Partnerpedia Intros New App Management Options for BYOD Workplaces
As Enterprise Apps Today recently reported, enterprise application stores are grabbing the attention of companies trying to address the security risks and procurement hassles of BYOD workplaces, in which employees use their own mobile devices rather than company-provided gear to do their jobs.
Partnerpedia, a provider of enterprise application store and marketplace solutions, has rolled out a cloud-based service called Enterprise AppZone that it thinks can help. The solution includes a managed application marketplace consisting of top selling business apps, as well as a private enterprise app store corporate IT can use to distribute and manage apps on both employee- and company-owned devices.
The marketplace makes top-selling business apps for Android available for direct purchase and download. According to Partnerpedia, this method of purchase allows corporate IT to retain ownership and control over the app licenses for distribution and reallocation to end users. In addition, the apps are vetted for viruses and the marketplace supports corporate procurement models such as volume- and PO-based purchasing. These features make the marketplace more business friendly than the Google Play Store (formerly the Android Market).
The purchase method is different for iOS apps, thanks to Apple’s licensing restrictions. While all commercially available iOS apps must be purchased via iTunes/App Store, Partnerpedia says companies purchasing apps via the Apple Volume Purchase Program (VPP) can use Enterprise AppZone to manage and distribute VPP redemption codes (licenses).
For those desiring a stronger application management model, Enterprise AppZone facilitates creating a private enterprise app store that allows IT to retain control over app policies and procedures while offering users a secure, self-service model for accessing corporate apps directly on the device.
Among the security features:
- Corporate IT is able to centrally control the publishing, distribution and management of iOS or Android apps across multiple device types.
- Apps published into the private company store are automatically scanned for viruses.
- User access to specific apps is controlled via individual and group permissions with support for LDAP and Active Directory.
- Additional policy controls include mandatory install, versioning and remote deactivation.
End-users can securely access the private company app store on their device, through a model akin to consumer style app stores, according to Partnerpedia.
“With BYOD, there is an expectation from end-users that include flexibility, ease-of-use and privacy. However, at the same time, IT must maintain a certain level of security and control,” said Sam Liu, VP of Marketing at Partnerpedia. “Enterprise AppZone represents that balance between giving what users expect while allowing the company to maintain control over licenses, policies and procedures.”
Sean Michael is a writer who focuses on innovation and how science and technology intersect with industry, technology Wordpress, VMware Salesforce, And Application tech. TechCrunch Europas shortlisted her for the best tech journalist award. She enjoys finding stories that open people's eyes. She graduated from the University of California.
