The COVID-19 pandemic has upended traditional work models. In the wake of the global shift to a work-from-anywhere model, the stakes for managing access to valuable enterprise data are even higher. As businesses seek to unlock new levels of productivity from a dispersed workforce already armed with a host of mobile devices,  enterprise mobility management (EMM) is playing a more significant role than ever  in protecting enterprises from potential security breaches.

Benefits of EMM

Historically, organizations faced a serious challenge: Mobile devices had exploded in sophistication and capabilities and people increasingly were using them in their work life. In some cases, the use was sanctioned. In other cases, it wasn’t. In the process, a lot of valuable data was suddenly outside of the corporate firewall.

These developments were catalysts for an explosion of creative approaches to managing mobile devices. Ways needed to be found to do a number of tricky things, such as securing data on devices without harming employee data or taking liberties with the owner’s personal information, wiping devices clean of sensitive data if they go missing, ensuring that apps being downloaded were safe, and empowering owners to download personal apps that weren’t secure without endangering corporate data.

A flurry of similar sounding but different techniques, such mobile device management (MDM) and mobile application management (MAM), emerged. Those earlier approaches have been subsumed into the next generation, enterprise mobility management (EMM), which consolidates those earlier technologies in a way that simplifies and enhances efficiency. It also marries that management to identity tools in order to track and assess employees and usage.

Enterprise mobility management allows for:

• Management of mobile and stationary devices. Organizations have a wide array of devices. Mobile devices are not always used on the road, while PCs and other large devices are not always only used in an office. The goal of EMM is to put as many of an organization’s devices under one umbrella as possible.
• Protection of corporate information. Whether an organization “officially” adopts BYOD or not, EMM uses MDM and other earlier classes of software management to protect corporate data. Indeed, doing this effectively meets the BYOD challenges that seemed overwhelming just a few years ago.
• Protection of employees’ information. Likewise, an employee will be resistant to using his or her device at work if there is a fear that private data will be compromised or disappear. EMM meets this challenge as well. 
• Collection of analytics on usage. EMM platforms are comprehensive. Great amounts of data are collected and this data can enable organizations to work smarter and less expensively.
• Control of data on lost/stolen devices. Mobile devices are often lost and stolen. EMM, calling on the MDM tools that generally are part of the package, can wipe valuable data off of the device. In most cases, wiping personal data is handled separately.
• Setting and control of corporate policies flexibly. EMM is a powerful platform for establishing and implementing corporate policies. These policies can be changed on the fly and be customized according to department, level of seniority, geographically, and many other ways.
• Control of corporate applications. EMM platforms usually involve app stores. The overriding idea is that apps can be deployed quickly and securely. This flexibility enables an organization to take advantage of sudden opportunities and in other ways efficiently react to fast-changing conditions.
• Keeping security software up to date. Security postures change quickly — and employees are not always able or willing to keep their security up to date. EMM functionality can lead to a much more timely distribution of patches and, ultimately, a safer workplace.
• Meeting compliance requirements. Policy enforcement is an important EMM benefit. Taking that a step further is the ability to help mobile devices meet compliance standards. A doctor taking home patient imaging on her tablet or a CEO with sensitive corporate financial data on his phone must have end-to-end infrastructure proven to be safe and secure. EMM can help.
• Simplification of management, security, and other functions. The mobile world in general and BYOD in particular grew in enterprise importance very quickly. The resulting security and management challenges were great and generated tremendous creativity in software. The current era is characterized to some extent in integrating those tools into broader platforms. EMM is a key step in this evolution.

Also read: How to Protect Endpoints While Your Employees Work Remotely

Key Features to Consider in EMM Software

Here are key features to consider when comparing and purchasing EMM software: 

• Quick and easy deployment. EMM is about automation. To be effective, it puts a premium on being quick and simple to deploy. The idea is to come as close as possible to “out-of-the-box” configuration.
• Serve multiple operating systems. In most cases, the EMM platforms work on all (or at least most) OSes. The idea, simply, is that most environments are mixed. Serving only a limited number of platforms will be a strike against the platform.
• On-premises and in the cloud. EMM generally can be located on-premises or in the cloud.
• Inclusive of MDM, MAM and other forms of software management. Increasingly, common software tools, such as MDM and MAM, are becoming part of broad EMM platforms. EMM platforms, in turn, are evolving to be unified endpoint management (UEM) suites that more fully incorporate non-mobile devices such as PCs and Macs.
• Confront the BYOD challenge. The explosion of management software aimed at mobile devices was the birth of BYOD. Suddenly, organizations didn’t know where their valuable data was. Consequently, MDM, MAM and other approaches were meant to meet the BYOD challenge. EMM is a recent iteration of that trend, with UEM not far behind.
• Produce analytics that can be useful in planning. EMM platforms generate data. This input is useful in creating policies that best serve the mobile workforce. The data can also lead to lower telecommunications costs and other advantages. 
• Help with compliance. Finance, healthcare, and other industries make exacting demands on how data is handled. These demands become even harder when the data is traveling to and from, and being stored in, a mobile device. EMM can help ensure that rules are being followed and data is not being compromised.
• Remote troubleshooting and configure devices. IT teams have the ability to assess and fix problems (including jailbroken and rooted devices), remotely wipe and revoke devices, and enforce security measures. 
• Teams up with identity software to create a more comprehensive view of employees. This is a vital step in managing complex networks. It also helps the organization create a more accurate profile of employees and, collectively, how the workforce uses their devices. There likely are surprises that lead to greater efficiencies, cost savings and new services and approaches.

Read next: Top Endpoint Security & Protection Software

Best Enterprise Mobility Management Solutions

VMware Workspace ONE

VMware has evolved its unified endpoint management technology, formerly known as Airwatch, into a digital workspace platform that combines Airwatch technology with the company’s VMWare Horizon platform for delivering and authenticating virtual desktops and apps across the hybrid cloud. Workspace ONE allows organizations to manage their cloud and mobile assets from one platform and offers single sign-on (SSO) access to cloud, mobile and web apps. The platform also allows IT admins to enforce conditional access and compliance policies, automates onboarding and laptop and mobile device configuration as well as delivers integrated insights.

IT teams can deploy VMware Workspace ONE on-premises, in the cloud, and hybrid with different components deployed on-premises and in the cloud. 

