Outwardly mobile

FST. With increased focus on mobility, how can financial institutions ensure they are balancing the need for security with business agility?
Alan Giles. Enterprise mobility is an ever-changing arena, with a vast array of new applications being constantly released. Many of these applications are in the area of security, or require security to be considered before installing them on a handset.

The problem? It is imperative that institutions feel confident that the devices they issue to their employees are not going to compromise their core business, either through insecure data transfer or loss of an unsecured device. There are a number of technology rich handsets available today that can help employees access ‘behind the firewall’ data wherever they are, at different speeds, via 3G networks or Wi-Fi etc.

A balance needs to be struck between having a handset capable of delivering ease of use to the user, as well as maintaining the high levels of security required. If a user has to jump through too many hoops to get access to the data they need, they will not use the device to its full capability.

There are a number of applications available today that enable connectivity in a secure manner, addressing both of the needs highlighted earlier. The types of data that employees are required to access vary from basic email retrieval (pull email), through to push e-mail with full synchronisation of email, calendar, contacts, tasks and notes. There is also a growing trend for mobile access to customer relationship management (CRM) systems, sales force automation (SFA), intranet data, real-time stock data and many other business specific forms of data.

The ability to secure the data tunnel the user is receiving the data through is a prime requirement, and there are a number of secure VPN solutions available. It is possible to install firewall applications and virus checkers, which are complimentary to VPN solutions that can be managed remotely by the IT department. These can either be pre-installed as part of the handset software, or can be installed after the handset has been acquired.

Smartphones are typically the phones of choice in this area, as the operating systems running on the devices are more open for development and the market has seen many enhancements in this area lately. Research In Motion (RIM) has traditionally held a leadership position regarding enterprise security, with many business users choosing a BlackBerry device for their needs. However, with the OS landscape expanding to include devices from Apple (iPhone), and devices supporting the Android platform from Google, as well as enhancement to existing business devices using Windows Mobile and Symbian platforms, the choices available to the IT Manager, as well as for the end user, have never been so vast.

Windows Mobile version 6.1 has been improved to offer many more business features as part of the core software, with full device management capability now available. Windows Mobile 6.1 also has some 18000+ applications available for use, over 6000 of which are business applications. Symbian devices are also very feature rich, popular with business users and have thousand of applications available. Symbian powered phones have included the P Series from Sony Ericsson and the E Series from Nokia.

FST. In relation to enterprise mobility, what techniques are in use or currently being developed to protect against unauthorised access to data?
AG. Device management is one of the features most frequently asked for by enterprise customers today, from SMEs to large corporate customers.

By incorporating device management into a wireless environment, it is possible to extend a whole host of security features onto a wide array of handsets, irrespective of what operating system they may be running. This obviously holds attractions for handset manufacturers, mobile operators and corporate customers alike.

One of the key capabilities of device management is the ability to remotely lock a handset or wipe all data from it completely. This is particularly useful if an employee loses the handset or if it is stolen, thereby exposing the potentially confidential data on it. It is also possible to perform a whole host of other tasks, to ensure the device remains as close to the state that it was in when it was provided to the employee. It is possible to remotely configure the hardware and software profiles of a handset, for example turning off the camera capability or the aGPS receiver in corporate environments that are sensitive to the use of such hardware. Software restrictions can include the prevention of the end user installing untrusted applications. The combinations are endless.

In large organisations, the IT manager has a tough time tracking the large number of handsets, the physical state of the handsets, the current user settings implemented, the various email profile settings, APN settings, MMS profiles and so on. Device management can take a lot of this pain away, enabling the IT manager to administer all of the handsets in their network from a central platform. The capability exists to sub divide the user base into different groupings, and to store consistent settings for the handsets in this group. It is then possible to upload data from, and download settings to these groups. It can also provide for bulk download of new software applications or handset software as appropriate.

Another area of benefit for the IT manager in a corporate environment is the ability to perform in-house first line diagnosis of problems with handsets. Using device management it is possible to perform a handset diagnostic, requiring the handset to report various parameters such as software versions, battery health, signal strength, SMS/MMS/internet profile settings. Experience has shown that in a large number of cases where handsets are returned to operator or handset manufacturer, incorrect settings are to blame for the problems experienced by the end user. There is a cost benefit to all parties in this scenario, as the removal of the requirement to hold replacement stock can considerably reduce the total cost of ownership for a handset deployment.

FST. What does the future for enterprise mobility hold?
AG. Enterprise mobility is forecast to carry on growing in the next few years. One of the prime drivers for this is the continued growth of mobile email. Research shows that of the end users who want mobile email; there is only a small proportion of these users that actually have access to the solution. Beyond email, the integration of sales force automation and customer relationship management solutions continues to grow. For all of these requirements, security remains a key consideration, so expect to see more detailed and comprehensive security capabilities constantly arriving.

The utilisation of VoIP services is expected to grow as more and more handsets arrive with Wi-Fi capability. There is also a growing interest in fixed mobile convergence solutions in the enterprise space, with a wide range of solutions to support this growth.

Also key for the growth of services in enterprise areas is Location Based Services, with a larger range of affordable devices with aGPS on board. Greater integration of mapping solutions with CRM systems is providing for a very robust user experience.

From a technology standpoint, the upgrading of the 3G (UMTS) networks across many markets to incorporate Long Term Evolution (LTE) equipment will increase the speed of data transfer and available bandwidth. This will show a benefit in areas of high definition video streaming, large file transfers and so on.

Sony Ericsson will continue to listen to the requirements of enterprise customers, large and small, and will strive to deliver industry leading solutions to meet the needs of these customers.

Alan Giles is Head of Enterprise Sales in Western Europe for Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications. He joined Sony Ericsson in 2007 having worked in various areas of the Mobile Communications industry for the past 14 years.

His role includes the positioning and promotion of the Sony Ericsson enterprise propositions, bringing a wide range of enterprise capable handsets into the hands of the business user.