INTELLIGENT MOBILE TECHNOLOGY
seasonal demand; as soon as HR has
confirmed the names of the employees, IT
can set up a virtual system for each one,
complete with the apps they will need to
get started straight away.
App volumes in the real world
The Metlac Group is one such business
that has benefited from the App Volumes
solution. A leading producer of coatings
and inks for the internal protection and
decoration of all types of metal packaging,
the company’s focus is on innovation,
advanced technology, quality and
customer service.
Metlac began using App Volumes
within its VDI environment to launch
applications for the wider business.
Allowing the organisation to manage just a
single ‘master image’, rather than updating
individual devices, applications can be
delivered to the workforce quickly and
efficiently; meaning no downtime for users.
As Stefano Del Bino, IT Architect at
Metlac notes: “The advantage for us is
from an IT management point of view.
Timescales for deploying both existing
and new applications have definitely come
down; we’ve shaved up to 75 per cent
off our deployment times. Now, if a user
requests access to a specific application, it
takes no time at all to have it ready for use
on their desktop.”
Channel partners guide
digital transformation
While Middle East organisations are
tempted by business applications, it’s
important for the C-suite to step in
and get serious about commitment.
Applications should not be deployed in
isolation; channel partners should play
a key role in devising an organisation-
wide digital transformation agenda that
prioritises mobility, virtualisation and
cybersecurity solutions.
The most valuable channel partners –
those specialised in specific applications or
industry verticals – will be the ones who
can tell businesses which applications will
best meet their business needs. And just
as importantly, which types of cloud-based
technology infrastructure will be needed
The most
valuable channel
partners . . .
will be the ones
who can tell
businesses which
applications will
best meet their
business needs.
to support the next wave of Internet of
Things (IoT) applications.
With the rapid technological
advancements in the IoT era, channel
partners need to ensure their staff have and
hold the latest certifications, so that the
marriage between the organisation, channel
partner and end-users remains strong.
As the BYOD trend continues to
accelerate, VMware is dedicated to
training its channel partners on the latest
AirWatch and Workspace ONE solutions
that can deliver secure enterprise
mobility management that will ensure
the latest apps can drive new levels of
employee collaboration, productivity and
business results.
Small and medium-sized businesses,
which are the main growth driver for the
Middle East’s digital economy, should
also tie the knot with channel partners to
gain the same business competitiveness as
large enterprises.
Two sides of the same solution
Over the next year, the technology will
become closely integrated with the
AirWatch products, allowing a two-pronged
approach to application delivery: with
AirWatch offering device control while App
Volumes governs the application stack.
Moving away from the device-centric IT
strategies of old, the user will now be placed
at the heart of the strategy. The end result
will be one in which employees have access
to the latest, most relevant tools to do their
jobs via any device and from any location
in which they find themselves. Employees
won’t need to wait for days or weeks to get
the tools they need; IT can provision and
deliver everything they need instantly.
For the IT department, it will not
only strength relations with the wider
business – removing the frustrations of
slow deployments – but will also allow
the department to manage IT services
for a larger user base without having
to expand headcount (an important
benefit in times of budget constriction).
Running an Application-as-a-Service
approach means no more time is wasted
in installing services or apps to a device;
all that is required is access. This also
improves issues of security; if a device is
lost or stolen, then organisational data is
not at risk as it is not stored directly on
the device.
Importantly, more time can also be
pushed into strategic initiatives rather
than lost in awkward and detailed update
processes. Finally allowing IT to move
from being an expensive, albeit necessary,
cost centre to become a critical part of the
organisation’s growth strategy.
By offering both an agile service delivery
and unified application management,
App Volumes is a critical tool in helping
organisations remain at the forefront of
technology. Staying ahead of rivals can
offer a competitive advantage, allowing
staff to better engage with customers
and prospects, or build stronger ties with
partner organisations.
However, as Moore’s Law comes
to end and the future of technological
advancement becomes more obscure,
failure to stay at the front of the pack will
have ever more concerning consequences.
Those who fail to develop and deliver the
best applications to their workforce, or
who can’t offer an agile infrastructure that
allows the business to adapt to the twists
and turns of their market will soon find
themselves under threat. With IT moving
so quickly, those who fall behind could well
be left behind permanently; while those at
the front are well positioned to lead their
respective markets for many years.
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