Customers Anticipate Enhanced iOS and Android Device Management and Security, New App Portal Design for Familiar App Storefront Experience, New Self-Service Portal for Simplified Device Onboarding and Management
Johannesburg — SAP has announced the latest version of SAP Afaria, the industry-leading mobile device management solution. Enhancements to the industry’s most widely deployed enterprise mobility management (EMM) solution include deepening enterprise integration and distribution capabilities to effectively manage and secure the large number of disparate users bringing their own devices into the workplace. To address the growing use of enterprise mobile apps, SAP is including new app and self-service portal designs to provide a familiar, consumer-like app portal experience in the enterprise.
“The rise in smartphone and tablet adoption in Africa has meant that enterprises need to be able to effectively manage these devices. Many businesses are adopting the global trend of allowing employees to work on their tablets or smartphones,” comments Pfungwa Serima, CEO of SAP Africa. “To address this trend, enterprises are developing Bring your own Device (BYOD) programmes in the workplace that require a highly scalable, mature EMM solution — either on-premises or in the cloud — to effectively manage and secure all the various mobile devices and apps entering the workplace.”
As recognised by IDC, SAP Afaria effectively meets the EMM needs of enterprises. These needs include traditional mobile device management (MDM), as well as managing and securing the entire mobile device, app and data life cycle across the enterprise. The latest release of SAP Afaria aims to remove complexity and support the growing mobile workforce by helping ensure that all data stored and transmitted via mobile device is protected and secure. It will allow customers to gain greater control and insight into a wide range of devices and apps, remotely back up and delete data if a device is lost or stolen and easily deliver fixes, upgrades and refreshes to mobile users.
“In our recent report on the mobile enterprise management (MEM) market, IDC recommends that enterprises evaluate mobile solutions that both manage and secure devices and mobile applications,” said Stacy Crook, programme manager, Mobile Enterprise Research at IDC. “SAP’s MEM offering, [SAP] Afaria, looks to address the broad requirements of enterprises — for both corporate- and employee-owned mobile devices — and users. Some of the key solution differentiators for companies to look for include complete app and device life-cycle support, analytics on all data collected/managed, high scalability, product maturity/flexibility and on-premise and on-demand/cloud delivery.”
The latest version of SAP Afaria is planned to provide key features for enterprises:
- Enterprise Integration
- Deeper directory integration is intended to provide connection to multiple disparate directories for authentication and assignments which aim to provide trusted policy set up and simplify user on boarding for distributed systems. The distribution of data stored in directory values is planned for use with policy configuration to streamline the onboarding of BYOD devices.
- Enhanced email access control and device remediation aim to provide greater scalability and security for large organizations that have multiple enterprise access control components in a distributed landscape.
- Expanded PKI certificate management is planned to provide granular and secure control over the management and delivery of certificates.
- Application Management
- App portal enhancements aim to simplify the user experience by providing a familiar landscape that can be branded to a company while increasing mobile worker efficiency by guiding and instructing users how to leverage the most beneficial mobile applications that apply to their role.
- New API for SAP Afaria and app policy features are planned for “zero-touch” setup so administrators can create and securely deploy apps without users needing to enter most app setup information, for example, server address, domain or, user name. This is planned to help significantly reduce help desk calls and create a more pleasant onboarding experience.
- IT Services for BYOD and Enterprise Devices
- Self-service portal updates are planned to simplify the interface used by mobile users to onboard and manage their devices as well as enable organisations to build their own custom interface.
- Broad Samsung SAFE support for Android devices with planned additional email and security capabilities.
- iOS enhancements are intended to provide increased jailbreak detection and support for regions of the world where jail-broken devices are prevalent; increased iOS configuration and application management capabilities are planned.
“SAP is the undisputed global leader in MDM and now EMM. In Africa, we are growing our footprint because SAP Afaria scales to meet the expanding requirements of enterprises.” adds Serima. “As the industry moves beyond MDM to EMM, SAP is realizing our vision to connect over one billion devices globally. This puts us in the best position to future-proof our customers’ investment with the most expansive mobile platform in the industry.”
The SAP Afaria rapid-deployment solution is available to help fast track implementation with pre-configured software and predefined services.
Test drive SAP Afaria with a 14-day free trial here. For a closer look, see: “Screenshots: SAP to Launch Latest Version of SAP Afaria.” To hear how customers are successfully using SAP Afaria, see: “Video: SAPPHIRE NOW from Madrid in 2012 — Mobile Solutions in the Cloud Panel.”
¹IDC, “Worldwide Mobile Enterprise Management Software 2012 – 2016 Forecast and Analysis and 2011 Vendor Shares” report, Stacy Crook, September 2012 2Forrester Research, “Building A Business Case For A Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) Program,” Michele Pelino, October 23, 2012
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