If you have a large workforce all working on iOS devices, it can be a nightmare keeping tabs on them all. AirWatch Agent is a mobility app that gives you complete management for your entire fleet of iOS devices wherever they are in your company.
AirWatch allows IT departments to instantly deploy new devices to employees, configure and update device settings wirelessly, and ensure that all security policies and compliance procedures are implemented on all devices. Using AirWatch your security risks are minimized because it provides you with secure mobile access to corporate resources and you can remotely lock and wipe managed devices wherever they are in the world.
The AirWatch interface is entirely web based so IT administrators can log onto it from anywhere. However, you can choose three different ways to deploy it if this doesn’t suit you. AirWatch can be deployed in the cloud as a SaaS model, within your corporate network behind your own corporate firewall or it can be deployed as a standalone software.
Manage all devices from one dashboard
AirWatch conveniently allows you to manage all devices in one console which offers you a myriad of options. For example, from the main dashboard you can enroll devices over-the-air, enforce security restrictions and encryption, set up compliance rules and actions, configure corporate profiles, install certificates for secure access, manage applications across the organization, and upload and manage corporate documents and videos.
In addition, you can capture detailed device information, track devices through GPS device locating, and view detailed reports and notifications. If one of your company iOS devices gets stolen or misplaced, you can perform a device lock or wipe remotely which will render the device useless if it falls into the wrong hands.
AirWatch gives you a clear overview of whether a devices is enrolled, compliant and connected.
Relatively simple to set up
Activating and setting up AirWatch is very simple. Firstly, you must download and install the AirWatch MDM Agent on your device via the iTunes AppStore. Once the AirWatch MDM Agent is loaded onto your device, you must activate the agent with an AirWatch issued activation code and server path. After that, simply log in to the AirWatch Console to manage your fleet of devices.
In fact, AirWatch is one of the easiest applications of its kind to install, considerably easier than apps such as XenMobile, which require more complex configuration and network management when dealing with lots of iOS devices at once.
Keep users in the loop
One thing to be aware of with AirWatch, however, is that end users may find it intrusive to work with at first. AirWatch obviously means making administrative changes to iOS devices out in the field and if employees or device owners aren’t aware of this, they may find certain functions or features are no longer accessible on their phone, especially when it comes to security. It’s therefore important to ensure that all iOS device owners affected are informed of AirWatch deployment before it takes place to ensure lack of confusion or problems when using it for work purposes.
Administrators can access all of the vital stats of any iOS device they choose.
AirWatch pricing
The pricing of AirWatch depends on how you want to deploy it and the number of devices you want it to cover. You can choose between user-based or device-based licensing. If you have members of your workforce working with up-to three devices, it makes sense to go with user based licensing, rather than having to pay a license for each device. AirWatch not only works with iOS but also Android and Windows devices too including tablets, PCs and Macs so if you choose user based licensing, it doesn’t matter how many devices are being used by the end user.
There are also several different grades of service on offer from AirWatch. You can choose from a Green, Orange, Blue, or Yellow management suite and also a VMWare Collaboration Bundle. Green and Orange offer the basic services of Mobile Device Management, Container and Catalog services but Blue and Yellow are the more advanced packages supporting App Wrapping, Browser access, Content Locker view and VMWare Identity Manager. The VMWare Collaboration Bundle is an add-on service that provides virtualization software for your devices in association with VMWare. If you don’t have an extensive IT department, the developers of AirWatch will also deploy the system for you either from the cloud or from your promises.
Conclusion
AirWatch is overall a relatively simple and effective way to take the stress out of managing multiple iOS devices out in the field. It matches up well against other mobility management solutions out there.