FEATURES: 

• Supports a vast array of devices, including mobile operating systems, wearables, 3D graphics workstations, and more
• Supports several device management approaches, including BYOD, choose-your-own, corporate owned, locked down, etc. 
• Intelligent Hub app provides simple, adaptive device management for end users logging in on a BYO devices 
• Offers several network access control provisions, including conditional access policies, advanced data leak protections, and detailed real-time visibility with application, device and console events and reports. 
• Automated app management to enable better security and compliance 
• Supports integration with Active Directory and with LDAP directories such as OpenLDAP
• Allows first time users to try the platform for free, but follows a three-tiered (Standard, Advanced, Enterprise) pricing model as well as offers perpetual licenses. 

PROS: 

• Ease of use.
• Clean user interface.
• Good customer support and service.

CONS:

• Grows expensive over time.
• Admin console can be confusing.
• Training on features of the platform is costly.

Citrix Endpoint Management

Formerly Xenmobile, Citrix Endpoint Management is part of the ecosystem of Citrix Workspace tools that unifies client management and enterprise mobility management.  A comprehensive solution, the platform offers users single-click access to all of their apps within Citrix Workspace, while allowing IT to easily configure, manage and secure an array of devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, IoT devices and more.  

The post Best Enterprise Mobility Management Solutions & Software 2022 appeared first on IT Business Edge.

Carl Weinschenk publishes Election Security Daily, the go-to source for news, information and research about election security and offers a free weekly newsletter. 

Everyone acknowledges that election security is an important issue. It now is a hot button item. The two things are related but not synonymous.

That’s a great thing that may bear fruit down the line in terms of funding and overall attention to the topic. An example of the rise in the status of election security: President Trump’s choice to replace Dan Coats as Director of National Intelligence, John Ratcliffe (R-TX), is being met with skepticism due to his attitude toward the topic.

On one level, it goes without saying that the opinion of the DNI on this topic is important. It is unlikely, however, that it would be mentioned as prominently as a test of his qualifications if Robert Mueller hadn’t testified to the dangers of foreign election meddling, the Senate report on Russian interference wasn’t released and John Scarborough hadn’t labeled the majority leader in the Senate “Moscow Mitch” McConnell.

Here are two quotes from The Hill pointing out how directly the Democrats are questioning Ratcliffe’s suitability:

Gary Peters (D-MI): “I have a lot of concerns and questions about Congressman Ratcliffe’s record, experience and qualifications.”

Mark Warner (D-VA): “I don’t know the man, but it seems from his testimony before the Mueller hearing, he had very different views than most intelligence professionals.”

The story also pointed to some cyber security bills Ratcliffe introduced in Congress and his chairing of hearings on the topic. None of those items was directly related to election security, however.

The Democrats Leave Election Security Alone: Counter to the idea that all roads now lead to election security is the fact that the Democratic candidates didn’t focus on the topic.

That, according to The Washington Post, was “somewhat shocking considering the debate took place less than a week after former special counsel Robert S. Mueller III warned that Russia and other nations are eager to undermine the security of the 2020 elections. And Senate Democrats are also waging a drag-out fight to pass new laws mandating digital protections over fierce opposition from Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).”

It may not be as big a deal as the story makes it out to be. It may be strategic. The idea is that all the candidates more or less share the opinion that the administration is not to be trusted on election security and that McConnell is not fulfilling his responsibilities in the Senate. Beyond that, there is little to debate. It’s not a philosophical issue, such as healthcare. It’s just a matter of degree. Moreover, the candidates may not want to interrupt the momentum against the Republicans that is building by making it into just another partisan issue.

Collins feels the pressure: This is an example of the momentum. Maine Senator Susan Collins became the first Republican to say she will sign the Foreign Influence Reporting in Elections (FIRE) Act. It requires presidential campaigns to alert election regulators and the FBI if they are contacted by foreign entities offering contributions, information or services, according to the Bangor Daily News.

Collins is up for reelection in November. Her approval rating has plummeted since her pivotal vote in favor of Brett Kavanagh’s nomination to the Supreme Court last summer. Collins, who has not announced whether she will seek reelection, may be attempting to resurrect her image as a moderate Republican.

The Senate Report Drops:  Lawfare offered a long and comprehensive review of the Senate report. The bottom line is about all we know about what we don’t know is that there is a lot of it. Here is a sampling of the post:

“The committee’s overall conclusion is that the intentions behind Russia’s interference with the U.S. election infrastructure are still unclear. The committee presents several theories: Russia may have had an intent to exploit vulnerabilities during the 2016 elections but later decided, for unknown reasons, that it would not proceed; Russia might have sought to gather information on election infrastructure “in the conduct of traditional espionage activities”; or Russia may be holding a catalog of options for later use. In an overarching sense, the intelligence community assesses that the goal was to undermine the “integrity of elections and American confidence in democracy.” DHS representatives who spoke to the committee expressed widespread concern regarding the possibility of creating chaos on election day.”

Meanwhile, White House Chief of Staff Nick Mulvaney called the bills blocked by McConnell unnecessary grandstanding, according to The Hill.

“This administration has worked with every single state… we’ve met with every single presidential campaign to go over how to prepare against and prevent foreign intervention into the 2020 elections,” Mulvaney added. “The bills from this week were simply showmanship and that’s why they failed.”

That general view that legislative help is not necessary is not shared by Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee. He was quoted in another story in The Hill:

“I think there’s come common sense things that would get 75 votes if they could get to the floor of the Senate,” Warner said Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

Georgia May Use Interim System this Year: Georgia may use an interim voting system in this year as it transitions from direct-recording electronic (DRE) machines touchscreen ballot-marking devices that will be installed in 2020.

A two-day hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Amy Totenberg looked into whether hundreds of county and municipal elections this year will be conducted on paper ballots because the older machines are too antiquated to guarantee a secure vote, according to Georgia Public Broadcasting.

Rick Scott: I Knew Nothing about 2016 Florida Hacking: Senator Rick Scott says that was not told about hacking in Florida during the 2016 election, according to the Orlando Sentinel:

Scott said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he was never contacted by the Department of Homeland Security in 2016 about the attacks. The Republican said he learned about most of the details this year.

Vermont Repels Intrusion, Wants Fed Funding: Vermont’s online voter registration system successfully repelled an intrusion last August. That wasn’t pure luck, according to Secretary of State Jim Condos, who says that security progress is going made.

However, lack of funds from the federal government is a problem. Condos, according to the AP story, says that there is an ongoing debate over the role of the federal government in protecting state elections. Condos says that more money is needed from Washington. A key quote from Condos in the story:

“We cannot survive having a lump sum of money once every 10 to 15 years,” Condos said Friday. “We need ongoing sustainable funding in order to maintain this battle against bad actors like the Russians.”

