Business Continuity VMware Workspace ONE

5 New Tools & Tech to Secure BYOD for the Digital Workspace

Secure BYOD VMware digital workspaceFor those of us who have turned technology into a career, the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) concept is now almost over-discussed. But here’s the *fun* new BYOD reality for those of us in the enterprise tech world::

The architecture you deploy today needs to securely enable devices that have not yet been invented.

Here’s the good news, the light at the end of the security tunnel: This road is quickly becoming less bumpy for those ready to re-think legacy computing strategies and turn to the digital workspace. To secure BYOD and future-proof your end-user computing (EUC) strategy, new innovations were launched this year to make secure BYOD a reality.

Here are the five new digital workspace tools and tech innovations you need to secure BYOD:

1. Secure App Token System (SATS)

This patent-pending technology from VMware is combined with its digital workspace offering, VMware Workspace ONE. With this combo, mobile admins can enable secure single sign-on (SSO) to corporate resources. And here’s the kicker: this can be enabled across any device and enterprise app.

Another major security SATS capability:

By combining SATS with native operating system (OS) controls, IT can enable “conditional access” to every app in the app store. All this without a software development kit (SDK), app wrapping or code changes. Conditional access through IT policies means that only compliant, managed mobile apps can access business applications.

[Related: 3-Part Guide to Developing a BYOD Strategy]

2. Securing the Bridge from the Device to the Data Center

Enterprise mobility management (EMM) platform VMware AirWatch released this new security technology in its 8.3 launch.

Earlier this year, AirWatch expanded its integration with VMware’s micro-segmented data center tech, VMware NSX. The integration allows admins to dynamically set BYOD and corporate-owned device access policies from a single management console. This helps IT secure its digital workspace by limiting mobile apps, data and device footprints inside both the data center and corporate network.

3. Mobile Email with a Better UI/UX for the User & Better Security for IT

The popular consumer mobile email app Boxer recently announced an enterprise offering. With several million downloads in the consumer world, the creators of Boxer kept the user interface that your employees will actually like (a huge adoption boon) and added new security and authentication enhancements. Boxer added a new end-to-end security for data “at-rest and in transit” with 256-bit encryption, as well as new data leak protection (DLP) policies.

Because the app is available as part of Workspace ONE and deployable via AirWatch, IT admins can easily deploy, manage and secure mobile email as part of their enterprise app catalog for BYOD users. Learn more here.

4. Self-Service App Catalog

A secure enterprise app catalog gives employees instant access to your company’s applications in a single pane of glass. Regardless of whether the device is enrolled in BYOD or is corporate-owned, they can subscribe to virtually any mobile, cloud or Windows app. With SATS enabled, those apps are only a touch away, since SSO is already established on the device.

An enterprise app catalog delivers the right apps to any device including:

  • Internal web apps through a secured browser and seamless VPN tunnel
  • SaaS apps with SAML-based SSO and provisioning framework
  • Native public mobile apps through brokerage of public app stores
  • Modern Windows apps through the Windows Business Store
  • Legacy Windows apps through MSI package delivery
  • Supports Citrix XenApp hosted application

The Workspace ONE app on Windows, iOS and Android is the newest offering in the space to provide enterprises with a secure, self-service app catalog for both BYOD and corporate-owned mobility programs. Learn more here via Silicon Angle.

5. The Right Apps to the Right Users

Back in February, AirWatch and Apple announced the new “industry templates for iOS.” In a nutshell, admins using the AirWatch EMM console can select their industry and access iOS “workflow templates.”

According to the announcement here:

Industry templates help remove complexity for IT by guiding admins through industry-specific initiatives and recommending workflows, applications and policies. Admins choose the right applications and assign the templates to users and then deliver it all with just one click.

Watch these GIFs to see the industry templates in action:

Empowering Employees with Easy-to-Use & Secure BYOD

The key to a successful and secure BYOD program—and, ultimately, a successful business mobility strategy—is providing the choice users want and the security IT needs. By integrating the five new tools and tech innovations above, your employees are able to:

  • Choose the device that works for them.
  • Simply access the apps they need to be more productive.
  • Securely access corporate resources.

By enabling smarter mobility for BYOD and corporate-owned device users, IT can overcome barriers for adoption and deliver secure mobility that drives growth. Because that’s the goal, right? IT as a growth-enabler—not productivity disabler.

I mentioned a ton of new tech in the above. Here are links to resources where you can learn more about the tools needed to secure BYOD and mobility:

Blakely Thomas-Aguilar

Blakely is a content strategist for VMware by day, sci-fi/fantasy book-aholic (and mom of 3!) by night.

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