Management

Unified Workspace Management – Moving To Device Independence

We know workers today want to work from any device, any where, any time. And employers wanting to maximize their productivity would love to give them exactly that. But . . . the problems start piling up once you start worrying about manageability, security, and compliance. Not to mention the need to provide some type of limited IT resources to transient user populations such as students, short-term contractors, volunteers, etc.

To make the security and management of today’s dynamic client computing models possible, the approach must be lightweight, simple and cost-effective. The most obvious way to accomplish this is to separate the workspace from the physical device – exactly what Moka5 does. By using a highly secure, centrally managed container in which to run the workspace, users of all types can self-provision from anywhere in the world and IT is now managing one basic workspace with hundreds or thousands of local, personalized copies.

As the OS vendors have not yet unified across traditional computers and mobile, let’s take a look at what this means for each.

Simplified Windows Management

It is often reported that organizations will spend 3 to 5 times the cost of the initial PC purchase on management costs. From initial provisioning to software updates and security patches to OS migrations to help desktop support, this value has held steady over time despite all the new management tools now available. Moka5 delivers a radically simple way to manage Windows workspaces delivering significant benefits for both IT and end-users.

  • Self-Service Provisioning. Users can simply authenticate, download and run the Moka5 installer from a secure web portal in an easy three step process. Other delivery options such as USB, DVD, and NFS remote drives are available as well. Prior to installation users are alerted to potential compatibility issues that could impact performance prior to download.
  • Single Image Management. To make updates to all your Windows workspaces, simply update OS or software versions, patch, or change configurations in the base golden image. Moka5 then automatically distributes small disk level deltas (or snapshots) that are 100% effective with no downtime to end users. This “one-to-many” image management approach is much more efficient than managing individual desktops with legacy agent-based end-point management approaches.
  • System files (corporate OS + app stack), user-installed apps, and user data are separated into three virtual disks. This enables two things: 1) the use of snapshots to “jump” users forward to a new version in seconds in the event their workspace becomes compromised; and 2) the ability for users to near-instantly “Rejuvenate” to a clean slate when something goes wrong . . . both without losing their work files.
  • Integration APIs. Selected server commands including revoke, unrevoke, and kill (wipe), as well as system data, can be integrated into existing self service and help desk tools to minimize the need for IT personnel to have direct access to the Moka5 management console.

Managing Mobile Access

Users consume corporate data from their mobile devices on the go: reading a PDF file, reviewing a word document or PowerPoint presentation. Many employers now allow workers to do this from their personal devices, but that introduces a need to secure what is on the device and the device’s access points to protect the network and its data. This can create conflicts with employees who do not want their personal devices managed by Corporate IT. A mutually acceptable way is to separate work files from personal files while providing secure browsing from within the corporate container. Now, IT only has to manage the container and the corporate workspace – while never having to touch the host.

Here are just a few examples of how Moka5 is solving the mobility challenge today:

  • Providing physicians with secure access to patient records from their iOS devices
  • Electronically distributing confidential corporate board meeting materials to authorized individuals
  • Remotely provisioning and de-provisioning access for contractors, independent agents, and remote employees
  • Helping teachers connect to student grading portals from home
  • Giving mobile professionals access to corporate file shares, network resources, and data from their Moka5 provisioned computer.