Other stories of note: Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger discusses the state’s new BMD voting machines…Mark Warner tells Wired what he feels the Russians have up their sleeves for 2020…Andrew Grotto discusses election security and other cyber concerns. He directs the program on Geopolitics, Technology and Governance at Stanford University and is a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution, according to CNN…The Free Press in Mankato, MN, is not shy about pointing fingers. The first sentence of an editorial: “Inaction on election security by the GOP-led U.S. Senate would be remarkable if it wasn’t downright frightening.”

The post Protecting Elections Suddenly is a Hot Summer Topic appeared first on IT Business Edge.

The rise of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) work structures a decade ago caused intense concern in the telecommunications and enterprise ecosystems. While the inside-the-firewall/outside-the-firewall demarcation still existed, it was clear that the walls would soon come tumbling down. The day would come when a phone left on a train or swiped in a bar would be an existential threat to a company’s existence.

Where there are problems, there are opportunities. A raft of innovative technologies, with confusingly similar names and acronyms, developed to address these obvious security and related challenges. One of these is mobile application management (MAM) software. As the name implies, MAM focuses on supporting what is sent to and resides on the device, as opposed to the care and feeding of the device itself.

There is always a bit of fuzziness around product category names and their associated acronyms. This is caused by pushy marketing departments and substantive differences in vendor approaches. The overarching idea is to create a mesh that supports devices, data and apps wherever they are – and whatever they are in – across the enterprise. The support includes security, functionality improvements, management and other important capabilities. MAM provides a flexible element to this ambitious goal.

Where Does MAM Fit In?

Some MAM software is distributed through standalone app stores. However, most – as much as 80 percent to 90 percent — are modules in broader unified enterprise management (UEM) platforms, Chris Silva, a research vice president at Gartner, told IT Business Edge. Features such as app wrapping and PIN functions are added to corporate applications.

It’s a complex world. Ken Jochims, the director of Product Marketing for Arxan, told IT Business Edge that MDM and EMM focus on interacting with devices that are under the control of the organization. MAM differs in that it is useful for devices that are a step away from direct corporate control. “MAM … provides an effective alternative to MDM and EMM solutions when users or their devices are outside the enterprise purview, such as contractors, partners or unsanctioned BYODs,” Jochims said. “With true MAM solutions, business productivity apps can be deployed and run on unmanaged devices owned by employees, contractors and partners. Enterprise control is at the app level and provides app management and data monitoring to ensure oversight and data security across the user base.”

MAM is also not restricted to smartphones and tablets. “As organizations continue to mobilize their workforce, traditionally desktop-centric applications are making their way onto all devices — laptops, desktops, smartphones, tablets,” wrote Ryan Schwartz, a product marketing manager for IBM Maas360. “Aside from these third-party applications, many organizations have begun to develop or have already developed their own apps for internal use. Platforms such as MaaS360 need to address the demand for security surrounding the data on these apps while also providing end users a convenient and frictionless experience as not to break productivity.”

MAM: Balancing Security and Functionality

How much of MAM is about security and how much is about creating efficiencies and providing other advantages that are not directly related to security, such as segregating personal and corporate data?

The genesis of much the BYOD-inspired software is to protect data being used out of the office. Initially, this data was less likely to be the crown jewels of the organization. After all, culture grows as gradually as technology. Early on, C-level executives were less likely to indulge in what at that time was considered risky behavior. Over time, changing culture, more functional mobile devices, and advancing security have made the distinction all but disappear.

Protecting this data and providing end users with the functionality with which they are accustomed is tricky, but must be done. “A MAM platform must ensure secure use of mobile applications but also curate applications so that workers have access to applications based on their job role and productivity needs,” wrote Dan Dearing, the senior director of product marketing for Pulse Secure in response to emailed questions from IT Business Edge. “In a BYOD world, enterprises must also respect the line between what is the user’s private data (photos, applications, files, etc.) and what is sensitive corporate data.”

It’s all, or mostly, about security to Suneil Sastari, director of product management for SOTI. “MAM is primarily about security and controlling which applications which end users can have on their devices,” he wrote. “Security is at the core of MAM.”

Security is not a single task, however. “Any organization considering MAM is looking to verify that the right user is granted access to the right apps,” Sastari wrote. “Once apps are on the device, organizations may leverage MAM capabilities to prevent unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information within the app and enable the app to securely access network resources or backend services.”

Is MAM Still Evolving?

It’s not surprising that the mobile application management software segment continues to change. “MAM, like much of the device and user management space, continues to evolve,” wrote IBM MaaS360’s Schwartz. “Solutions providers develop new approaches to management as customer demand changes. For instance, IBM provides single sign-on (SSO) directly through its MaaS360 platform, which allows for a unified experience across work apps for end users, while bolstering security.”

There is a twist. The telecommunications and enterprise sectors are accustomed to thinking of progress as linear. The story may not be this simple in the MAM sector, however. The smartphone sector is not maintaining the growth levels of the past. Consumer markets are saturated and new features are not compelling enough to make large numbers of people upgrade. On the corporate side, there may be a pause as decision-makers wait for 5G devices to emerge. The impact of all this is that the universe of smartphones is likely a bit older than a few years ago.

This is the landscape within which new platforms are forming. “The MAM market continues to evolve, but the initial growth and excitement has tempered as the mobile device market itself has settled down, Pulse Secure’s Dearing wrote. “New mobile products are still being brought to market, such as the re-invented Palm device, that require innovation and consideration by MAM vendors.”

Are MAM platforms significantly different?

An important element of researching new corporate tools is to determine if competitors offer differentiated products or different versions of the same mousetraps. In the case of MAM, wrote Rajesh Ranganathan, the product manager for ManageEngine, the differences are not marginal.

Indeed, they can be significant. “[S]ome MAM platform vendors leveraged the OS-provided mobile application management capabilities to enable the application provisioning and security features,” Ranganathan wrote. “Other platforms deliver additional capabilities by providing application wrapping functionalities like app tunneling, controlling copy and paste, screenshots with the app, etc. A few platforms even inject the required management and security codes during post-development and deliver similar capabilities for the applications developed in-house.”

What questions should an enterprise ask a prospective MAM vendor?

In evaluating MAM software solutions, asking questions that address granular features and how the solution will deal with big-picture trends is key. These questions to prospective vendors delve into both areas.

• Do you support secure application access from managed/unmanaged devices?
• Do you provide data loss prevention security policies and application configuration for both in-house developed apps and public store apps?
• What applications do you support — SaaS, on-premises, etc.?
• What types of security controls can be enacted on the applications?
• What is the user experience like for a managed app — i.e., if a user has been accessing applications from an unmanaged device, will they need to adapt to a new process?
• Is the MAM solution being offered truly a MAM solution?

