Today Research In Motion has pretty much said if we can’t beat them, lets profit of them. They have launched a new enterprise mobile device management tool called BlackBerry MobileFusion. With this tool IT managers can manage BlackBerry smartphones and the little used BlackBerry PlayBook. The software will also be able to manage tablets and smartphones running Android and iOS. So a IT manager will be able to do the following to your iDevice should you have it on the company network.
- Activate and configure devices and profiles over the air
- Enable access to enterprise Mail, Calendar and PIM
- Administer users and groups, natively and directory based
- Establish corporate IT Policies and Security
- Manage lost devices – Password Reset, Device Lock, Device Wipe
- Deploy internally-developed apps
- Define (and enforce) public applications as mandatory or optional
- Provides Rooting & Jailbreak Detection
- Prevent apps from accessing corporate mail accounts
Blackberry says “IT managers need to accommodate individually purchased units that come into the enterprise, whether by a sales rep deciding to expense the latest handset, a doctor bringing in their personal phone for hospital work, or a field worker getting whatever’s available on special as a replacement unit.”
BlackBerry Mobile Fusion server software is a free download and Client Access Licenses are included free for 60 days at the moment as well too. This will give IT managers a chance to try it out before a full roll out.