The Challenge of Managing Mobile Asset Inventory

The number of remote or "on the go" workers iswere they deployed, and if they in adherence
rising sharply.  As a result, more and morewith company usage policies and vendor
iPhones, blackberry, androids and now the newcontracts. At the end of the day, from a
iPads, and other mobile assets are finding theirsoftware usage perspective, these mobile devices
way into corporate technology environments.are just like any other PC or laptop the
A recent survey conducted by Forresterorganization owns and have to manage its license
Research shows that close to 22 percent ofcompliance.
enterprise employees currently fall into theProtect Enterprise Data
category of "mobile information workers", using aBecause of the very nature of these devices,
variety of handheld devices to support theirusers are often required to work "offline", then
day-to-day activities.  Additionally, Forresterconnect to and synchronize information (i.e. email,
estimates that approximately 6 percent of thecalendars, contact address books, documents,
US workforce uses their own personal mobileetc.) with back-end systems once the employee
devices for work-related activities, and thatis back at home base.  This creates tremendous
number is expected to grow to 25 percent byrisk, making it difficult for IT staff to know
2012.exactly what business-related  information is
This rapid growth in the number of new,stored on these devices (especially sensitive or
somewhat unfamiliar assets has left enterprisesconfidential data), so it can be properly protected
scrambling to effectively manage them as part offrom loss of competitive breach, and recovered if
their technology inventory.  Since manyneeded.
companies lack the right tools to log and trackIn light of these issues, and as more and more
these devices, they often find themselves unablemobile devices are added into corporate
to:infrastructures, many experts believe that
Collect and Monitor Asset Inventorycompanies must leverage the right IT
Knowing what mobile devices exist, where is eachmanagement solutions to harness these assets,
one physically located, and who its primary user? and maintain the same level of control over them
While some mobile appliances, like Blackberryas they do other technology components.  They
devices, do offer a means of managing all relatedmust have complete visibility into each device's
assets in inventory, this creates the problem ofowner, applications, function, and more.  In fact,
information "silos" that are disconnected from theGartner has stated that, by centralizing
organization's main IT asset managementmanagement of mobile assets, enterprises can
system.save ten to thirty five percent of related costs.
Facilitate Software License ComplianceVisit our Web site to learn more about SaaS IT
When mobile assets cannot be audited, it createsManagement solutions from SAManage, and how
an opportunity for illegal or unauthorized softwarethey can help your organization more closely and
use.  Companies need to know what softwareaccurately manage its inventory of mobile devices.
applications are installed on mobile assets, how