

Q: Where can I learn about print server solutions for Windows?

A: Our print server solution is ExtremeZ-IP http://www.grouplogic.com/extremez-ip

Q: Where can I learn about directory server solutions for Windows?

A: Our EDA Partner Centrify offers a range of directory service integration tools, some of which are free.  http://www.centrify.com/directcontrol/overview.asp

Q: Where can I learn about software update and client management solutions for Windows?

A: Our EDA Partner Absolute offers a Windows (or Mac) based software update and client management solution that will soon support iOS devices such as iPhone and iPad. http://absolute.com/en/products/absolute-manage/features.aspx

Q: Where can I learn about help desk solutions for Windows?

A: Our EDA Partner Web Help Desk offers a help desk solution for Windows and Macintosh http://webhelpdesk.com/

———————————–

• Options for Migration From Xserve to Windows:

Now, the EDA members are going one step further. We have a variety of ways for you to try out our solutions including generous trial software and free unlimited licenses for core functionality.

Centrify - Centrify Express for Mac

The #1 choice for integrating Mac systems with Active Directory for authentication and single-sign on offers

• DirectControl Express — a subset of our DirectControl solution used by over 2500 organizations, secures your non-Windows systems using the same authentication services deployed in your Windows environment.
• DirectManage Express —DirectManage Express centrally discovers your systems, checks their ability to integrate with Active Directory, downloads the required software packages and automatically deploys to your systems. DirectManage Express also provides you with a single view to quickly and remotely access any of your systems securely using your Active Directory credentials.
• Terms – a license for unlimited users with NO expiration date, Express community membership, free Linux version, free administrative utilities

Absolute Software - Absolute Manage and InstallEase

• Absolute Manage is a computer lifecycle management product that allows you to establish a set of simple, automated processes and remotely manage PC and Mac devices from a single interface.
• This full-working version of the product will provide you with application and license management, security, change & configuration capabilities, automated patch management, computer imaging, asset inventory, and power management.
• Terms – This is a 14-day evaluation that you can use in your network environment on up to 10 computers
• Absolute InstallEase allows you to easily create customized installer software packages for Mac OS X. The Wizard-based program takes all the confusion out of custom package creation for a fast, efficient process – freeing up IT resources to focus on the high-priority projects.
• Terms – InstallEase is fully functional and free of charge (registration is required).

Group Logic –MassTransit SFTP and ExtremeZ-IP

• At Group Logic, we believe FTP security should be free. Our MassTransit SFTP server offering delivers secure, reliable FTP-based file transfer at no cost.
• MassTransit SFTP is ideal for any business that wants the advantages of a robust SFTP server while maintaining the familiar FTP interface.
• Terms – MassTransit SFTP is fully functional and free of charge (registration is required)
• With ExtremeZ-IP you get seamless integration with your existing Windows infrastructure, while maintaining the complete Mac experience end-users expect. You also get a powerful suite of administration features that enable you to manage how Mac clients access and utilize your file and print resources.
• ExtremeZ-IP is the perfect solution for allowing Macs and PCs to coexist and collaborate on your Windows based network.
• Terms – a free 21-day Trial version of the software

Web Help Desk

• Free help desk software features include:
  - Self service and ticket submission portal
  - E-mail to ticket conversion
  - LDAP and AD Integration
  - Knowledge base – Internal and external
  - 2-Way e-mail Communications
  - SLA e-mail alerts and reminders
  - Run help desk performance reports
• Terms – No trial period, no annoying ads, no expiration date, unrestricted lite edition functionality, free software upgrades for one year

Sure, we want to give potential customers a taste of what EDA members can offer — not just information, but software that has real value and allows you to engage with EDA member companies at your own pace. The free stuff may be all you will ever need. Of course, we hope you’ll check out our advanced solutions too, but the good news is if you need more advanced capabilities a simple license-key upgrade is all it takes.

To check it out, visit the sites, register, and download the solutions yourself to see how they meets your needs.

Corporate, government, and educational enterprises are looking very seriously at deploying large quantities of mobile devices, often to replace laptops. What does this mean to you? IT needs to be able to put the same policy, management capability, and security plans in place to ensure success and limit exposure during these times. The Enterprise Desktop Alliance is carefully gauging this trend and our member companies are already introducing tools to help IT cope in this ever-changing landscape.

Blackberry, Windows Mobile, and now Android mobile devices have had an Enterprise focus and now with the introduction of iOS 4, Apple devices including the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad are more enterprise-ready than ever before. iOS 4 catches up to the other mobile OS’s by adding multitasking and fast app switching. iOS 4 also introduces several important Enterprise features including support for “Mobile Device Management” and new data protection APIs. The “Mobile Device Management” APIs enable EDA member companies and others to provide full management capability including deployment, inventory, and remote wipe of mobile devices. Exchange ActiveSync and a unified inbox add enterprise capable mail features.

The Enterprise Desktop Alliance helps you keep a pulse on the latest trends in the multi-platform management world. Hear what the industry and your peers are doing as they address the ever changing world of endpoint management. The EDA will continue to offer best practice guides, webinars and conduct surveys to keep you abreast on the issues that matter to you and your peers.

We want your voice to be heard. If you have experiences, questions or challenges that apply, chances are you are not alone. Please email us at info@enterprisedevicealliance.org to comment, inquire and provide feedback.

Peter Frankl – VP Lifecycle Management, Absolute

And the 2M unit run rate of iPads means that those Macs will be joined by iPhones, iPads and iPods. And by phones, tablet computers and new form factors running new Linux derived OSes such as Android, HP/Palm WebOS devices and Samsung Bada OS. And by lots of other computers that may or may not be owned by your organization and not always controlled by IT.

Your colleagues and customers who own all of these new devices will want to use your LAN, wireless and Internet connections, and many will want to access IT services such as e-mail, file servers, intranets, printers and more.

The good news is that everything is going to be just fine. There are tools from many vendors, including the Enterprise Desktop Alliance members, that can help you handle this new complexity and maintain the quality of service and security that your organization expects.

Why are things different now? It’s a perfect storm combining the pace of technology, the demands of our post-recession, lean staffed, globally connected businesses, and the ever growing mastery of technology of our population.

You do need a plan. And helpful vendors like us who know how to wrangle these potentially unruly interlopers into acceptably domesticated, productive tools for your colleagues and customers.

The Enterprise Desktop Alliance wants to help by providing you with information on issues and solutions and even on the trends themselves. We conducted a market survey in June 2010 to get an accurate count on how many of these new devices have been adopted and are expected to be roaming the halls of your organization and others like yours. When we publish the results of this data later this summer, it will help all of us size the trends that we’re all seeing and that we began to quantify in our desktop management survey earlier this year.

Over the next few months, EDA members will post a series on best practices that will help you prepare for and manage this new multi-OS world. We encourage you to read, comment and engage us about issues that concern you. Please email us at info@enterprisedevicealliance.org to comment, inquire and recommend.

Reid Lewis
- President, Enterprise Desktop Alliance
- President, Group Logic