[Macworld]

Post your comments for Analysts: iPhone 3G S still not enterprise-ready here

[hayesk]

These analysts are kidding themselves if they think every enterprise runs these management tools. The fact is corporations have gotten by before these tools existed and many still are getting by without them.
I take their point about some businesses requiring them, but I'd stop short at saying it isn't "enterprise-ready".

[OriginalMacRat]

Most employees ignore IT anyway.
More fluff from IT trying to save their jobs.

[gudin]

It makes me shudder to think IT would be controlling what I do with my phone. . . . or monitoring the phone, or whatever else they'd be doing.

[dankothehun]

UM. Since December of 2008 Apple has made available for FREE the following (Funny, he makes no mention of it):
Phone Configuration Utility lets you easily create, maintain, and sign configuration profiles, track and install provisioning profiles and authorized applications, and capture device information including console logs.
Configuration profiles are XML files that contain device security policies, VPN configuration information, Wi-Fi settings, APN settings, Exchange account settings, mail settings, and certificates that permit iPhone and iPod touch to work with your enterprise systems. For instructions on how to use iPhone Configuration Utility, see the iPhone and iPod touch Enterprise Deployment Guide, available for downloading at:
Enterprise Deployment Guide - http://www.apple.com...one/enterprise/

[deemery]

So the IT Nazis say the iPhone isn't "enterprise ready" because they're unable to manage it so that everyone is equally punished by corporate policies? And these are the same people who generally buy Microsoft-branded everything (e.g. Exchange server), no matter what the purchase -and sustainment- price?!
Enabling background processing has some security implications that I suspect Apple is trying to work out. That includes information sharing between processes, and the control & monitoring of these processes. The last thing you want is a zombie iPhone, but that's -exactly- what you can get from background processes that aren't secure. The assertion that the -absence of background processing- is a security limitation is one I find particularly bizarre.

[ibeetle]

My brother tells me this great story about IT and the iPhone.
The IT department sent out a eMail; No iPhones. No way No how. Do not even bother asking.
A couple of months later he got another eMail from IT. Ok, iPhones are now allowed on the network. However, you are on your own for support. Turns out the Head of the company got an iPhone.
A few months after that another eMail was sent. iPhones are now completely supported and in fact the company is looking testing a large number of company owned iPhones. Turns out the head of IT got himself a brand new pretty little White iPhone.
It is not is the iPhone ready for IT; It is is IT ready for the iPhone.

[jrandersoniii]

The most valid point of concern comes from heavily regulated industries, such as financial firms. These industries must document nearly every email and letter that leaves their firms. So I can see why they like the Blackberry with a linkage to a BES server. For lightly to non-regulated industries, I can see the iPhone being an advantage. Especially for sales representatives. The ability to put high quality short sales videos, for instance, on an iPhone to show to clients -- powerful stuff. So easy, even a salesman could use.

[leicaman]

ibeetle said:

My brother tells me this great story about IT and the iPhone.

The IT department sent out a eMail; No iPhones. No way No how. Do not even bother asking.

A couple of months later he got another eMail from IT. Ok, iPhones are now allowed on the network. However, you are on your own for support. Turns out the Head of the company got an iPhone.

A few months after that another eMail was sent. iPhones are now completely supported and in fact the company is looking testing a large number of company owned iPhones. Turns out the head of IT got himself a brand new pretty little White iPhone.

It is not is the iPhone ready for IT; It is is IT ready for the iPhone.

Exactly the same thing happened at my company. Now the Mac guy in IT is going around showing people his jailbroken iPhone 3G recording video.

What I see from this story is analysts who are shills for the IT tools makers pushing their tools and claiming there are none to be had from Apple (which is clearly not the case). It's like Virus companies with their hair-on-fire claims about Macs.

[DVA_Airwolf]

The last of the I.T. attitude problems against the brand which is "Apple" methinks. They're just scared that they'll be putting themselves out of a job when they realise it's much simpler than all the overhead of their current systems.

[itsjustme]

DVA has it the nail on the head. I.T. loses at lot of job security. (and probably loses the mandatory enterprise required training $$$ they budget). I don't understand the internal server issue. Any I.T. team should be able to set up an IMAP type email system on their own server(s). The iPhone would use IMAP and all email traffic could be stored or even forwarded and then sent, from the home server(s). Then, being an iPhone, the user could also have multiple email accounts for personal stuff.........

[bcode]

"And to do that, they have to force things on the user to create a consistent environment"...
Did he really just say that?!? You have to "force" things on the user??
This is perhaps the least inventive IT analyst I've ever heard speak. All kinds of companies (including Apple) have been able to kick the "standard" way of doing stuff and create secure, functional devices that don't "force" anything on the user.
These analysts and IT chumps (yes, I said chumps) need a swift kick in the head so they'll finally snap out of their Microsoft induced haze. There are better tools out there... Find them. Use them.

[JakeT]

Any IT guy who is against the iPhone is probably a poorly educated Windows admin who isn't very smart.

[JakeT]

One of the things that's missing on the iPhone and the Blackberry is a way to record conference calls.
Better than tethering would be the ability to use the iPhone as a WiFi router. That's a better method than blue-tooth or usb.