the tablet war is heating up

[Felon]

While it doesn't meet all of your needs (definitely no IE, your vendors may one day support it but obviously may not now), the enterprise program does provide centralized management and distribution, rules-based lockdown of most features (including keeping individuals from adding apps), a variety of secure access options, the ability to add, update, and remove apps remotely, remote wipe, and re-imaging (not sure if that can be done remotely).

Multiple good VNC clients, as well, that can solve a lot of non-native-solution problems.

Again, not saying it's exactly what you need, but it currently offers a lot more than you think.

We're doing some POC's that entail the Apple Configurator. Is that what you're referring to above?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

It does if you know what you need for a device to be of the enterprise caliber, which is not just about applications, but also centralized management and distribution.

It is being used in that fashion in the medical industry. In some aspect of the medical field, iPads/iPhones/iPod Touches are either the only or the best non-full featured computer solution for certain legally required functions- the other devices simply do not have fully feature software available yet.

I know of restaurants that are using them for JIT inventory while simultaneously using them for menu item availability.

Do a search, and you'll find each branch of the military is finding uses for iPads and other tablets. If the iPad were as gimped as you think, it wouldn't be under consideration at all. Instead, at least one contractor (Harris) is a frontrunner to replace the military's purpose built control units for UAVs with their specially loaded iPads because to ease of use, easier learning curve and superior reliability. (Durability is said to be an issue, but the iPads are so cheap in comparison that the tradeoff may be worth it.)

 

[Janx]

It does if you know what you need for a device to be of the enterprise caliber, which is not just about applications, but also centralized management and distribution. The impresion I get from you and the other responders indicate is that individuals in your organizations each use it in whatever capacity they personally figure out, and in such a fashion you call it an enterprise device. When Mozilla says that that Firefox isn't an enterprise solution, they aren't saying nobody can use it in their office. They're saying don't be surprised when it doesn't play nice with your web apps and internet security.

At our workplace of 5,000 odd users, we can't use an iPad for most of our applications, because they're managed and are part of a custom image. Even if they're web apps, they require IE. There's stuff that requires secure access. There's icons that have to be applied to desktops. They need virtual apps streamed to them. They might even need to have their device re-imaged on the fly. The list goes on.

In short, like I said, you can use your iWork for fairly generic productivity, but the iOS is a very personal experience.


Is there a way that standardization and security are enforced? Or is it that each of them uses it as they see fit?

As you say, it's not a replacement for a PC. More like something that's highly convenient to carry about, and be sync'ed with, say, Outlook. Handy, to be sure, but I'm talking about a solution that's tightly integrated with enterprise practices.

I see what you're saying about Enterprise Practices, though that definition varies from company to company.

Its really a matter of how far IT exercises control over the end users desktops. In some companies, that is very rigidly controlled, and thus I can see why such a company would want to exercise the same control over mobile devices.

In other comanies, IT standards might cover a password strength policy and a standard issue anti-virus and a deployment mechanism for the standard Office apps.

After that, each employee's job function might vary so much that rigid control interferes with departmental productivity.

In other highly saavy tech companies (like the one I used to work for located in Northwest Houston), IT might have control of the peon computers of generic office workers. But those were the minority. It's hard to enforce a standard when 80% of the employees know how to build their own machine, bypass corporate NT group policies and install all the software they need off the corporate file shares.

Ironically enough, Enterprise Practices really spells "Walled Garden" that I see bandied about as an invective against the Apple model.

As to enabling IT control of iPads and other such devices, that too is ironic. The PC changed the game by removing control from IT and their centralized computing MainFrames and enabling users to do stuff on their own.

IT has since tricked users into giving up that power by invoking Enterprise Practices, Cloud Computing, Citrix and Terminal server models, etc.

So users now bring in their own iPads and tablets. Because they let users find their own tools to solve the business problems they want.

Bear in mind, user control of their own personal machine was seldom about having the ability to write your own program or modify secret settings under /etc/somefile.conf in a cryptic format. The most transformative application when the PC came out was the spreadsheet. Giving the end user the ability to run his own reports and what-if scenarioes without needing a new custom report job, waiting in the job queue, having an IT chargeback.

The solution for businesses lies within installing and securing their CUSTOM apps or access points to corporate resources, rather than taking full control of the device itself. Not that there isn't a use for that as well, I find buying a bunch of employees a $500 iPad and then locking it down so it only runs 2 pre-installed apps is kind of a waste of money and a bit of an insult to your employees intelligence beyond the grunt labor force who aren't intelligent enough to use the iPad beyond the Corporate Job Function app that it came pre-installed with and you trained them for a week on.

