Santa Clara, California – According to a survey conducted in the fourth quarter of 2013, enterprise IT departments are increasing their management control over the increasing number of mobile devices in their organizations. By exploiting the mobile device management (MDM) capabilities provided by Apple and other mobile OS providers, by emphasizing secure authentication using Microsoft Active Directory, and by replacing laissez faire BYOD approaches with Corporate Owned – Personally Enabled (COPE) policies, they are securing employees mobile devices and protecting corporate resources.

In the third annual survey conducted in November and December last year, IT managers responded to questions about the number and type of mobile devices in their organization, the applications used on these devices, and the policies their organizations were using to protect corporate and customer data on or accessible from those devices. The results were reported in a webcast on December 18, 2013 that is currently available on the Enterprise Device Alliance web site.

Among the findings:
* Windows 7/XP are still dominant across all organizations, but the respondents report that 10 percent of their users now have Windows 8 compared to one percent in 2012
* For the first time 100 percent of the respondents said they have Macs in their organization
* The iPhone continues to be the preferred smartphone in corporate environments, and the iPad is the preferred tablet
* More than 25 percent of the organizations are implementing or piloting COPE policies to deploy and manage their mobile devices. However, 41 percent have no plans regarding COPE
* Consistent with the results from 2012, 71 percent prefer using Microsoft Active Directory for authentication
* MDM is now widely used to administer mobile devices, in 60 percent of organizations compared with 38 percent at the end of 2012
* Enterprise Apps are replacing consumer Apps for the sake of security and increased productivity

“From the survey results we believe that organizations have moved beyond the ignoring and playing phase and are acting on the need to manage and secure the mobile devices that access their corporate and customer data,” said T. Reid Lewis, president of the EDA and vice president of business development for Acronis. “The trends have been consistently toward more involvement of IT with mobile devices. “

The survey also showed that:
* Blackberry 10 and Windows phone are barely present – less than 5 percent adoption
* laptops continue to be the preferred system over desktop systems
* More enterprise applications – with email leading – are being installed on mobile systems
* IT’s primary concerns about security are: devices get lost or stolen and government regulations related to securing data must be adhered to
* The number of organizations securing their data access with mobile file management has doubled year over year

In a webcast now available, T. Reid Lewis discussed the full results of the survey with Ryan Faas, a journalist, blogger and industry consultant. The webcast and a copy of the summary of the results are available at the link below.

Absolute Software:
Absolute Manage by Absolute Software provides support for mobile applications, controlled network access, and a secure content container for document distribution. Authentic cross-platform capabilities allow customers to install Absolute Manage within a Windows or Mac environment, and manage enterprise- and employee-owned devices from a PC or a Mac-based console. As well, IT administrators can perform their work on the go from ultra-portable devices for increased efficiencies and savings. Absolute Manage provides full support for the new streamlined Apple Device Enrollment Program (ADEP), providing zero-touch configuration for iOS deployments and streamlining the device setup process. Customers can rely on mandatory device enrollment to ensure only managed devices are accessing corporate networks and content.

Acronis:
Acronis Access enables enterprise employees using any device – desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone – to securely access, sync and share corporate content – while IT maintains control over security and compliance. Content can be accessed from file servers, NAS, SharePoint, and personal devices, and shared with internal and external constituents as permitted by group policies. Acronis Access empowers IT to control the level of security needed and promote end user productivity anywhere, anytime, from any device.

Centrify:
Centrify Corporation provides the Centrify User Suite. The suite enables organizations to leverage Centrify’s proven Active Directory- and/or cloud-based security service to manage users and devices and address enterprise mobility and BYOD challenges. The Centrify User Suite solution maximizes security and visibility through centralized access management and reporting of enrolled devices and installed applications, allowing IT staff to quickly and securely bring large populations of Apple iOS, Android and Mac devices under management by leveraging existing Active Directory identity infrastructure and skill sets.

Survey Presentation and Webcast
Absolute Manage
Acronis Access
Centrify User Suite
Centrify SaaS, Mac and Mobile Management
Support for Mobility and BYOD Challenges

The Enterprise Device Alliance is a non-profit technology group that serves as a resource for organizations deploying, integrating, and managing Macs, iPhones and iPads in Windows-managed environments. The EDA delivers free information, market data, and access to solutions that support heterogeneous environments. The EDA member companies are leading technology solution providers for cross-platform enterprises. Member companies include Absolute Software, Acronis, and Centrify. Copyright (C) 2014 The Enterprise Device Alliance. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.