Mobile Device Security: Enterprise-Grade Solutions for Personal Devices

If you want to deploy a corporate solution to protect your employees’ mobile devices, you need what is generally referred to as a mobile device management (MDM) solution, which provides the remote management, provisioning, and configuration capabilities that enable you (the administrator) to take actions such as remotely locking or wiping devices.

An enterprise MDM solution comprises a combination of mobile software apps deployed on the devices themselves, and a management console for administrators. Most MDM solutions offer the management server as an in-house appliance — SaaS (software as a service) — or a virtual appliance.

Enterprise-grade solutions for Apple iOS

If you're looking for an enterprise-class solution scaling for thousands of iOS devices, look for solutions from vendors like Juniper Networks or MobileIron, which offer some of the more attractive and effective loss and theft protection for iOS devices. Juniper’s Junos Pulse solution and MobileIron’s Virtual Smartphone Platform are products available for enterprises to protect their employees' lost or stolen devices.

Enterprise-grade solutions for Symbian

Solutions from Juniper Networks and WaveSecure (now McAfee) are among the more attractive and effective solutions for loss and theft protection on Symbian phones. Juniper’s Junos Pulse solution provides a good combination of enterprise features, including SSL VPN and loss and theft protection. Junos Pulse also includes a web-based management console that provides for easy administration of remote devices, scaling to thousands of devices.

Enterprise-grade solutions provide you with the ability to set passcode policies, locate or wipe stolen devices, or restore previous backups to devices. You can enforce and own actions that otherwise would be the user's responsibility.

Enterprise-grade solutions for Android

Android devices can range from smartphones built by Motorola, Samsung, or HTC to tablet devices from the same or other vendors. Employees are bringing all types of Android devices to work, thereby presenting the challenge to IT administrators to centrally manage all of them.

Several vendors offer competitive solutions for managing and securing Android devices. Solutions from Juniper Networks, WaveSecure (now McAfee), and Lookout are among the more attractive ones to protect Android devices from loss and theft.

When shopping for an Android solution, look for the diversity of devices and platforms supported by the vendor’s solution. Look for vendors that support all recent Android versions.

Enterprise-grade solutions for Windows Mobile and Windows Phone 7

If you're looking for enterprise-class solutions to provide loss and theft protection on Windows Mobile phones, several vendors provide such solutions. Solutions from Juniper Networks and Lookout are among the more attractive ones providing loss and theft protection for Windows Mobile smartphones.

Because Windows Phone 7 is still relatively new, there isn't an enterprise-class mobile security solution available in the market. The only solutions available for Microsoft’s mobile operating system are for Windows Mobile–based smartphones.

Enterprise-grade solutions for Blackberry devices

Devices running the BlackBerry operating system from RIM are typically protected and managed using the BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES). BlackBerry devices are widely used within corporate environments and can be managed using the BES. The BlackBerry Enterprise Server can deploy apps to the managed devices and also send remote commands to the devices, such as to lock or wipe them.

For a corporate deployment, other solutions are also available to provide loss and theft protection to BlackBerry devices. Vendors such as Juniper Networks, McAfee, and Lookout provide attractive solutions that enable you to remotely lock, wipe, or locate lost or stolen BlackBerry devices.

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