 

[Fast Learner]

We're doing some POC's that entail the Apple Configurator. Is that what you're referring to above?

No, that's just a local device configuration tool. The iPad in Business: Mobile Device Management in iOS page provides an overview, and the associated PDF provides more details. A variety of third-party MDM servers provide additional services and specific enterprise integration; many of them supply MDM services for Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Mobile at the same time.

Edited to add a few of the servers: Sybase Afaria, MobileIron, AirWatch, and Zenprise MobileManager.

 

[Felon]

Ironically enough, Enterprise Practices really spells "Walled Garden" that I see bandied about as an invective against the Apple model.

As to enabling IT control of iPads and other such devices, that too is ironic. The PC changed the game by removing control from IT and their centralized computing MainFrames and enabling users to do stuff on their own.

IT has since tricked users into giving up that power by invoking Enterprise Practices, Cloud Computing, Citrix and Terminal server models, etc.

In a very real sense, yes indeed. When virtual desktop infrastructure takes root, we'll essentially be back to the days of dummy terminals.

OTOH, in the "walled garden" analogy, it's kind of implicit that the provider is dictating the lion's share of the experience for the user without their input (and sometimes, in direct opposition to it). An IT division should be responsive to the needs of management, doing them the service of providing the customized experience. Of course, if you're not in a position where your inpute has any weight, it can seem like six or half-dozen.

 

[Felon]

No, that's just a local device configuration tool. The iPad in Business: Mobile Device Management in iOS page provides an overview, and the associated PDF provides more details. A variety of third-party MDM servers provide additional services and specific enterprise integration; many of them supply MDM services for Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Mobile at the same time.

Edited to add a few of the servers: Sybase Afaria, MobileIron, AirWatch, and Zenprise MobileManager.

Hrrmm. Whole long post I had crapped out. Fan-tastic.

Anyhoo, it's cool that you got this stuff down pat. This is where we're at now with Apple's reps who are trying to strike up a partnership. We're a System Center shop, and that's a tough act to measure up to. We got hooks into Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, WSUS, SCOM, and tons more, so we have pretty insane options as far as managing the environment using queries based on user data, applications, hardware specs, or network info. We're not interested in working with static access control lists. And with what we get from just an MS volume license, we're pretty skeptical of letting a third party insinuate themselves to have something that ultimately still wouldn't mirror the amount of control we're used to. Of course, that's all aside from the issue of vendor apps not being supported for any OS but Windows.

 

[Fast Learner]

Hrrmm. Whole long post I had crapped out. Fan-tastic.

Hate that, bummer.

Anyhoo, it's cool that you got this stuff down pat. This is where we're at now with Apple's reps who are trying to strike up a partnership. We're a System Center shop, and that's a tough act to measure up to. We got hooks into Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, WSUS, SCOM, and tons more, so we have pretty insane options as far as managing the environment using queries based on user data, applications, hardware specs, or network info. We're not interested in working with static access control lists. And with what we get from just an MS volume license, we're pretty skeptical of letting a third party insinuate themselves to have something that ultimately still wouldn't mirror the amount of control we're used to. Of course, that's all aside from the issue of vendor apps not being supported for any OS but Windows.

Yeah, it sounds like it would be a pretty big deal to integrate with what you have, and not necessarily worth it. I was more just letting you know that there is quite a lot of enterprise adoption of late, and it's not necessarily individuals controlling their own devices (and all the issues that come with that).

Windows tablets should do really well for you, and likely for any company that's very heavy MS and is waiting for Win 8.

 

[IronWolf]

It does if you know what you need for a device to be of the enterprise caliber, which is not just about applications, but also centralized management and distribution

Ah - you mean from the centralized management perspective. While part of the puzzle for a lot of companies devices are not judged solely on centralized management and distribution systems. For other companies it will be a larger factor and may be what rules an iPad out, but for others we will see increased productivity that weighs in heavier in the pro column than the con of not having a centralized management system for the devices.

This is one of the things I enjoy about working at a smaller, progressive company. We get to focus on what makes our workforce more productive. It is all a measure of balance, too loose and you do start to run into problems due to lax management policies. But finding that right line brings a nice mix to the table.

So yes, I will likely admit that centralized management and distribution is lacking (though I have not looked hard), but that this does not in and of itself rule iPads out of the enterprise in very productive fashions.

 

[Fast Learner]

So yes, I will likely admit that centralized management and distribution is lacking (though I have not looked hard), but that this does not in and of itself rule iPads out of the enterprise in very productive fashions.

Did you skip my posts on centralized management and distribution?

 

[IronWolf]

Did you skip my posts on centralized management and distribution?

Heh. Sorry, yeah - it appears I did. I blame posting before I had coffee!