RIM Supports Android, iOS in Mobile Fusion Management Suite
RIM is showing love to its competitors as it tries to stay afloat with its new Mobile Fusion Management Suite, which essentially expands the Blackberry Enterprise Server platform. RIM hopes as MDM need ramp up, its familiar name and offerings will find favor with IT admins. But what is RIM bringing to the table? Here’s the scoop …
It’s not rocket science. RIM knows iOS and Android and the BYOD scene are ramping up in the enterprise and BlackBerrys aren’t as ubiquitous as they once were. So RIM figured, if you can’t beat ’em, join em. The company did something similar back in May in adding support for iOS and Android to BlackBerry Enterprise Server, but Mobile Fusion represents an overhaul and, really, a departure from BlackBerry Server.
RIM promises this long list features:
- Asset management
- Configuration management
- Security and policy definition and management
- Secure and protect lost or stolen devices (remote lock, wipe)
- User- and group-based administration
- Multiple device per user capable
- Application and software management
- Connectivity management (Wi-Fi, VPN, certificate)
- Centralized console
- High scalability
But then there’s this nice little caveat at the bottom:
* Device security, manageability and controls will continue to vary according to the inherent capabilities of the individual device operating systems.
What does that mean, exactly? We won’t know for sure, since Mobile Fusion is in a closed beta right now, but it sounds like RIM’s blanket excuse in the event Apple (or Google) won’t allow full functionality of a feature. RIM plans for general availability in March of 2012, but no price has been given. The year ahead is shaping up to be full of MDM solutions, so maybe RIM has a chance to keep making some money if Mobile Fusion impresses IT admins everywhere. Naturally, we’ll keep tabs.
