Software appliance to help trim MDM costs

AirWatch has expanded the delivery options for its enterprise-wide Mobile Device and WLAN Management (MDM) software with its recent introduction of the AirWatch software appliance. By offering mobile device management preloaded on a dedicated software appliance, the Atlanta-based MDM provider aims to supply customers in healthcare and other industries with three choices: software deployed behind the corporate firewall, Software as a Service (SaaS), or a software appliance.

Designed to support rapid mobile device deployments behind the corporate firewall, the appliance enables healthcare organizations and others to secure, monitor, manage and support their corporate-liable and employee-liable devices, regardless of the type or location. So, IT gets a single, integrated, real-time view of all mobile devices used throughout the organization. The appliance also promises to eliminate time-consuming maintenance processes with its self-updating features.

It comes with the AirWatch application pre-configured and pre-integrated. The appliance includes all required middleware and operating system software pre-installed on a server--so it can be added to a pre-existing stack. Prior to shipping, the company pre-configures the appliance’s MDM management console to the customer’s technical specifications.

The appliance’s technical specs include two available IP addresses, designed to allow both local network and/or Internet-facing access; configurable DNS addressing and port allocation for each integration with existing network infrastructure; simplified AirWatch-generated e-mail alerts, and configurable AirWatch maintenance utilities for database purging and backup. It runs on Windows Server 2008 Standard; the database server is SQL Server Standard 2008.

Company officials say that, for organizations managing fewer than 2,000 devices, the appliance represents a cost-effective, long-term solution.