Mobile Application Management: the Apperian perspective

Apperian is the Mobile Application Management sponsor at Future of Work Summit. Alan Murray, SVP of Products, has been sharing his thoughts on the enterprise mobility industry, as well as what Mobile Application Management entails. Over to Alan…

1. What is the current state of the enterprise mobility vendors?

2013 saw a number of acquisitions and messaging shifts in the mobility marketplace. Some companies that started as MDM vendors are now expanding their messaging to include MAM and MCM, but most are just a thin veneer of capabilities draped over an MDM platform. These “do-it-all” platforms, in our experience, can’t deliver on the promises made by their marketing departments to their customers. On the other end of the spectrum, pure-play companies specializing in particular aspects of enterprise mobility are allowing organizations to select best-of-breed solutions. Some specialize in security, app reputation analysis or, like Apperian, providing MAM.

2. What trends are you seeing in this space?

The biggest trend we see is the shift from devices to apps. With IT replacing their Blackberry Enterprise Server with any number of commoditized MDM vendors, mobile IT leaders are now looking for transformative ways to use mobility. While IT is no longer panicking over device management, they are starting to realize that trying to use MDM technology to manage and secure apps doesn’t work. When we exhibit at enterprise mobility trade shows, the discussions we have with attendees now, as compared to a year ago, have universally gone from “how do we secure our corporate devices” to “how do we build, manage and secure enterprise apps?”. We no longer find ourselves having to spell out the the acronym “MAM”, although there is still a lot of education needed for organizations to realize that MAM is more than just a private app store and that the real value lies within the management of the app lifecycle.

3. There seems to be confusion on the definition of MAM – Can you help clarify?

The term “MAM” has unfortunately been watered down by many mobile vendors and people in the media to simply mean a private app store. But the App Store is really the “last mile” of enabling a mobile strategy. We have a broader and deeper aspiration for MAM to encompass managing the entire mobile app lifecycle from development to deployment without regard or reliance on a device management infrastructure. MAM is about driving innovation through mobility and ultimately driving adoption of corporate apps.

4. Have you seen any new or unique use cases for MAM?

One reoccurring trend we’ve seen is organizations using Apperian’s MAM solution to facilitate user testing for consumer-facing apps internally. Organizations are able to deploy an app to thousands of internal end-users for testing before it becomes part of a public app store. Through our app policies, an administrator can view statistics through usage tracking to better understand app download and usage behavior, while end-users can provide feedback directly through our app store. Our App Remote Control policy allows an admin to remotely view and control the user interface of an app, therefore providing live support for troubleshooting and ultimately saving time and expenses.

5. How can Apperian help?

Apperian’s cloud-based mobile app management platform helps to secure and manage corporate mobile apps and data in the enterprise. Our solution ensures ongoing compliance with security policies and simplifies managing all stages of the mobile app lifecycle, streamlining the complexity of supporting ever-changing versions of apps, operating systems and devices – whether personal (BYOD) or corporate owned. Through a seamless user experience that doesn’t require intrusive technology on user devices, Apperian powers the world’s leading enterprise app stores for hundreds of thousands of users.

“It is happening right now and you either jump on board or get left behind”

We’ve been speaking to Mark Taglietti, Head of ICT Service Delivery & Vendor Management, University College London Hospitals about the future workplace. Mark will be speaking at Future of Work Summit on 21st November as part of a panel session on ‘Integrated policy management tools across app, device and network’. Join us at the event to find out more. Here’s what Mark had to say:

Ovum: What piece of new technology has made a considerable improvement to your day to day working life recently?

Mark Taglietti: It has to be the provision of Mobile Device Management infrastructure that is enabling growth in the use of mobile services, devices and apps. Ensuring that access to enterprise data is secure and delivered through a highly available on-demand service that supports local and remote working.  Such services are improving workplace productivity, driving effectiveness and delivering efficiencies whilst integrating consumer electronics into enterprise product sets.

