Lumension and Odyssey: Endpoint Security Meets Mobile Device Management (MDM)

A major mobile device management (MDM) deal came down today as Lumension, an endpoint management and security service provider, has partnered with Odyssey Software, an MDM software provider.

As part of the deal, the two will bring a new solution to the business security market called the Lumension Endpoint Management and Security Suite (LEMSS).

According to Lumension, the endpoint security provider has also signed other partnerships that will, "extend the Lumension platform around the globe." One of the other partnerships includes Lumension partnering with the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Norman, which will help Lumension and Odyssey deliver its new LEMSS solution to international channel partners.

But the main deal here is between Odyssey and Lumension. Why? According to the Ponemon Institute, just about one-third of IT administrators (66 percent) say that their business networks are no more secure than they were one year ago. And one of their biggest security needs? You guessed it. Mobile device Management.

So Lumension and Odyssey are trying to put together a comprehensive security solution that will help IT admins deal with traditional network threats, as well as the growing threat that mobile devices bring to business networks today. According to Odyssey Software CEO Mark Gentile, the biggest winners in this deal are Odyssey and Lumension enterprise business customers, as they are the ones facing the most influx of mobile devices on their networks.

"In the past, enterprises needed to managed a small number of mobile devices, many of which ran on the same operating system," Gentile said in a prepared statement. "Today, IT departments are tasked with implementing an MDM solution to manage an influx of devices, running on a variety of operating systems. It is more important than ever organizations deploy a strategy that is both scalable and comprehensive."

So enterprises will now have a solution through which they can manage and take inventory of their mobile devices, as well as implement policy settings and security levels. And most importantly, IT administrators will be able to complete wipe the data off of any mobile device that is lost, stolen, or belongs to someone who is no longer with the company. The new LEMSS solution is compatible with BlackBerry, Android, Apple and Windows Mobile Devices.

It seems as though broader security world is opening up its doors, and platforms, to MDM software providers. This is the third such example. The others include the Palo Alto Networks - Zenprise partnership, and the new ForeScout MDM integration.