Dell Software has announced today from DellWorld 2013 that it is entering the enterprise mobility management space with an all-new product. The product aims to provide safe, simple access to corporate data without threatening employees’ personal privacy or compromising the user experience. The end-to-end mobile enablement solution is designed to give customers a secure, managed environment for accessing enterprise data on multi-OS smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops and clients – including thin, zero and machine-to-machine – regardless of who owns them. Dell also is introducing new container-based secure workspaces for employee-owned smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktops, which complement already established EMM-ready technologies for managing corporate-owned devices.

Dell has been putting this together for a while and this is emerging in the midst of their re-invention. Dell had previously had 3 solutions that were partner enabled, and had been part of the MDM market since its inception 4 to 4.5 years ago. Dell Enterprise Mobility Management is the culmination of that experience, the best of a number of strategic investments and intellectual properties as well. By its mission of consolidating mobile capabilities, securing control over corporate data and maintaining an excellent user experience, they have put together a product that markets to the IT decision maker. That’s a critical space that has a lot of checklist items it carries. If you look at specific pain points as companies in the mid-market are going through their mobile transformation, this is important messaging.

Focus on management, security, and ease

In a briefing with Roger Bjork, a Director in mobility at Dell we reviewed the key features and advantages that have been put together.  The list of features is long and heavy on the enterprise security solutions that address just about any concern that may be encountered, from encryption, to compliance, Identity access and more, they include:

• Comprehensive mobile enablement: The combination of strategic IP from Dell SonicWALL, Dell Credant, Dell KACE and Dell Wyse enables Dell to address security and encryption, policy management, user self-service and compliance reporting requirements.
• Embedded security: Dell EMM has interwoven industry-leading secure remote access from SonicWALL SRA (Secure Remote Access) and encryption from Dell Data Protection | Encryption to ensure elevated protection and the lowest risk exposure. IT administrators can easily control configuration settings, policies, passwords, data loss prevention, secure remote access, encryption and identity management for both corporate- and employee-owned devices.
• Streamlined management of corporate- and employee-owned devices: Ability to configure and define security and compliance policies for iOS and Android smartphones; Windows, Android and iOS tablets; Linux, Mac and Windows laptops and desktops; as well as thin and zero cloud clients.
• New container-based digital workspace apps ease BYOD management: As part of its prescriptive approach to mobile enablement, Dell introduces two secure, mobile-friendly workspaces featuring built-in secure remote access and data loss protection (DLP) to simplify BYOD management and boost workforce productivity.
• For employee-owned smartphones and tablets, Dell™ Mobile Workspace gives users access to corporate data and productivity tools, including email, calendar, contacts, secure mobile browser and secure local file explorer,
• For employee-owned PCs and Macs, Dell™ Desktop Workspace provides a secure Microsoft Windows image that can be integrated seamlessly with existing IT infrastructures.
• Unified Management Console: The Dell Enterprise Manager simplifies IT administration for both corporate- and employee-owned mobile and fixed endpoints. The centralized console addresses a full range of administrative functions, including management of applications, devices, data and user identity, which is essential for simplifying mobility enablement. Additionally, a self-service portal for end-users is designed to increase workforce productivity while real-time reporting and alerts provide IT with the level of detail needed to identify which devices are being used by employees as well as how they’re using them.
• The unified console works with the Dell KACE K1000 systems management appliance to consolidate inventory across all endpoints. Together, these solutions streamline mobile and desktop device discovery, inventory, software distribution and patch management. To help customers accelerate time to value, these management solutions now are offered as a hosted, cloud-enabled service.
• Professional services ease mobility assessments and deployments: Dell’s mobility consulting services let customers take advantage of assessment and planning solutions, including needs assessments, roadmap planning, mobility migration assistance and image engineering for employee-owned computers. Additionally, Dell’s Center of Excellence service is ideally suited for mid-range organizations striving to increase mobility expertise to better support current and evolving mobility enablement strategies.

From many, one – putting it all together

Dell has strategically put together this $4.9 Billion portfolio of assets, research and development to answer these needs and is commoditizing it with cost and ease of use advantages. Pieces they’ve collected like Credant, Wyse, SonicWall and Quest Software start to emerge right here in the mobility management product, but it’s not just a collection of acquisitions they’ve produced, they’re aiming to solve problems for customers in better ways.

Tom Kendra, vice president and general manager, Systems Management, Dell Software:

“The launch of Dell EMM provides customers with a significant opportunity to streamline mobility management while preserving their ability to drive ongoing innovation. Dell is committed to delivering integrated, scalable, easy-to-use solutions that provide rapid time to value and address today’s challenges brought on by disparate tools as well as separate security and governance approaches. With Dell’s EMM, organizations can rely on a single strategic partner to provide safe, simple access to corporate data using best-in-class solutions and mobile-friendly software that doesn’t threaten their employees’ personal privacy.”

Dell’s Enterprise Mobility Management is an end-to-end mobile solution that addresses a lot of the BYOD questions out there. Stacked with security technologies, management, digital workspace applications and flexible deployment, it should prove to be a popular product. The relationships they have established throughout the years at every level of the market and those that have been assumed through acquisition should aid in penetrating a busy environment. Making mobility easier to manage and secure will always be a winner and so it appears that Dell will be making an impact in this space.

Pricing & Availability

Dell EMM will be sold as an annual software subscription license starting in Q1 2014 in the US and Canada. Dell EMM will be available through the channel in 2014.
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