Sam OliverBuilt on the foundation of BlackBerry Enterprise Server, the new BlackBerry Mobile Fusion will allow enterprise customers to manage smartphones and tablets based on a variety of platforms beyond its own BlackBerry OS. The software provides a single, unified wed-based console for managing devices.
"For businesses and government, managing a mix of mobile devices on any scale is chaotic. Organizations face pressure to allow employees to bring their own devices into the workplace, and they are looking to RIM as the global leader in the enterprise mobility space to solve that problem,†said Alan Panezic, Vice President, Enterprise Product Management and Marketing at Research In Motion.
"BlackBerry Mobile Fusion allows organizations to manage a mixed environment of devices in the most secure, simple, and cost efficient manner possible. It also means that businesses and government do not have to move to the lowest common denominator on security for all the devices they need to manage."
Managing iOS and Android devices with BlackBerry Mobile Fusion software grants companies the following capabilities:
- Support for multiple devices per user
- Application and software management
- Connectivity management (Wi-Fi, VPN, certificates)
- Centralized, easy to use, unified web-based console
- Security and policy definition and management
- Asset management
- Configuration management
- Security and protection for lost or stolen devices (remote lock, wipe)
- User- and group-based administration
- High scalability
BlackBerry Mobile Fusion is a free download, and usage is priced based on the number of devices being managed. Licenses start at $99 per user or $4 per month annually, while volume discounts are available.
iOS and Android devices require RIM's Mobile Fusion Client application to be installed. The software is available for the iPhone and iPad on Apple's App Store.
RIM first announced in May of 2011 that it planned to update its BlackBerry Enterprise server to support iOS devices. The product was initially expected to debut in late 2011, but was pushed back until Tuesday's launch.
The release of the new enterprise server software comes less than a week after RIM reported dismal earnings in which it saw a billion-dollar sequential drop in quarterly revenues. The Canadian smartphone maker sold 11.1 million handsets and a half-million PlayBook tablets in the last quarter.
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35 Comments
Why is a client necessary? That's ridiculous. iOS's MDM API and capabilities should be more than sufficient to manage the device. Every other MDM solution vendor uses it (AirWatch, MobileIron, Maas360) but RIM cannot?
They really can't go out of business fast enough. Not that they aren't trying.
Why is a client necessary? That's ridiculous. iOS's MDM API and capabilities should be more than sufficient to manage the device. Every other MDM solution vendor uses it (AirWatch, MobileIron, Maas360) but RIM cannot?
They really can't go out of business fast enough. Not that they aren't trying.
Well, the fact that they charge $99 per user or $4 per month annually (to start) is more than sufficient to kill their platform. Apple Configurator is free and alternative solutions to BlackBerry Enterprise Server are less expensive as well.
So, if I have more than 5 users (assuming a Mini Server lasts at least two years, which is low-balling), I am cheaper off buying an Mini and managing thousands of users (if needed) for far less with the same capabilities (based on the list of features in the article)? And I get a real interface, not a Web-based one? That will work.
I really think the only potential biggie here is the "Support for multiple devices per user" part. That could finally allow them to have PlayBooks being managed (if they ever get the required OS update before RIM closes the doors)...
So, if I have more than 5 users (assuming a Mini Server lasts at least two years, which is low-balling), I am cheaper off buying an Mini and managing thousands of users (if needed) for far less with the same capabilities (based on the list of features in the article)? And I get a real interface, not a Web-based one? That will work.
I really think the only potential biggie here is the "Support for multiple devices per user" part. That could finally allow them to have PlayBooks being managed (if they ever get the required OS update before RIM closes the doors)...
That's true of a lot of things. Look at the price for Windows Server client licenses, as well. Apple's unlimited client license Mini Server is an incredible deal.
That's true of a lot of things. Look at the price for Windows Server client licenses, as well. Apple's unlimited client license Mini Server is an incredible deal.
Yes, why not just get a MacMini Server with Lion Server and you can manage your iOS devices that way...much cheaper. I guess if you have people who use Blackberries you can do both with one app, but you may have to purchase more licenses to manage iOS devices. I think the Mac server is the better route. You can also manage Macs if you so happen to have them.
I work in IT at a school and we are telling people to please not get another Blackberry. Most if not all can't wait for their contracts to expire so they can get either an iPhone or Android device anyways. RIM is ever so slowly dying. I think even if someone buys them, they're so far behind and bleeding money and customers so fast no one is going to stop it.