F5 Networks Tackles BYOD with Hybrid Cloud Solution for Mobile App Management

F5 Networks has announced F5 Mobile App Manager, a hybrid cloud solution that allows organizations to efficiently manage the mobile applications used by their employees. The new product is a safe and cost-effective way to tackle the Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) initiative.

F5 Mobile App Manager is highly effective because it only connects corporate applications to the organization’s network.

Since it manages only the enterprise content and apps stored on devices, employees will no longer have to worry about exposing sensitive information while utilizing their own mobile devices for tasks not related to work.

“As more employees want to use personal devices in the workplace, enterprise IT has had to make tough choices: support BYOD initiatives despite having limited security controls, impose complete control over employees’ personal devices using MDM solutions, or reject BYOD initiatives altogether,” explained F5’s Mark Vondemkamp.

“F5 Mobile App Manager enables IT to make intelligent BYOD choices that benefit both the company and employees; it gives IT the control and flexibility it needs to protect corporate resources without restricting an employee’s use of the device or infringing on their privacy.”

The F5 Mobile App Manager, which is available for both Android and iOS devices, comes with a number of benefits, including improved security, improved user experience and, because it’s an SaaS offering, cost savings and scalability.

“True mobility is network infrastructure-centric because all these smartphones and tablets won't help us do the job without pervasive access to data,” said Zeus Kerravala, principal analyst at ZK Research.

“And as fast as it's being adopted, BYOD means headaches for the IT organizations attempting to lock down more and more employee-owned devices. F5's approach shifts the IT control point off the device and onto the network by managing and securing only those apps that employees use for work.”

The solution will become available in June 2013, but those interested can check out the demos made at the upcoming RSA conference.