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Mobile Management: A Potential Goldmine for the Channel

 
 
By Michael Vizard
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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    1 - Statement Best Describing Enterprise Mobility
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    What Statement Best Describes Enterprise Mobility?

    Mobile computing expectations are definitely starting to rise: 28% freely work on any device from any location; 22% access the corporate network from outside the office; 21% access business apps and edit files from a mobile device.
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    2 - Mobile Strategy's Importance to the Business
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    How Important Mobile Strategy Is to the Business

    To one degree or another, mobile computing is a major initiative for most: 24% say mobile can transform our business; 21% say mobile is key to differentiating our company; 17% say mobile can transform our business, but we have competing priorities.
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    3 - Organizations With a Formal Mobile Strategy
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    Organizations With a Formal Mobile Strategy

    Almost half are still looking to implement a mobile strategy: yes, 47%; no, but plan to in six months, 20%; no, but plan to in one year, 15%; no, but plan to in more than a year, 9%; no plans, 8%.
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    4 - Mobile Strategy's Importance to the Business
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    Mobile Strategy's Importance to the Business

    Almost three-quarters attach a high level of importance: utmost importance, 34%; very important, 37%; important, 19%; not very important, 7%; not at all, 2%.
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    5 - Respondents Cited Top Priorities
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    Respondents Cited Top Priorities

    There's plenty of work to go around for the channel: increased development of mobile apps, 45%; increased adoption of file-sharing/collaboration, 44%; improving network performance and access, 43%; increased adoption of device management, 42%.
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    6 - Additional Priorities
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    Additional Priorities

    These are also top-of-mind: increase adoption of mobile-application management, 39%; increase migration to SaaS/Web apps, 38%; improve deployment of security software, 37%; high-usage apps get a mobile client, 36%.
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    7 - Extent Respondents Said They Enable Mobile Computing
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    Extent Respondents Said They Enable Mobile Computing

    Mobile computing in the enterprise is a still a work in progress: 29% fully enable and encourage; 23% allow but only using corporate devices; 17% only allow certain people; 14% allow but don't encourage; 8% have a policy against it, but allow exceptions.
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    8 - Degree Mobile Will Provide a Competitive Edge
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    Degree Mobile Will Provide a Competitive Edge

    Well over half think mobile will be key: mobile is the greatest factor, 25%; fairly important, 38%; significant, 24%; not that important, 9%; no competitive edge, 4%.
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    9 - Mobile's Business Benefits
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    Mobile's Business Benefits

    These were the top reasons to buy into mobile: ability to execute more tasks quickly, 62%; greater flexibility to meet customer needs, 55%; increased employee motivation, 47%; reduction in costs, 46%; increased productivity, 45%; improved business continuity, 45%.
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    10 - Do You Allow BYOD?
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    Do You Allow BYOD?

    Most are already well down this path: currently and looking to encourage, 71%; still evaluating, 11%; never, 12%.
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    11 - Top Mobile App Concerns
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    Top Mobile App Concerns

    Mobile introduces many challenges that need addressing: maintaining data privacy mandates, 46%; managing access control, 45%; IT departments losing control, 45%; security, 44%.
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    12 - What Mobile Platforms Do You Now, or Plan to, Support?
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    What Mobile Platforms Do You Now, or Plan to, Support?

    Google Android leads by a wide margin, but Windows 8 does surprisingly well: Google Android, 72%; Apple iOS, 54%; Windows 8, 46%; BlackBerry, 35%; Windows Mobile, 32%.
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    13 - Top Mobile Technologies Supported or Planned
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    Top Mobile Technologies Supported or Planned

    This creates a wealth of mobile computing opportunities for the channel: mobile-device management, 48%; mobile-application management, 47%; application virtualization, 41%; desktop virtualization, 40%.
 

Mobile computing has clearly already made a huge impact on every aspect of the enterprise. Despite this progress, a global survey of 1,700 senior IT directors conducted by Vanson Bourne on behalf of Citrix makes it clear that IT organizations are struggling with how to manage mobile computing across the enterprise. That's a trend that creates a significant amount of opportunity for solution providers in the channel. The research shows that mobile-device management and mobile-application management are at the top of the priority list. But there's also strong interest in everything from desktop and application virtualization to file sharing and mobile-application development. In addition, given the huge number of unidentified devices accessing corporate networks, security has also become a major concern. Not surprisingly, in terms of mobile computing platforms, Google Android and Apple iOS are at the top of the list. But demand is strong for mobile systems running Windows 8. All in all, mobile computing could wind up being one of the best megatrends to come down the channel pike since the PC itself.

 
This article was originally published on 2013-12-04