Does it require user device enrollment (not a true MAM solution)?

Does it access the device allowing access to personal data? (not a true MAM solution)?

Does it support unrestricted access for non-employees (if no, not a true MAM solution)?

• Does your solution support Android and iOS devices equally?
• Does your solution support any and all apps?

• How will you service/support my organization?
• How are software enhancements developed and prioritized?
• What are your update/release cycles?
• Do you secure and provide an always-on connection end-to-end between the device and application?

• Do you distinguish between the user’s data and corporate data?
• Are you managing the device itself, such as the OS, or are you managing the applications and data alone?
• Do you support Apple VPP, managed Google Play, and Microsoft Store scenarios?
• What custom installation options can you provide on devices that are not fully MDM-managed?
• Can you quantify how many of the app stores’ apps you can wrap or control?
• What capabilities does a MAM only vendor offer that can’t be delivered via an EMM solution?
• Is the MAM solution app-specific?
• What type of apps can be managed?

The post Enterprise MAM Software appeared first on IT Business Edge.

There are ambitious mobile application management platforms (MAM) available. In some cases, this functionality is delivered in standalone MAM platforms. In others, it comes as a module in a broader suite of services. In either case, the tasks MAM performs are vital.

It is easy to get lost in acronyms and details, said Scott Lawrence, the vice president for Performance and Analytics for consulting firm AOTMP, a telecom management and training firm. “First, the platform must be intuitive and easy to use. Enterprises do not have time to figure out how MAM software is supposed to work,” wrote. “Second, and maybe more important, is the service and support provided by the vendor. There is nothing more frustrating to an enterprise when they are unable to resolve their issues or get answers to questions in a timely manner.”

Best Mobile Application Management Tools and Vendors

Pulse Secure’s Workspace

The platform provides simplified, secure access with single sign-on (SSO) and certificate-based authentication offers rapid application access. Applications can be curated by group and can be pushed to users in a mandated fashion or downloaded at their convenience. Device container security for iOS and Android includes encryption of all data, controlled data sharing between apps, on-demand VPN, policy-based split tunneling and enterprise wipe.

ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus

The platform enforces data loss prevention with customizable corporate security policies that secure mobile data when it’s at rest, in use and in transit. It secures sensitive business data, including information that’s stored on misplaced or stolen devices.

The platform combats shadow IT by managing and distributing both in-house and store apps to employee- and corporate-owned devices. It manages app licenses and controls app updates to ensure devices are provisioned with the required apps. It tests, schedules and deploys OS updates based on organizational requirements.

The platform automates device provisioning and access controls by setting up automated enrollment to bring mobile devices under management before unboxing them. Once enrolled, the platform auto-assigns devices to groups based on internal departments. Security policies, access controls, and apps associated with these groups will be automatically applied to these devices.

IBM MaaS360 with Watson

The platform includes a leading container app solution for secure productivity that is deployed in most highly regulated environments. Alongside its container, MaaS360 also offers identity and access management with single sign-on and conditional access capabilities out of the box. With Watson, MaaS360 Advisor provides real-time risk insights and recommended remediation path.

Arxan

The Apperian MAM features private enterprise app stores, secure app distribution and app security and management policies. All are supported by Arxan’s platform-as-a-service offering, which allows for extensibility, automation and customization.

Appaloosa Store

The approach is a native app store with “silent” instance, update, wipe and instant deployment.

SOTI MobiControl

The platform can silently install, update or remove apps on devices based on whether an authorized user of the device has been granted access to the app. It can integrate with the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to deploy apps that have been authorized or purchased by the organization. A third capability is to enforce DLP to disable sharing of data within a managed application to an unmanaged application such as an individual’s personal DropBox account.

Microsoft Intune

Multi-identity, Selective Wipe (available only via iOS and Android platforms). Users can open web links securely through Intune Managed Browser app and app protection policies.

MobileIron

The top features are a rich set of security policies, passwordless authentication, and a robust app discovery experience for the end user.

Top Mobile Application Management (MAM) Tool Comparison Chart

The post Best Mobile Application Management Software & Tools 2021 appeared first on IT Business Edge.

There will never be a year in which mobile security is not a major enterprise issue and concern. It comes with the territory. At the same time, however, every year is different. How is 2019 shaping up? Not surprisingly, it is destined to present a characteristically scary array of potential problems.

David Slight, the North America president of Quora Consulting, was purposefully repetitive about what will dominate enterprise mobility during the year ahead. “Security, security, security,” he wrote. “This will dominate in 2019. Enterprises will continue to rollout device management and identify management solutions to keep control not just of access to the networks but also control of corporate information. Mobile users will see continued growth in two-factor authentication and VPN access solutions from home offices or when co-working.”

Here are some of the key security issues with which the mobilized enterprise will deal during the year ahead:

The Year of WPA-3: An important transition occurred last year concerning the WPA-2 standard that the industry has used for a decade, according to Chris Koeneman, the senior vice president of Strategic Solutions at Tangoe. The standard, he wrote, has been “remarkably successful.” All good things must come to an end, however. Vulnerabilities have been found and exploited during the past two years.

Thus, WPA-3 was introduced last year. The year ahead, Koeneman says, will see the standard rolled out into the field. This will require significant work, including an upgrade to the 192-bit encryption in WPA-2. “To use this enhancement, an enterprise will have to update its RADIUS service,” Koeneman wrote. “WPA-3 for public networks (open access) will use a completely new encryption format called OWE. OWE prevents snooping and session hijacking. Wi-Fi access points will have to be upgraded to support WPA-3 … This will usher in an era of more secure access for mobile devices connecting to both public and enterprise networks.”

Problems in the home not abating — and threaten home office security: In its annual comprehensive look at security, Trend Micro had some interesting things to say about enterprise mobility. A trend next year, the firm predicts, will be that the home will become a more popular attack vector. The firm said this is due to the fact that smart devices and home offices are becoming more popular. These devices are often used for both business and private purposes. This, clearly, is an inherently insecure structure. The mini-drama will continue to be played out during the year ahead.

Gearing up for 5G: A big issue in 2019 will be the rollout of 5G. As with any intensive new technology, security will be a central concern. The rollout of 5G mobile devices, which will be technically challenging and expensive, won’t be widely available this year. But the die will be cast, according to Symantec:

Over time, more 5G IoT devices will connect directly to the 5G network rather than via a Wi-Fi router. This trend will make those devices more vulnerable to direct attack. For home users, it will also make it more difficult to monitor all IoT devices since they bypass a central router. More broadly, the ability to back-up or transmit massive volumes of data easily to cloud-based storage will give attackers rich new targets to breach.

