Everybody is wondering how they can manage the multiple IT environments, devices and operating systems that come with a BYOD deployment. To them, I say that BYOD is not just about enabling simplified onboarding of devices and basic policies. It is about creating an uncompromised experience for the user, smoother IT operations and fewer calls to the IT Helpdesk. The challenge for most companies is to not stop at a device onboarding-only solution. To truly take advantage of all that BYOD offers, you need to take a holistic approach that goes beyond BYOD and its basics.
On March 20th, we announced solutions to take our customers beyond the first step of BYOD to create an uncompromised experience for any workspace. Here’s why this is so important for customers:
- 1) Enabling BYOD: The new Identity Services Engine (ISE) 1.1MR simplifies onboarding by guiding users through an easy step-by-step process to quickly self-provision their own device. This helps provide a superior experience anywhere, anytime on any device by onboarding employees faster.
- 2) Unified Policy: We can now extend the ISE’s ability to deliver a single policy across the entire organization through policy integration with key Mobile Device Manager (MDM) solutions including MobileIron, Airwatch, Zenprise, and Good. This means that policies can be set and enforced across the company based on criteria such as users’ roles, devices they are using and the applications in use.
- 3) Uncompromised Experience: This announcement builds on Cisco’s delivery of the best experience to any user, regardless of device or desktop (native or virtual), with the Unified Wireless Network Software Release 7.2. This release doubles the video scalability for multicast video, allows one controller to support up to 30,000 devices and 3000 Access Points and provides IPv6 support for client devices. These updates can help enhance the quality of collaboration applications such as Cisco Jabber and WebEx with real-time video over Cisco networks.
- 4) Simplified Operations: Simplifying the deployment, accelerating troubleshooting, and lowering operating cost with the new Cisco Prime Assurance Manager 1.1 and Prime Infrastructure 1.1, which help IT professionals understand application performance from a user perspective.
But don’t take my word for it. Read what the press is saying about our comprehensive approach to BYOD:
“Cisco offers its own security and monitoring solutions for … BYOD and it walks the talk in its own work-place, adding close to 56,000 new devices to its network and at the same time reducing the number of calls to its help desk.” – Gillian Shaw, The Vancouver Sun
“[Cisco enables] businesses to provide control over individual access and security, beyond merely connecting outside devices to a company network.” – Nicola Leske, Yahoo! Canada News
“Cisco is taking this BYOD thing seriously.” – Jim Duffy, Network World
“Cisco tackles what steps and platforms are needed next after everyone brings their personal devices to work.” – Rachel King, ZDNet
“Cisco may be ahead of where most organizations are today in regards to BYOD.” – Mike Vizard, IT Business Edge
Even better, read how our wireless technology is helping one of Canada’s leading institutions, the University of British Columbia, in this case study.
And finally, would you like to win two tickets to the 2012 Olympic games? Enter the BYOD Challenge! Watch the Beyond BYOD Techwise TV segment with Ike, then answer ten questions based on the video. Customers who correctly answer all ten questions will be entered to win two tickets to the 2012 Olympic games. Challenge your knowledge, and see if you find yourself in London this summer!
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