F5 Networks announces introduction of Mobile App Manager

Mar 04, 2013 (Datamonitor via COMTEX) -- F5 Networks, Inc., a provider of application delivery networking technology, has announced the introduction of Mobile App Manager, a new hybrid cloud solution for mobile application management that enables organizations to support enterprise BYOD initiatives.

With F5 Mobile App Manager, enterprises can extend corporate applications and data to employees' personal mobile devices while leaving all personal content under the control of the device owner, the company said.

F5 Mobile App Manager is a BYOD solution that combines the policy management and secures application delivery features of the BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) with the scalability and affordability of a SaaS offering. It is fundamentally different from BYOD 1.0 Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions in that it securely connects only corporate applications to the enterprise network, and it manages only the enterprise content and applications on a device rather than the entire device itself.

As a hybrid cloud offering, F5 Mobile App Manager opens up new opportunities for enterprises that have not yet embraced BYOD, enabling them to do so without incurring the expense of deploying and managing yet another solution in their own data centers. For organizations dissatisfied with their MDM solutions, F5 Mobile App Manager provides alternative that is less invasive and restrictive for employees, the company added.

F5 Mobile App Manager complements F5's existing unified access solutions, which provide secure, accelerated remote access and identity federation for SaaS applications. By implementing these offerings in conjunction with F5 application delivery firewall, application security, and application access management solutions, organizations can protect their entire enterprise footprint.

Available for both Apple iOS and Google Android mobile devices, F5 Mobile App Manager is simple and straightforward for employees to use. It provides PIN-protected and encrypted enterprise applications, including corporate email, a secure web browser, and an F5 App Store from which corporate applications and content can be securely downloaded.

On the administrative side, F5 Mobile App Manager not only enables IT to better protect corporate applications and data, it simplifies device management and policy enforcement. Using the management console, IT can manage individual devices or device groups, push and/or retract applications and data on a device, and lock or wipe only the secure workspace rather than the entire device, the company concluded.

"As more employees want to use personal devices in the workplace, enterprise IT has had to make tough choices: support BYOD initiatives despite having limited security controls, impose complete control over employees' personal devices using MDM solutions, or reject BYOD initiatives altogether," said Mark Vondemkamp, VP of security product management and marketing at F5.

"F5 Mobile App Manager enables IT to make intelligent BYOD choices that benefit both the company and employees; it gives IT the control and flexibility it needs to protect corporate resources without restricting an employee's use of the device or infringing on their privacy." http://www.datamonitor.com Republication or redistribution, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without prior written consent. Datamonitor shall not be liable for errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon

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