The implications of this announcement for the future are wide reaching if you consider the breath of SAPs portfolio along with Ericsson’s installed base and its ability to provide network-aware solutions. The initial offer is focused on SAP’s enterprise mobile management solution. Focusing on a smaller set of functionality is a smart decision as this is a new way of solving the challenges at hand for both the mobile network operator and the enterprise and will take some market education due diligence to succeed. Focus is always a good strategy.
The partnership will deliver cloud-based mobile security solutions to operators in order to help them expand their ability to provide enterprises with offers tailored to increase their productivity securely while continuing to utilize corporate systems from any location and device.
This announcement can be considered in two stages. First the partnership will enable SAP’s Mobile Secure as a cloud-based offer to MNOs as a white label or co-branded offer for sale to their enterprise customer segments. This will involve a go-to-market process where the partners work together in the business development discussions with the MNOs. Additionally, the MNOs will be provided with hands-on support including training, tools, and pre-packaged service offer options for the end user enterprise.
The second stage is the sale to the enterprise. This will also be supported jointly and initially be focused on the SAP Mobile Secure portfolio to include MDM, secure delivery of mobile apps or mobile apps management (MAM) and the data included in them along with secure management of content delivered to any device or location.
The services will be launched in beta by the end of this year with full commercial availability in 2015.
“We are building a secure highway between an enterprise’s corporate tools and information and their mobile workforce,” said Petter Järtby, VP Head of Solution Area, Business Support Systems. “This will drive productivity across any user’s device regardless of their location.”
Why is this a win for all the different players involved?
- SAP has the opportunity to reach the MNO market via the existing relationships Ericsson has in these organizations.
- Ericsson has the opportunity to provide a new set of cloud-based tools to enable the MNO customers to offer a wider portfolio of cloud-based solutions to enterprise customers.
- Operators are provided with an easy to implement end-to-end solution to enhance their portfolio. This allows them to develop a framework for future expansion of services that could consider enterprise quality of experience requirements in a context aware fashion.
And most importantly it’s a win for the end user enterprises that now have an option for a turnkey solution to ensure their employees are able to be as productive when they are out of the office as when they are at their desks. All the while ensuring that corporate assets remain secure and confidential.
