Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Friday, 07 March 2008 07:53
Your IT -
Mobility
Page 3 of 5
Apple says they’ve licensed “Exchange ActiveSync from Microsoft and is building it right into the iPhone, so that iPhone will connect out-of-the-box to Microsoft Exchange Servers 2003 and 2007 for secure over-the-air push email, contacts, calendars and global address lists.”
Wow. Apple then says that: “Built-in Exchange ActiveSync support also enables security features such as remote wipe, password policies and auto-discovery.”
Now I’ve already read speculative articles wondering just how enterprise friendly Apple is really going to be, but their press release makes it sound like they’ve just fulfilled every enterprise related handheld device support dream, and the coming weeks and months will clearly flesh out just how supportive of the enterprise Apple really will be.
Back to the press release, Apple further explains that: “The iPhone 2.0 software supports Cisco IPsec VPN to ensure the highest level of IP-based encryption available for transmission of sensitive corporate data, as well as the ability to authenticate using digital certificates or password-based, multi-factor authentication.”
And in a wireless development set to make iPhone users in enterprise or campus (educational) situations super happy at last, Apple says that: “The addition of WPA2 Enterprise with 802.1x authentication enables enterprise customers to deploy iPhone and iPod touch with the latest standards for protection of Wi-Fi networks.”
But that’s not all. Apple sound like they really want the enterprise to embrace the iPhone with open arms, saying: “The iPhone 2.0 software provides a configuration utility that allows IT administrators to easily and quickly set up many iPhones, including password policies, VPN setting, installing certificates, email server settings and more.”
Apple’s press release ends the enterprise information section with: “Once the configuration is defined it can be easily and securely delivered via web link or email to the user. To install, all the user has to do is authenticate with a user ID or password, download the configuration and tap install. Once installed, the user will have access to all their corporate IT services.”
So, what about the wireless App Store that will let iPhone and iPod Touch users wireless download new software, without the incredible hassle of needing to download it to iTunes first, and then synching it across? Please read onto page 4.
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