It is likely that 2019 will be a preparatory year for 5G security. Carriers and their ecosystems are advised to use this time wisely.

The IoT is the Internet of Threats: The IoT is comprised of millions – perhaps billions – of endpoints. Each is nominal because costs must be kept down and ways found to power them. This means that there is little on-board security. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that IoT devices are readily available to hackers and crackers.

This means the IoT is a massive security challenge, and one that is growing. Moshe Kranc, the chief technology officer at Ness Digital Engineering, told InformationWeek that the IoT represents a tremendous threat because systems are primitive and vulnerable to attack. His advice is to hire outside penetration firms to help find the weak spots before the “real” bad guys do.

Vendors may not be paying enough attention. “I believe IoT security will continue to present challenges, though primarily in the raw scope of problem rather than any new types of vulnerabilities,” wrote WatchGuard CTO Corey Nachreiner in response to emailed questions from IT Business Edge. “There are just so many IoT devices flooding the market and few vendors take secure design into consideration.”

Criminals will think globally, act locally: A pernicious reality is that people – both in their private lives and at work – are careless, sloppy and gullible. This makes the bad actors’ jobs easier, since they can work around the people and networks who do care about security.

Expect this to continue in 2019.  “So where will the threat come from?” asked Joel Windels, the vice president of Global Marketing at NetMotion. “The chances are it will either be network-related – it’s much easier to compromise a single Wi-Fi connection than it is to bypass iOS security systems – or that it will be another type of compromise altogether: the user. Phishing, for example, is shifting away from email and toward mobile at an alarming pace.”

Prepare for mobile credentials: Though it won’t play a major role this year, the Security Industry Association (SIA) wrote that businesses should start preparing for the use of mobile devices to provide secure access via Bluetooth and near-field communications (NFC). “While we are likely two to three years out from a true mobile credentialing explosion, the focus of the technology for 2019 will be increased comfort with the public using mobile devices to complete transactions outside of access control,” Joe Gittens, SIA’s director of standards.

The bottom line is that the year ahead will look a lot like the one that just ended. Things usually don’t change dramatically because a new calendar is pinned to the wall. One thing that definitely will remain constant is that the main vulnerability is people. “We are becoming wiser in terms of mobile security, but there is still a long way to go, according to Steve Tcherchian, the CISSP of XYPRO. “Humans and their conveniences are proving still to be the weakest link. As such, security departments are going to need to take more control back to better manage risk for the business.”

Carl Weinschenk covers telecom for IT Business Edge. He writes about wireless technology, disaster recovery/business continuity, cellular services, the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine communications and other emerging technologies and platforms. He also covers net neutrality and related regulatory issues. Weinschenk has written about the phone companies, cable operators and related companies for decades and is senior editor of Broadband Technology Report. He can be reached at cweinsch@optonline.net and via twitter at @DailyMusicBrk.

The post What’s in Store for Mobile Enterprise Security in 2019 appeared first on IT Business Edge.

It’s a given that more people are working outside of traditional office environments now than even a couple of years ago. The mix of increasingly powerful devices, super-fast (and accelerating) networks and the lifestyle changes those technologies create are relocating the office to wherever the worker happens to be.

That trend will continue during 2019. One particularly interesting and promising element is that wireless networking is accelerating to the point that it is more or less as fast as wired networks. This is a major milestone. One Gigabit per second (Gbps) connectivity became available in many more places during 2018 than before. Indeed, it almost is commonplace.

Here are samples of announcements that were made during 2018:

* Last December, Multichannel News reported that some businesses and customers in 12 cities (Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Louisville, Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Raleigh, San Antonio and Waco) were to get free Netgear Nighthawk mobile hotspots that are capable of connecting to AT&T’s 5G network.

* In a January 2019 roundup of 5G activity, Tom’s Guide said that Verizon will introduce a 5G phone this year and AT&T said it will introduce two. LG is on track to offer a 5G phone that will be exclusive to Sprint, which is being acquired by T-Mobile.

* Verizon and AT&T are engaging in a war of words over what constitutes 5G, according to Lightreading’s Mike Dano. This sort of fighting is a sure sign that the companies are getting serious about commercialized services.

What Mobile Workers Want

There are many more announcements of expanded services. Significantly, many of these came from small and rural service providers. The projects already announced will be ongoing during 2019 and more will be announced. It is quite a change. It’s one thing to be able to work at home a bit. It’s another to have access to network speeds that were not even universal in corporate offices just a few years ago.

An important change – and one that directly affects mobile workers – will occur in 2019: 5G will make the full leap from the lab and field trials into commercial deployment.

That transition started last year, but will accelerate in 2019. The process will differ depending upon the carrier. Verizon and AT&T will use the high frequency millimeter (mmWave) band, while T-Mobile and Sprint (either as a single company or individually) will focus on already commonly used 600 MHz spectrum.

The difference between the two approaches is significant to mobile workers. Since the T-Mobile approach uses existing technology, the carrier’s version of 5G will be more widely deployed more quickly. The key question is whether or not the performance difference between mmWave and 600 MHz 5G matters to mobile workers. Just because T-Mobile calls its platform 5G doesn’t mean that it provides all the features and functionality that have long been promised.

The approach taken by AT&T and Verizon means that truly mobile 5G networks won’t be available as quickly. That doesn’t mean that the two largest carriers in the country won’t be serving mobile workers with 5G during 2019, however. The two carriers are using the technology to support fixed wireless access (FWA) to remote and underserved areas.

FWA is a win for both the carriers and home workers. The telcos will begin generating revenue, which is a significant step considering how costly the 5G development cycle has been. Rural workers, which traditionally are underserved due to the cost barriers of deploying fiber, will gain access to far higher speed connectivity than they have had to date.

David Slight, the president of U.S. Operations for Quora Consulting, suggests that 5G won’t be a panacea to remote and mobile workers because it will only affect the last mile. Still, he told IT Business Edge that it will be a factor. “For remote workers roaming the streets and working from cafes (in areas with service), then having your own 5G hotspot in your pocket, instead of relying on Starbucks Wi-Fi, will keep you connected at higher speeds with lower latency.”

