ANTenna Blog -- Apple

iPhone Gets Closer To Being A Business Solution

Posted by Alan Zeichick Saturday, Mar 8, 2008, 06:53 PM ET

When it comes to enterprise integration, nothing beats a BlackBerry. Heck, I’m an Apple fan myself, but my road warrior weapon of choice is the BlackBerry, not the iPhone. Between the “real” keyboard and tight integration with mail servers like Exchange, RIM (makers of the BlackBerry) have virtually owned this market. That is about to change.

Last week, Apple announced a forthcoming software update to the iPhone. The new software – dubbed “iPhone 2.0” – will add new security and e-mail protocols. It’s a comprehensive list, focused mainly on supporting Microsoft Exchange Server and Cisco networks:

• Push email
• Push contacts
• Push calendar
• Global Address List
• Certificates and Identities
• WPA2/802.1x
• Enforced security policies
• More VPN protocols
• Device configuration
• Remote wipe

To quote from Apple’s new iPhone Enterprise page:

Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync support.

If your office uses Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 or 2007, iPhone 2.0 software will allow you to wirelessly push company email, calendar events, and contacts over Wi-Fi or EDGE networks to iPhones. With secure push email and over-the-air contacts and calendar features, users will stay up to date wherever they go. And thanks to the iPhone Multi-Touch display, users will find it easier to perform common tasks such as accepting meeting invitations and finding contacts in the company directory or Global Address List (GAL).

IT administrators can securely manage any iPhone that contains confidential company information with remote wipe and enforced security and password policies. These device configuration and remote management capabilities allow IT departments to quickly and seamlessly deploy iPhone throughout their companies.

Enterprise-grade networking.

iPhone 2.0 software supports Cisco IPsec VPN to ensure the highest level of IP-based encryption for transmission of sensitive company information. Employees will be able to authenticate via password, two-factor token, or digital certificate. iPhone will also support WPA2 Enterprise with 802.1x authentication — the standard for Wi-Fi network protection. These features help provide safe access to sensitive company information on iPhone.

How important is this? Very. While the iPhone still won’t have a physical keyboard, it WILL be able to become a first-class citizen of corporate LANs, whether local or remote.

The iPhone’s built-in WiFi should now be able to authenticate to a wider array of business access points security. When outside the office, your employees should be able to make secure remote connections to e-mail or other servers via WiFi (at home, in hotels or at public hotspots) or over EDGE cellular data networks.

Sound good? Sign up for the beta program!


Apple




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