Mobile devices and Google Apps

One of the most compelling reasons to move to a cloud e-mail provider like Google Apps is the fact that your e-mail can securely be made available to you and your mobile devices, wherever you are. Gone are the days of having to create a VPN connection back to the office before you would be able to connect to an e-mail server!

While users love the fact they can access corporate e-mail on mobile devices — even those they provide themselves — corporate IT departments like to know what is connecting to their services, and to ensure that adequate security policies are available on any devices that can connect to corporate information.

In today’s world, staff commonly have a mobile device that is newer and more powerful than what a business provides — especially if the business has a standard device which it only updates every few years. This is the same “consumerization of IT” that tells us if you do not offer as good an e-mail solution as what you can get for free on the Internet, people will simply route around your internal communication system. Another compelling reason to adopt Google Apps!

Google’s mobile management functions allow you to control which of your user groups can use the mobile sync features to download e-mail onto a device, as well as security features for that device, including password strength and device encryption (for supported devices).

You can also get information about trends in your mobile fleet, including software version number:

And of course, you can find your Android devices on a map:

Meanwhile, BlackBerry manufacturers RIM are hoping to stem the flow of enterprise users and remain relevant by releasing a management platform for iOS and Android devices. BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, currently in beta, is due in March 2012. Google’s tool is ready today, supports Windows Mobile, iPhone, iPad and Android, and is free for all Google Apps for Business users.

0 Comment