As mobility becomes a key driver for SAP’s future growth, the German enterprise software giant is focusing on improving its mobile device management solution, SAP Afaria. “Our main goal is to enhance application management and the ecosystem for enterprise integration, and support existing platforms,” said Bryan Whitmarsh, SAP’s mobility product manager, in an interview with RCR Wireless News.
SAP’s latest releases include enhanced iOS and Android device management and security, a new app portal design with a storefront that will be more familiar to users, and a new self-service portal for simplified device onboarding and management.
During the interview, Whitmarsh highlighted the friendly user interface with an application store for the device as the core focus of the release. “We are enhancing the enterprise experience with the very direct goal of enabling a million devices. That’s why the mobile experience is a priority,” he said, adding that Afaria along with other SAP platforms will help the company embrace machine-to-machine.
SAP has already stated that mobile is a key pillar for the company and that it is relying on mobile platforms to reach its global strategy of 1 billion users of its solutions by 2015. Earlier this year, SAP announced the acquisition of Syclo, a business mobile application and technology provider. The goal of the purchase was to help SAP drive innovation in mobile solutions for businesses of all sizes, and accelerate the adoption and deployment of new mobile asset management and field service solutions on the Sybase Unwired Platform.
The latest launch follows the delivery of enhanced enterprise security, apps and app platform for Microsoft’s Windows 8, as well as security enhancements to the SAP Afaria mobile device management solution, announced in November during TechEd Madrid.
The enhancements include deepening enterprise integration and distribution capabilities to manage and secure the large number of disparate users bringing their own devices into the workplace. To address the growing use of enterprise mobile apps, SAP will include new app and self-service portal designs to provide a consumer-like app portal experience in the enterprise.
SAP prioritizes some traditional features such as MDM, as well as managing and securing the mobile device, app and data life cycle across the enterprise. According to the company, the latest release of SAP Afaria aims to reduce complexity and support the growing mobile workforce by helping ensure that all data stored and transmitted via mobile devices is protected and secure.
Eyeing the bring-your-own-device trend, the releases address a broad range of requirements for both corporate and employee-owned mobile devices. Features for enterprises include enterprise integration and application management as well as IT services for BYOD and enterprise devices.
