When BlackBerry launched BES12, we introduced our most complete, simplified and secure mobility management platform yet. Since then, our teams have been hard at work developing enhancements such as government and security advancements for BlackBerry 10 devices and an improved administrator experience, and today we’re happy to announce additional BES12 on-premise updates for our EMM customers.
Through a single command and control centre, BES12 supports any type of deployment model – BYOD, Corporate Owned Personally Enabled (COPE) and Corporate Owned Business Only (COBO) – and all major mobile platforms, including iOS, Android, Windows Phone and BlackBerry. BES12 also integrates with Samsung KNOX and Android for Work, creating true end-to-end security for Android smartphones and tablets.
In the latest version of BES12, version 12.2, we are further expanding our multi-OS capabilities. Key updates include:
* Samsung KNOX Workspace. Samsung KNOX provides comprehensive hardware to software security that is built into Samsung devices like the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge, making them the most secure Android devices. Customers can now use BES12 to manage devices with Samsung KNOX Workspace, meaning that they can deploy Samsung Galaxy devices in a work and personal mode as well as Workspace-only mode. This gives organisations even more choice in not only the devices that their employees use, but in the way that they use them – all with the high level of security and privacy they expect from BlackBerry and Samsung.
* Android for Work. BES12 supports Android for Work, which enhances security, simplifies management and provides an open platform for innovation on Android devices. BES12 seamlessly integrates with the Android OS to enable platform-level containerisation, creating dedicated profiles for corporate and personal information. This eliminates the need for app wrapping and provides users with access to any Android application available on Google Play that is permitted by an organisation’s IT policies.
* BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus. Samsung KNOX Workspace, Android for Work and BlackBerry 10 are now integrated with BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus. This solution provides secure, behind-the-firewall access to enterprise content without the need for VPN infrastructure, helping enterprises to cut costs and improve the user experience for employees. Customers can also use the enhanced secure connectivity option to enable secure, behind-the-firewall access for mobile voice and video applications.
* Apple Device Enrolment Program (DEP). BES12 now supports Apple DEP, which simplifies the enrolment of corporate-issued iOS devices. IT administrators can more quickly, easily and securely manage large deployments of iPhones and iPads by enabling supervised controls over-the-air.
“Enterprises need comprehensive EMM to streamline management of disparate mobile devices, applications and content being deployed across their organisations to meet the diverse needs of users,” Bob Egan, CEO, Sepharim Research Group. “By enhancing its multi-OS capabilities and services with BES12, BlackBerry is creating better user experiences as well as more value for customers that are looking for flexibility in their mobile environments.”
What our customers are saying
Our customers rely on BES12 for multi-OS EMM, ease of implementation and the security features it offers them. Here are what just a few of our customers told us recently about their experience with BES12.
“BMD Group migrated from BES10 to BES12 knowing that we had the flexibility and scalability to add and manage any smartphone or tablet we wanted to – all managed through a single console. Today, our teams use a mixture of BlackBerry 10, iOS and Android devices. Our workforce is happy and more productive with the flexibility of device choice, and management is happy that our security and cost requirements are met, so we can just get on with the job of delivering the best possible service to our clients.”
– John Mulder, Group Information Technology Manager, BMD Group
“BES12 meets my team’s requirements on security, management and ease of use. The migration to BES12 was incredibly painless, and the user interface is far more user-friendly.”
– Calvin Fujita, Team Lead, Implementations and Maintenance Services, Descartes
“We chose BlackBerry and BES12 because of the end-to-end security benefits and high level of management and control it affords us. We need to ensure that the GPS is always on, for example, and need the ability to block certain apps from being installed on the device. We can manage all of this through IT policies on BES12,” says Kelly Baechler, manager of Organisation Change, CarePartners.
With today’s announcement, BlackBerry has shown how it is continuing to expand its multi-OS capabilities while staying committed to the principles of security and simplicity. In environments with multiple platforms, devices, apps and content, enterprises want a trusted, secure solution that will help them reduce complexity. BlackBerry delivers this and so much more to our customers with our portfolio of services and world-class support.