Workspace ONE UEM support for managing Chrome Enterprise and Education is now live as a beta through the VMware Anywhere Workspace Early Access Program™ portal!
Earlier this year, Google launched its Chrome Enterprise Connectors Framework, unlocking new integrations across identity, security, and endpoint management. A key part of the framework is the Chrome Policy API, which VMware has integrated against to expand Workspace ONE’s capabilities for managing and securing Chromebooks in your organizations.
Through this highly anticipated update, both enterprise and education organizations can now manage ChromeOS devices with Workspace ONE UEM. In the world of Chromebooks, use case-specific features can be added to devices through Chrome Enterprise or Education upgrades. Previously for schools using Workspace ONE, a separate tool was required to manage Chromebooks. Not anymore!
Workspace ONE for Chrome Education
School IT organizations can now enjoy the added benefits of Workspace ONE, managing ChromeOS alongside Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and more. They have access to the same ChromeOS feature set as enterprises — admins can push apps and extensions; configure browser settings, bookmarks, access controls; and get real-time visibility for users and devices across any network.
In school settings, Chromebooks offer flexibility as an individual’s primary device or as shared devices — and Workspace ONE supports multiple deployment options to fit your needs. Managed guest sessions enable multiple users to share a single ChromeOS device without requiring a Google login. Admins can configure bookmarks, apps, and session time limits, making this a great option for student assessments or shared devices in classrooms and libraries. For more personalized experiences, ephemeral mode leverages a user’s Google login to deliver their profile to the shared device. Like managed guest sessions, ephemeral mode ensures user privacy by wiping user data after each session.
Workspace ONE for Chrome Enterprise
The new integration also presents significant benefits for enterprises already using or thinking of deploying ChromeOS. Under the new framework, the Chrome Policy API opens access to the full catalog of ChromeOS management policies — many were not previously available to third-party enterprise mobility management solutions (EMMs).
Everything that can be done from the Google admin console is now fair game, and the Workspace ONE team is already working towards feature parity. Keep in mind this will be an ongoing expansion and select features will not be available with the initial release. Workspace ONE support for full certificate lifecycle management, for example, is supported with the first iteration of ChromeOS management, but is not available in this beta.
Try Workspace ONE ChomeOS Management v2 beta!
Head over to the VMware Anywhere Workspace Early Access™ Program portal to try the new Workspace ONE ChromeOS Management v2 beta. The program is live now and runs through the end of October.
If you’re an existing Early Access Program member, you can select the ChromeOS Management v2 beta in your user profile. If you aren’t already a member, you can sign up here.
As a member, you’ll have access to the newest innovations across Workspace ONE and Horizon. You’ll also be able to provide direct feedback to the product and engineering teams. We look forward to hearing from you!