Consumers and enterprises have been hearing a lot about 5G for a few years. The development curve has accelerated due to competition and the reality that ecosystems have been down this road so often that they are better than they used to be at bringing products  to market. This means that the big news for mobile workers in 2019 will be the availability of 5G. The first wave will be FWA, and the second, which will emerge later in the year, will be full mobility. Meanwhile, wired speeds will be more widely available to telecommuters. All in all, it will be a good year for distributed workforces.

Carl Weinschenk covers telecom for IT Business Edge. He writes about wireless technology, disaster recovery/business continuity, cellular services, the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine communications and other emerging technologies and platforms. He also covers net neutrality and related regulatory issues. Weinschenk has written about the phone companies, cable operators and related companies for decades and is senior editor of Broadband Technology Report. He can be reached at cweinsch@optonline.net and via twitter at @DailyMusicBrk.

The post Mobile Workers Will Begin Gaining 5G Access in 2019 appeared first on IT Business Edge.

Mobile work has become a core way in which organizations operate. Clearly, that influence will grow as time passes.

The year ahead should see some soul searching – or at least rethinking – by C-suite executives. Chris Havrilla, the vice president of HR Technology and Solution Provider Strategy at
Bersin, Deloitte Consulting LLP, suggested that the way in which C-suite executives communicate must evolve.

Acknowledgement of the ramifications of these changes on the workforce must start at the top. “CxOs at leading companies understand that working, collaborating, and interacting as a team is now essential — and are reorganizing around this model in an effort to tackle the complex issues businesses face today,” he wrote. “The bottom line is that executives must change with the times. As digital and workforce disruption, and competitive issues continue, the C-suite must focus on becoming as team-centric, networked, and agile as sales, operations, and other functional areas of the organization have already become.”

The established paradigm is for mid-level executives and just about everyone on the technology side of the house to seek buy-in and support from the C-suite. Havrilla is suggesting that the changes that are buffeting the enterprise – with mobility high on the list – are turning the common wisdom on its head. Now, he says, corporate leadership is – or should be – doing more to adjust to this transformed landscape.

The idea is that the mobility and off-site work fundamentally changes the relationship between employees and the organization. It’s far more complex than simply figuring out how to do the same job in a different setting.

Satisfying the Needs of the Mobile Workforce

The goal is to create a fulfilled and enthusiastic workforce despite the fact that it is dispersed. “Developing workforce management strategies that leverage open talent workforces to meet the organization’s changing needs,” he wrote. “Working with managers supervising contingent workers to shift their focus toward these workers’ engagement and productivity, instead of concentrating strictly on task performance. Creating development opportunities and performance management approaches to help give off-balance-sheet workers access to learning experiences and coaching while engaged with your organization.”

The progress being made on getting the C-suite in sync with the times seems to be mixed. Havrilla said that 85 percent of respondents in Bersin’s Global Human Capital Trends report rated C-suite collaboration as important or very important, and organizations with the highest level of “CxO cross-collaboration” are most likely to anticipate growth of 10 percent or more.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that it isn’t happening as much as it should be. Havrilla said that 73 percent of respondents — a figure he called “shocking” — said that the C-suite folks in their organizations rarely or never work together on projects.

The massive change that mobility represents will continue, of course. In a post at Forbes, Blink CEO Sean Nolan wrote that a barrier to enterprise adoption of mobility is the dearth of well-designed apps. Another problem is ensuring adequate compliance. For all the talk, the industry is not being proactive, at least according to Nolan:

Yet the industry hasn’t even scratched the surface. The current mobile enterprise landscape is virtually nonexistent, even though usable mobile enterprise apps would benefit every single employee. Developing mobile enterprise apps that are easy and efficient to use is a big step towards achieving new levels of productivity.

The industry has risen to the challenge before. The rise of bring your own device (BYOD) work structures introduced serious management, privacy and security issues. The ecosystem saw the danger and responded with a number of similar but differentiated software approaches, such as mobile device management and mobile application management (MDM and MAM), that aim to manage devices in ways that protect the organization and its data while respecting the rights (and family photos) of the person who owns the device.

It is a work in progress, however. Satish Shetty, the CEO of mobile management firm Codeproof Technologies, last fall told IT Business Edge that challenges remain. He said that fragmentation is still a problem for Android, cross management of Android-iOS devices is tricky because they have different enrollment policies and methods, and operating system updates are problematic on both platforms.

The lion’s share of the focus of mobility during the past decade has been on technical issues. How can IT departments securely support an increasingly mobile and dispersed work force? What tools and policies will protect the organization? What processes are necessary to ensure that employees get the services they need? These all are important questions, of course. A less-discussed area is how that mobility changes how people work and how they feel about their jobs. The year ahead may see more focus on this important topic.

Carl Weinschenk covers telecom for IT Business Edge. He writes about wireless technology, disaster recovery/business continuity, cellular services, the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine communications and other emerging technologies and platforms. He also covers net neutrality and related regulatory issues. Weinschenk has written about the phone companies, cable operators and related companies for decades and is senior editor of Broadband Technology Report. He can be reached at cweinsch@optonline.net and via twitter at @DailyMusicBrk.

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The mobile landscape has exploded during the past decade or two. Consequently, many approaches to controlling that environment have emerged. The field has mainly coalesced into three categories: mobile device management, mobile application management, and enterprise mobility management (MDM, MAM and EMM). MDM and MAM are subsets of EMM, which also has its own unique qualities. Identity access management (IAM) is also related but not directly grouped with the other categories.

MDM is a major element of the fight to secure devices and there are many ambitious options in the MDM sector. Following are key facts about leading MDM platforms from Baramundi, Codeproof, IBM, MobileIron, Cisco Meraki, SOTI, VMware, Microsoft Intune and ManageEngine.

Best MDM Tools & Vendors

Baramundi Management Suite with Mobile Devices Module

The platform covers the entire device lifecycle, simplifying configuration using cross-platform user profiles. Devices are fully managed, including outside the company network, and private devices used in BYOD scenarios are managed. The platform offers mobile application management functionalities including blacklisting and whitelisting.

Codeproof Technologies

Signup and enrollment can be done in less than three minutes. The platform features a tab-based policy editor and mobile management device tree. Policy inheritance features enable policies to be set at the group levels, with different policies at the sub-group or node levels. Security policies and restrictions are instantly updated through a centralized dashboard.

IBM MaaS360 with Watson

The Advisor platform relies on Watson, Big Blue’s distributed artificial intelligence technology, to provide a wide range of information to IT and security personnel. Single sign-on (SSO) via MaaS360 Identity Management enables quick access to approved apps and other security-related features. Patch and update management identifies macOS and Windows laptops that are out of compliance and pushes updates or schedules installations to eliminate the problem.

