Sophos introduces first cloud-based solution

Sophos has announced the hosted version of its mobile device management (MDM) solution, Sophos Mobile Control, enabling partners to offer clients a choice of delivery models.

Sophos Mobile Control as a Service allows businesses to deploy an MDM solution without any changes to their existing IT infrastructures, alleviating any further management burden on IT. In addition to Sophos Mobile Control as a Service, the company is planning to introduce a full range of hosted security applications.

Although a company-installed MDM solution offers advantages, it requires planning and expertise that businesses new to mobile device management often lack; a hosted alternative can be implemented within minutes. Companies using Sophos Mobile Control as a Service can create policies, upload lists of users and develop Acceptable Use Policies for employee-owned devices through the Web-based admin console. The service requires nothing more than a browser on the customer's premises.

Designed with usability in mind, and based on user feedback, the structure of the Sophos Mobile Control Web console, self-service portal and the mobile client provide customers with an intuitive solution that is easy to use and offers the benefit of not having hardware on site. This results in savings in terms of capital and operating expenditures, as no maintenance is required.

"The expansion of BYOD programmes and the prevalence of mobile devices on business networks means mobile device management is an issue with which companies of all sizes are grappling. This presents a great opportunity for resellers and other solution providers, as many companies are looking to their IT consultants for help managing mobile devices," says Stacy Crook, senior analyst, Mobile Enterprise Research, IDC.

"Sophos' new SaaS-based MDM solution provides businesses with a sound option for securing mobile devices without creating more work for the IT department. Additionally, Sophos partners can increase their revenue by offering services that meet the growing demand for mobile device management."

"Security applications are rapidly moving toward the cloud to provide flexibility and scalability, which today's businesses demand. With limited resources and a multitude of security solutions to manage, mobile devices in particular are often left uncontrolled. Sophos' SaaS-based solution ensures that these devices are controlled and managed, even for small groups of users within a company," says Brett Myroff, CEO of Sophos distributor, NetXactics.

Sophos Mobile Control is available for on-premise installation or as software as a service under a subscription licence. The on-premise version is also included in the Sophos Complete Security Suite, which combines endpoint, data, e-mail, Web, server and mobile protection in one licence.