Value-added distributor Westcon Group has launched BYODShield, a subscription-based package aimed at demystifying complexities associated with securing and managing the flood of personal devices in the workplace. Westcon is teaming with BlueCat and Fiberlink to launch the solution.
Industry analysts report that the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) trend is becoming the top challenge facing corporate IT as more and more workers use unauthorized personal devices for work use. Gartner Group predicts nearly 65 percent of enterprises will adopt mobile management solutions by 2017. Led by the accelerated mobile workforce and demand for constant connectivity, BYOD leaves many organizations struggling to secure the network while embracing new personal devices in the enterprise.
The package aims to address that, and combines network security and enterprise mobility offerings, and packages them with Westcon’s GOLDShield support model, which includes pre-sales support, implementation services, post-sales technical support and assistance with security policies.
Via BlueCat, customers gain enhanced network security and on-premise virtual appliance delivery. Fiberlink’s MaaS360 adds complete enterprise mobility management with a cloud-based delivery model. The result is an offering that handles network access management and security, mobile application management (MAM) and mobile device management (MDM). Engineered to secure the network and all its devices and data, it offers network protection, secure application access and self-service device on-boarding.
“Westcon is delivering an industry-first — combining our unsurpassed technology expertise and deep vendor portfolio to tackle the challenges of integrating personal devices into the corporate network,” said Lynn Smurthwaite-Murphy, senior vice president of North America for Westcon Group. Few distributors can claim to unify their vendors to create a platform that permits separate technologies to collaborate – driving enhanced security and quickly resolving mobile device management issues.”
Automatically solving problems once requiring manual intervention, BYODShield includes visibility and auditing of links between users/devices/network addresses and locations. The solution also promotes advanced authorization and delivers enhanced network/device management. Self-service registration eliminates IT involvement for on-boarding and permits auditing/tracking of users, technology, and activity on the network. Each BYOD self-service registration is tightly integrated with DNS, DHCP, and IP Address Management (IPAM) – preparing infrastructures for the exponential increase in equipment, IP addresses, and inbound requests resulting from BYOD.
“BYOD is here to stay – and it’s changing the way companies do business,” said Brad Micklea, vice president of product management at BlueCat. “Our trusted IPAM technology significantly minimizes effort and risk associated with personal technology in the workplace. We eliminate the need to manually register, on-board and track personal devices. It also supports mobile control by connecting device security status to access to the network, closing the security gap around BYOD. We’re excited to combine our expertise with Fiberlink and Westcon to bring to market a comprehensive BYOD offering.”
MaaS360 from Fiberlink allows businesses to provide their employees with secure access to corporate information from personal devices, without compromising the user experience, data security or privacy. MaaS360 delivers maximum BYOD flexibility with support for multiple device types, self-service enrollment, customized over-the-air configuration, automated policy enforcement, and secure distribution of apps and documents. With MaaS360, enterprise data and apps can be isolated and selectively wiped from employee-owned devices without impacting personal information.
“As a fully integrated platform, MaaS360 simplifies enterprise mobility management with rapid deployment and comprehensive control that spans mobile devices, applications and documents,” said Jim Sheward, CEO of Fiberlink. “Combined with BlueCat’s robust network security solution and Westcon’s extensive distribution capabilities, BYODShield is an extremely powerful offering for partners and their customers to securely embrace BYOD.”
