This week, MobileIron, a key mobile device and app management (MDM and MAM) and security vendor, announced the availability of Anyware by MobileIron, an ambitious next-generation cloud-only solution for driving enterprise mobile management (EMM). In addition MobileIron has worked closely with Salesforce.com (News - Alert) to integrate Anyware directly into the Salesforce platform. We have long covered MobileIron, most recently for its Web@Work Mobile Enterprise Browser. Anyware takes MobileIron fully into cloud services.

Anyware now enables Salesforce administrators to distribute mobile apps to employees while also securing and managing employees’ mobile devices right from the Salesforce administration console. The specific Salesforce integration itself – which is easy to install – is important to note, but the real message here is the underlying message of working with Salesforce. That message is that the cloud is now truly ready to securely support full scale EMM, MDM and MAM.

MobileIron’s goal for Anyware is to simplify the implementation of enterprise-grade mobile security and to create cost/price points that are easily palatable to companies that may not have a great deal of IT resources available to them. These same companies that might consider Anyware do need to bring a certain level of faith to the game that cloud-based services offer enough of a secure environment to be trusted to handle their EMM operations.


Image via Shutterstock 

The truth of the matter is that most cloud environments (unless of course you are buying from Mr. Haney of Green Acres fame – If you are too young to know, just skip the reference!) are already entirely secure and trustworthy. That said, by now extending Anyware to Salesforce, what more is there to say really? Many, if not most, Salesforce users don’t simply sit at their desktops – they are all primarily mobile, and almost all of them use the mobile services provided through Salesforce. Anyware is robust, and the issue of “cloud security” is truly a non-issue.

The cloud-based model of course also entirely addresses scalability. Whether you are running a 50 person SMB, a 300 person SMB, a 10,000 person Fortune 500 department or an entire Fortune 50 workforce on a global basis, Anyware will handle your particular needs. Costs, of course, are also scalable, but in this case the notion of scale works in the opposite direction – small companies can be fully protected.

This last point is critical. Whenever we speak to enterprises, a key question we ask is how sure a company is that it has all of its mobile security risks covered. The typical answer we hear is that the majority of these companies simply do not know. We have elaborated at length on this issue, and we recommend reviewing our thoughts on it. Platforms such as Anyware ultimately allow any company of any size to be able to answer that “Yes, they are certain that their mobile security risks are all covered.”

Anywhere Features

The key features of Anyware – which supports Android (News - Alert) v4.0 and higher and iOS v5.0 and higher – from the business perspective, can be summarized as shown below.

• Proven MobileIron Security: Protect data across enterprise email, applications and content
• Unified App and Content Experience: Publish apps and content through a single interface, by individual or group
• Operational Efficiency: Minimize helpdesk and IT overhead through self-service and simplicity

Anyware is simple and essential for the individual in terms of user experience. We will note here that although the features listed below target workforce use of Anyware, ultimately it is still all a business productivity issue that matters here. Ensuring that users willingly use the security makes it much easier for the business to feel confident within any EMM deployment.

• One-touch Configuration: Log-in just once at anyware.com/go to be fully configured
• Personalized App and Content Catalogs: Get everything you need to do your job
• App Ratings and Recommendations: Give and get feedback from your co-workers
• Privacy Protection: Protect your personal data, especially in BYOD environments
• Intuitive User Experience: Focus on your work, not on setting up your device

Through the close work with Salesforce, Anyware allows Salesforce users to go mobile without taxing IT resources (the key issue we noted earlier – especially as Salesforce is used by a huge range of companies), and removes most, if not all, employee support issues. Anyware provides:

• Custom App Catalog: Get the right mobile apps to the right employees through your own private app catalog customized by group or user
• Trusted Data Security: Block untrusted devices and wipe business apps when required. Protect business data while preserving the privacy of personal data
• Mobile Device Management: Set security policies, configure Wi-Fi and email, and manage device inventory
• Operational Efficiency: Gives Salesforce administrators the tools to manage an entire mobile deployment through the Salesforce interface

Bob Tinker, MobileIron’s CEO echoes what we noted above: “Anyware lets every company, whether small or large, quickly transform itself into a fully secure mobile organization. But the true power of Anyware is that its massive scalability allows us to build what we believe will be the strongest cloud EMM business model in the industry.”

If your business is struggling to get its mobile EMM house in order, and if – honestly – your company cannot answer that it truly knows all of its mobility security risks, make sure to check Anyware out. It’s your business that is on the line.

The MobileIron website provides a good video that demonstrates Anyware in action. And Anyware is also available from the Salesforce.com AppExchange.