In the past organizations either provided laptops or smart phones approved by the IT department and or allowed users to connect from their Windows based computers using options such as VPNs or Remote Desktop Gateways. These options still exist and remain common. However, the incredible growth of mobile devices from various vendors creates a need for managing access to data and applications from these devices. Organizations must determine the best methods for doing so in a secure manner.

Every organization has unique needs for connecting mobile devices to the corporate network to increase user productivity. Based on the principle of People-centric IT (PCIT) a mobile device strategy can be created to meet those needs. Once the strategy has been determined then it’s time to created the infrastructure.

Allowing device connectivity is important, but more important is managing that connectivity. Workplace Join allows a way to track and control which devices can connect. Once connected users will need access to data, no matter the device. That data must be current and consistent without users manually copying files. Work Folders creates this ability.

In the previous module we learned how to connect non-domain devices to Active Directory for management and policies with Workplace Join. In addition we showed how to synchronize data between multiple devices using Work Folders. However almost always data will be used in some type of application, therefore a part of our MDM (Mobile Device Management) strategy must include accessing those applications from devices. This is the responsibility of Web Application Proxy.

One of the primary responsibilities of any IT professional is security. Physical security, network security and data security are critical. In this module we will look at how mobile devices affect security plans not just for BYOD, but also for the entire network infrastructure.

In this module we will discover the process of managing mobile devices throughout their lifecycles. Technologies including the Microsoft Exchange Connector, System Center Configuration Manager and Windows InTune can be used for these purposes. We will also see how applications can be managed for mobile devices.