Electronics distributor D&H Distributing is offering its partners a series of solutions to address the problem of “bring your own devices” (BYOD) in the workplace.
D&H has announced this week new Mobile Device Management offerings designed to address problems associated with personal devices, like smartphones and tablets, and their drain on SMB resources.
The solutions, which include Microsoft’s System Center 2012 and Sophos’ Mobile Control software, enable SMBs to manage a secure mobile workforce via a consistent technology platform, despite employee use of disparate personal devices in the workplace setting.†
“The ‘consumerization’ of the office environment has presented a challenge to business owners, especially for smaller offices with fewer IT resources and a limited ability to provide office-issued mobile devices to the staff,” states a D&H press release submitted to Channel Pro-SMB. “Furthermore, employees are accessing corporate networks from their homes via those consumer-bought units. †Such practices make it difficult for business owners to manage or secure their data and their systems.”
D&H senior vice president Jeff Davis says BYOD has been “top-of-mind for a lot of resellers.” While many resellers are seeing success in the sale of mobile solutions, he recommends VARs offer “a more comprehensive solution.”
“Mobile Device Management allows resellers to market a turn-key solution for the mobile workplace, which is revolutionizing the way businesses function, but is creating its own set of challenges at the same time,” Davis says. “To help more resellers capitalize on mobility, D&H offers several solutions that address these crucial issues.”
By combining Microsoft’s System Center 2012 and Sophos’ Mobile Control software, D&H aims to help offices migrate varied mobile devices (including individual tablets and smart phones) to a unified platform, making them collectively manageable under the same network rules and security policies — this includes functions that lock or blank-out mobile devices after they have been lost or stolen.†
Microsoft System Center provides configuration management, delivering software and updates to each employee’s mobile device.† Software is loaded on company servers and is used to manage client machines, including user access and security management, and software update distribution. †The solution includes an “Identity and Access Management” feature, which integrates with Sophos’ Mobile Control software.† This tool authenticates and coordinates access to the network from each mobile device.
Meanwhile, Sophos Mobile Control extends light-weight security and device control to the mobile user. This software is also located on the corporate server, with an agent loaded on each employee’s mobile device, acting as a protected gateway to the network. Via a portal interface, either the employee or a system administrator can return a lost device to its factory defaults (all personal settings and data eradicated) or “brick” the device, wherein all applications and functions are disabled.
Both Mobile Control and System Center 2012 are available through a licensing agreement.