MobileIron’s MDM platform

tightly couples mobility and cloud services. The MDM platform separates personal and business data on the device, enforces encryption and security policies and uses certificate-based authentication. The automated security element has a tiered and automated compliance engine. Threat scans are continually conducted.

SOTI

Soti’s platform has three elements. SOTI MobiControl is an enterprise mobility solution that secures, supports and manages Android, iOS, Linux, Mac and Windows devices. SOTI Assist is a help desk solution that provides quick analysis and resolution of mobile device and application issues from anywhere, at any time. SOTI Snap reduces the cost and complexity of mobile app development and allows connection with backend systems.

VMware Workspace ONE Unified Endpoint Management

VMware’s platform unifies endpoint management across all operating systems, including QNX and Tizen. VMware’s MDM simplifies access and application management and delivers secure access to cloud, mobile, web and Windows applications on any smartphone, tablet or laptop. Workspace ONE UEM offers a “layered and comprehensive security approach that encompasses the user, endpoint, app, data and network.” ONE UEM simplifies deployment, streamlines application delivery and automates patching.

Microsoft Intune

InTune provides agnostic enrollment, registration, and management of devices. It provides extensive device inventory and management functions that distinguish between devices owned by the organization and personal devices. InTune and Azure together offer management and visibility of assets and data valuable to the organization.

Cisco Meraki System Manager

The System Manager platform is highly customizable and simplifies cross-operating system endpoint management with a strong focus on integrating with customer networks to share endpoint visibility and apply policies. Android Enterprise, Chrome OS, iOS, macOS, Windows and Apple TV devices are managed. System Manager supports hundreds of device-level restrictions and complete application management support.

ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus

The platform offers customizable policies that secure data at rest, in use and in transit. The platform aims to eliminate shadow IT with seamless management and distribution of both in-house and store apps to employee- and corporate-owned devices. ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus sets up automated enrollment that brings mobile devices under management before they are unboxed. Enrolled devices are auto assigned to groups based on internal department. Properties associated with the device, including security policies, access controls and apps, are automatically applied.

Top Mobile Device Management Tool Comparison Chart

The following chart details top features and points of comparison for these leading MDM tools:

The post Best MDM Solutions for 2021 appeared first on IT Business Edge.

The IT and telecommunications industries have spent a decade or so struggling to keep pace with the massive changes in how people work and the related evolution in how business communications are structured. These changes are mostly tied to the explosion of mobility. Questions of device ownership (BYOD), securing employee data and corporate data, dealing with apps with unclear levels of security, ensuring the safety of employee data on shared devices, and other significant challenges characterize this highly fluid and mobile environment.

The industry has responded with a number of approaches. As is common in such a fast-paced environment, new features in some cases are added to existing platforms, transforming them forever. Often, these changes led to new categories. And, as usual, the distinction between categories can be fuzzy.

For the most part, however, the names of the categories aptly suggest their focus. Mobile device management (MDM) software oversees smartphones, tablets and other mobile communications devices. Mobile application management (MAM) focuses on issues such as ensuring that the apps folks download into their devices are secure. Enterprise mobility management (EMM) combines MDM and MAM. Unified endpoint management (UEM) manages all endpoints – including desktops – and enables them to be managed from a single platform.

It’s a complex set of solutions, which is natural because they are addressing a complex set of problems.

What Is MDM?

MDM deals with the basics of securing devices. It was the first response once the mobile ecosystem figured out that people were doing real work with real (and sometimes valuable and sensitive) data from mobile devices. “[MDM] is all about being able to enroll, view, manage, and protect devices themselves,” wrote John Nielsen, the director of MaaS360 Offering Management for IBM Security, an IBM business unit. MDM’s capabilities include the ability to lock, locate and, if necessary, wipe data off devices.

MDM therefore is a foundational element of security mobility.

“[MDM] describes the management and securing of an employee- or corporate-owned mobile device by enrolling into an MDM platform and installing locally a management profile that contains security policies, device restrictions, app entitlements, etc.,” wrote Jeff McGrath, the senior director of product managing and end-user computing for VMware. “For example, enabling local device encryption, setting a password policy, and being able to wipe the device or just the corporate apps. For most organizations, MDM is table stakes to allow devices to access corporate data and apps.”

How do Companies Handle BYOD?

Codeproof Technologies CEO Satish Shetty thinks that BYOD is still a “security nightmare” that is a tradeoff with no perfect answers. “It often comes down to a choice between employee flexibility vs. data security,” Shetty told IT Business Edge. “BYOD brings variety of devices into the enterprise, which makes it really hard to manage them. Some of the legacy devices are a big security risk and are not manageable through EMM as the device’s OS doesn’t support containerization and advanced management API frameworks.”

On the other hand, MobileIron Chief Strategy Officer Ojas Rege thinks the category has matured. “Seventy-eight percent of MobileIron customers at our Americas user conferences in May/June 2018 have a BYOD program,” he wrote. “It’s usually 10-50 percent of their devices. The main value of BYOD is not cost savings – that’s a misperception – it’s user experience and employee satisfaction because you give the user choice.”

The two executives are not disagreeing. Shetty is addressing the continued existence of the challenge, while Rege is referring to the fact that BYOD and its value are well understood by those trying to make it work. The overall feeling is that MDM and other tools have evolved to the point that they can tackle what clearly is an ongoing challenge.

How Is MDM Evolving?

BYOD may be the highest profile challenge in securing the enterprise in the era of decentralized and mobile work. But it is far from the only issue to think about.

Organizations are seeking support for many other types of endpoints. SOTI Director of Product Marketing Suneil Sastri wrote that these include point-of-service devices, unmanned kiosks, digital displays, printers, scanners, smart watches and even mini-bar refrigerators. The bottom line is that the mobile landscape is broadening and MDM and its sister technologies will have to support it. “Businesses require a significantly broader range of device types to run their operations end-to-end, especially with the emergence of IoT,” Sastri wrote.

A complementary issue, according 360Maas’s Nielsen, is that more business is done outside the enterprise. This means that steps must be taken to ensure security on mobile devices and wherever that data is stored. “Compliance with privacy regulations has become a much larger emphasis this year,” Nielsen said. “Organizations need to be totally aware of where data is stored, whether it’s stored securely, if the way it is being stored adheres to regulations, whether corporate data will remain in-country, and how end-user privacy is being preserved.”

New scenarios are also emerging. Codeproof identifies three: corporate owned/personally enabled, corporate owned/business only, and corporate/owned, single use.

