VMWare and Other Enterprise BYOD Solutions

If you've been weighing the pros and cons of implementing a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policy in your office, you're not alone. For the past few decades, information technologies (IT) departments have been supporting workers who work from multiple locations via laptop. Smartphones, tablets, and new software programs have completely changed the way most IT departments operate. Today, employees can work from any location without hassle. However, many IT professionals argue that convenience doesn't outweigh the security risks when it comes to implementing a BYOD policy, but could mobile virtualization make BYOD policies a win-win situation?

According to a recent report from ABI Research, mobile virtualization activations are expected to increase twenty fold by 2018. Virtualization uses a type-1 or type-2 hypervisor to create virtual personal and work profiles on mobile devices, giving your company's IT department more control over the enterprise workspace. This allows the workspace portion of the mobile device to remain secure, while the personal area is kept private, which is essential for BYOD policies work properly.

ABI Research has determined that VMWare, Citrix, and Red Bend are the top three virtualization vendors. All three companies offer top-of-line products to keep your company's data secure, and their mobile virtualization products aren't the exception.

VMWare boasts that its Horizon Suite software bridges the gap between user needs and IT responsibility to make data secure and easy to manage across all devices. The software has numerous benefits, including:

• A single interface for your IT department that is used to give employees access to applications, files, and remote desktops
• Applications allocated to users and groups rather than devices
• Instant access to data and applications for end users
• The ability to share data and applications with colleagues
• Increased management and security

Citrix bills its XenMobile software as the complete solution for managing apps, data, and devices. The company used advanced technology to design software that delivers user-friendly productivity apps, allowing users to choose the device and apps they prefer while still ensuring compliance, and provides advance app and data control, keeping content secure.

Red Bend's vLogixMobile for Mobile Virtualization uses a type-1 hypervisor, along with a suite of software modules, to create an easy-to-use interface with increased security. Some of the benefits of Red Bend's vLogixMobile for Mobile Virtualization include:

• Domain-specific memory partitions that prevent cross-corruption
• No need to redevelop or redesign existing software for new platforms
• Preintegrated with Android and available for multiple chipsets

Regardless of the type of software you choose, BYOD policies have many benefits. The key to ensuring success with your BYOD policy is to make sure you choose a platform that has increased security and privacy measures in place and is easy for your employees to use.

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