Ovum: What in your opinion will be the next big change in the way that we work and the way in which businesses engage with their employees – and specifically the way IT has to service their internal customers?

Mark Taglietti: The further amalgamation of mobile devices and integrated services into enterprise wide social networking product sets, such as Yammer. Consider that in a single generation the enterprise has evolved from pen to paper, type to paper, electronic email, SMS, Instant Messaging to full unified communications. I believe the next logical step will be the development and provision of enterprise wide social networking services delivered in a fully integrated, secure and permanently available manner.

The challenge will not be the delivery of enabling infrastructure or the data transmission method used, moreover the provision of assured information governance and data security practises, and the supply of capabilities and resources to deliver service on an ‘on demand and always available’ basis.

Ovum: We see employees increasingly self-selecting the devices and even the apps (especially File sync & share, VOIP & IM, and enterprise social networks) that they use for work. Do you see this trend happening in your organization and if so do you think it presents a challenge or an opportunity?

Interview: the vision of the future workplace from Richard Dallimore, Director, IT Risk and Governance at Baker Tilly

We’ve been speaking to Richard Dallimore, Director, IT Risk and Governance at Baker Tilly Business Services about the future workplace. Richard will be speaking at Future of Work Summit on 21st November as part of two panel sessions: ‘Integrated policy management tools across app, device and network’, and ‘Trends to watch in 2014’. Join us at the event to find out more!

1.)    What piece of new technology has made a considerable improvement to your day to day working life recently?

It has to be my Android tablet – its light and flexible. Allows me to work on the train, or read a book. I can use internet resources for personal use or use Citrix to securely access the office and work. Certainly saves my shoulder carrying around a laptop.

2.) What in your opinion will be the next big change in the way that we work and the way in which businesses engage with their employees – and specifically the way IT has to service their internal customers?

Choice – employees are expecting a choice of platform – they don’t really care how they access the corporate app – they want to be able to access it on whatever they have with them – whether that’s  a corporate issued laptop or a Tesco Android tablet.

3.) We see employees increasingly self-selecting the devices and even the apps (especially File sync & share, VOIP & IM, and enterprise social networks) that they use for work. Do you see this trend happening in your organization and if so do you think it presents a challenge or an opportunity?

I’m not sure it’s an opportunity for an Information Security director – it’s a headache! But we have to move with the trend if the firm is to attract the right kind of graduate or recruit. The biggest challenge is the ever expanding security perimeter that cloud storage and remote working presents to the firm and ensuing the firm understands risk that goes with the expanding perimeter.

4.) New ways of engaging and collaborating with colleagues online and from multiple different devices are fundamentally changing the way that people work. What do you think will cause the biggest change to working practices in your organization over the next 24 months?

• Mobile device proliferation and working from multiple devices (e.g. smartphones, tablets and PCs) – as I mentioned above – it’s about choice – the user expects to able to access the corporate app on whatever he/she has to hand
• Improved mobile data and WiFi networks – the UK lags behind the rest of Europe – we have to improve

5.) What is your vision for the workplace of the future: how will we be working in 2015, and what further developments might we see by 2020?

What are Ovum’s trends to watch for 2014?

Every year Ovum identifies the most critical technology and market trends to watch for the following 12 months.

These trends are presented in a series of reports that address the markets that our analyst teams track. Each report outlines the expected changes and the business and technology drivers in the market, and explains the trends that will have the greatest impact and the players that will benefit.

Read Ovum’s 2014 Trends to Watch reports to validate your organization’s plans for the year ahead, and to support and enhance your business in a demanding economic climate. These trends, and Ovum’s 2014 research agenda, will be brought together at the 2014 Ovum Industry Congress, taking place at the Victoria Park Plaza in London in May 2014. Registrations are now open, and enterprise end users can register for free. Join 450+ CIOs and other IT decision-makers at Ovum’s flagship event.