BigFix Brings Windows Mobile Devices Under Security Management Umbrella

The BigFix solution meets customer demand to bring management eof nterprise mobile devices under a common umbrella with other endpoint computing assets, cutting cost of management and lowering risks that these devices can act as attack vectors for information residing on them or as a gateway to upstream enterprise resources.

Windows Mobile has built a strong franchise in wireless data terminal devices, particularly those used in retail (inventory checkers, car rental service terminals, wireless point-of-sales processors), industrial, and medical sectors.

Features include: real-time inventory data for all managed Windows Mobile devices; control encryption settings for memory cards and on-board data storage; remote wipe capabilities to disable phones in the event of an emergency; agent footprint and CPU utilization optimized for mobile device platforms; the ability to rapidly distribute software and patches to all devices or a specific group of devices; visibility and control communications bandwidth optimization and throttling, the ability to audit, control, and report on all configuration settings; and the ability to find where GPS-enabled assets are using GPS inspection capabilities.

Supported Platforms: Windows CE4.2 - Windows Mobile 2003 for Smartphone, Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC Professional Edition, Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC Phone Edition, Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC Premium Edition and Windows Mobile 2003 SE; Windows CE5.0 - Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC and Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone; Windows CE6.0 - Windows Mobile 6.0 Standard, Windows Mobile 6.0 Classic, Windows Mobile 6.0 Professional and Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard.

Background and Context

As mobile devices proliferate and offer sophisticated information access and processing abilities, they are becoming attractive targets for cybercrime.

Furthermore, organizations require visibility and management of these devices for compliance, cost containment and IT governance purposes.

There are significant challenges when managing mobile devices, which have until now stood apart from mainline information technology infrastructures.

Support for the Windows Mobile platform aligns with BigFix's longstanding driver to enable consolidated, single pane of glass management of heterogeneous infrastructures. Other BigFix-supported systems software platforms include Microsoft Windows, UNIX, Linux, and Mac OS.

Supporting Quotes

Amrit Williams, CTO of BigFix, said: "It's no question that mobile devices have gone mainstream as enterprise computing assets, interacting with business-critical information and processes. Enterprises would strongly prefer to secure and manage these devices through the same processes they use to support other distributed computing assets. BigFix Device Management for Windows Mobile is a step in the direction of consolidated security and systems management of every distributed computing device generating value in business, government, and nonprofit sector IT infrastructures."

Information Resources

BigFix Device Management for Windows Product Page: http://tinyurl.com/ylhbacw

BigFix Device Management for Windows Data Sheet: http://tinyurl.com/yzuqapq

About BigFix

Founded in 1997, the BigFix', Inc. solutions support a global portfolio of A-list organizations in government, finance, retail, educational, industrial and public utility sectors. BigFix revolutionizes IT infrastructure management by replacing fragmented collections of single-purpose tools with the industry's only unified visibility and control architecture that consolidates up to 18 security, IT compliance, decision support, and green computing functions. For more information, visit www.bigfix.com, follow BigFix on Twitter @BigFix, or stay in touch on the BigFix Facebook page, http://tinyurl.com/mvn9nu .