What Questions Should an Enterprise Ask a Prospective Vendor?

In evaluating MDM software solutions, asking questions that address granular features and how the solution will deal with big-picture trends is key. These questions to prospective vendors delve into both areas.

• How does the solution keep up with the trends to Unified Endpoint Management?
• Does the solution go beyond native MDM to profile full PC management?
• What application types – SaaS, native, web, virtual – can be enabled across devices?
• How does the solution secure applications and infrastructure while enabling the access users want to applications and services?
• What array of operating systems is supported?
• How can the solution integrate into our existing infrastructure?
• What kind of security infrastructure does the solution have in place to protect our data?
• Is the security model multi-OS, multi-cloud, and multi-identity?
• What AI and advanced analytics does the solution provide my team?
• How does the platform make my team aware of risks, opportunities, and information that will influence better overall decision making?
• How does the solution free up team resources and reduce the amount of time we need to spend conducting research?
• Does the platform support company-owned and/or BYOD management?
• Does the MDM solution provide features such as restrict device erase, app blacklisting, kiosk mode, email management, etc.?
• What different types of device enrollment methods does the MDM solution offer?
• What internal IT resources would I need to enroll and manage the devices using the MDM solution?
• How does or will this fit into my current operations and management systems?
• Is this a separate system that requires separate monitoring and headcount or diversion of current staff and resources?
• How much of this solution can be automated and how scalable is it?
• How flexible is the solution to support and integrate what I have without forcing me to rip and replace overnight?
• Am I getting the benefits from the cloud for intelligence, recommendations, AI, security and in other areas?

To go deeper, see Top Mobile Device Management Tools for the Enterprise, which compares features, pricing and more for several leading MDM solutions.

What Are the Big MDM Issues Going Forward?

The evolution in work structures created by the mobilization of the enterprise is nowhere near complete. Baramundi Executive Sales Manager Bob Troup told IT Business Edge that some of the key issues going forward will be automating enrollment, data access and protection, application access and control, integration of mobile management within the IT infrastructure and business operations. “There will be a lot of moving pieces, no pun intended,” he wrote.

It seems that the challenges and issues will grow as time passes. Microsoft Intune suggests that most companies will not be able to do the entire job – from security to making sure mobile employees have the level of connectivity they need — on their own.

“Companies are still dealing with rebuilding an infrastructure that enables the modern workplace,” the company said in a statement. “This requires companies to really think about their needs and find solutions that cover multiple use cases and platforms that are architected to work with the melting of the traditional perimeter.”

The fast-moving elements driving demand for the best MDM solutions are varied. “Customers wrestle with how to manage a wide range of legacy and modern endpoint devices, how to provide the best end-user experience (such as getting the right apps to the right users), and how to secure corporate, school, payment, financial and patient data,” wrote Cisco Meraki Product Manager Stewart Fife.

The bottom line is simple: The stress of a decentralized and mobile workforce will continue into the foreseeable future and vendors and their clients will continue to innovate.

The post What Is Mobile Device Management (MDM)? appeared first on IT Business Edge.

North Canton Schools (Ohio) are using AI and machine learning to improve wireless services and make life much easier for those running the network.

The district consists of 11 buildings and serves about 4,400 students. Wireless is ubiquitous: Students, faculty and staff connect and it is used for devices such as projectors. It’s a fractious environment, says Jon Strong, the co-founder and managing partner of Technology Engineering Group (TEC), which manages the network. “Schools are the most brutal environment for wireless,” he told IT Business Edge. “It has the most variables and is the most uncontrolled.”

There are two deeply related elements to what the stakeholders – the school system, TEG and the vendor, Mist – are doing to address the challenge. The first focuses on the overall approach to managing the devices and diagnosing problems. The second involves AI, machine learning and natural language processing.

The school system had relied on Cisco Meraki equipment, some of which remains. In the initial architecture, which is common in WLANs, the system assessed problems and collected management data from the core looking “downward” toward individual users. The problem is that the device itself is not part of the equation. The closest point to the device that is being assessed is its access point (AP). Information generated in this top-down approach, Strong said, “is never deep enough, never real-time enough, never complete enough.”

The system is using 300 Mist AP 41 802.11ac access points and the company’s Assuance Cloud service. Mist’s approach is to work in the other direction — from the device to the core of the network. If, for instance, a student on a Chromebook is sitting behind a filing cabinet, a traditional top-down approach wouldn’t readily identify the obstruction as the problem or even know that there is a device looking for connectivity.

The Mist approach would, because the Chromebook would connect to the Mist AP via Bluetooth Low Energy and provide the key data. “For our customers who are leveraging BLE, we are using the employees as proxy testers on the Wi-Fi side, and there is a mobile device component to the data element,” wrote Mist CTO Bob Friday in response to questions from IT Business Edge. “On the data side, we take the data from the Access Point, the data from the client, and the virtual assistant injects data from these points.”

The system also manages the network more generally. Running such a chaotic environment is difficult. Bandwidth is limited and there is a complex interplay between channel use (channelization) and power allocations in adjacent sectors. “No mere mortal can hunt and peck all those scenarios,” Strong said. “It’s impossible.”

The AI provides system management and machine learning that enables the system to adapt over time based on changing conditions. “Over time, the system will create a baseline of your environment and make recommendations of what is needed,” Strong said. “The first two most tangible will be the channelization and power settings of the AP.”

The machine learning element harnesses that profile and the data is amassed and used to limit issues in the future. Machine learning, Strong said, “is using the AI results over time to do something, to move forward.”

AI is the key element of Mist’s platform. “AI is not an ‘element’ per se, rather, it’s the concept of building a system that does something on par with a human,” Friday wrote. “To build that system, the elements needed are deeply integrated — these include Natural Language Processing (NLP), a variety of machine learning algorithms and the data set, including user information from the edge.”

Mist also uses Marvis, a virtual assistant, to make it easier for technicians to use the platform. In the future, techs will be able to verbally ask the system about current levels and other details. At this point, however, the platform relies on written input from the tech. “It’s very enabling,” Strong said. “As an end user, I can troubleshoot the site on what is going on right now.”

Carl Weinschenk covers telecom for IT Business Edge. He writes about wireless technology, disaster recovery/business continuity, cellular services, the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine communications and other emerging technologies and platforms. He also covers net neutrality and related regulatory issues. Weinschenk has written about the phone companies, cable operators and related companies for decades and is senior editor of Broadband Technology Report. He can be reached at cweinsch@optonline.net and via twitter at @DailyMusicBrk.

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