David Lingenfelter, Information Security Officer at Fiberlink, discussed the advantages of using mobile device management platforms, particularly Fiberlink’s MaaS360, with WashingtonExec.
Ligenfelter addressed infrastructure issues with mobile computing in the U.S. He also discussed BYOD policies and a love of Tae Kwon Do.
WashingtonExec: Can you explain a little bit about what MaaS360 does? What goals to you have for MaaS360 this year?
David Lingenfelter: MaaS360 provides a cloud-based solution for managing any device or operating system, across desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones. It is built on highly scalable, multi-tenant platform architecture. This provides companies an easy and affordable way to manage security risks while encouraging productivity across mobile devices.
Our goal with MaaS360 is fairly simple. We want to provide the most agile mobile device management solution for customers of any size and deliver it through the cloud. This makes MaaS360 the fastest solution to solve our customer’s problems while providing the most ongoing value.
WashingtonExec: What are the advantages of using a mobile device management platform?
David Lingenfelter: There are numerous advantages of implementing an MDM platform. One big thing that an MDM platform enables you to do is leverage technology to enforce written policies. This is very important in our new mobile world where personal and corporate data are mixed on a single highly portable device.
For IT staff, an MDM solution helps provide the support to quickly enable users to be productive with their devices, push applications, distribute sensitive documents, and even help locate and wipe a device remotely. This is just the tip of the iceberg, the advantages start piling up when you introduce the automated workflows which help govern the security and compliance of the device, user, applications, and data.
WashingtonExec: Why use MaaS360 instead of another MDM?
David Lingenfelter: Customers choose to use MaaS360 instead of other solutions for four primary reasons:
1) Our proven cloud-based approach. We have 20 years of experience coupled with industry acknowledgements such as having a FISMA Certified solution.
2) Our unique, non-intrusive way we integrate into existing infrastructure such as Mail, AD and Certificate Services. Our approach does not introduce any additional points of failure while providing maximum integration.
3) Comprehensive feature set that spans all aspects of the MDM umbrella (Mobile Application Management, Mobile Expense Management and Secure Document Sharing). We really understand how to help balance governance and productivity.
4) Simple, fast and economical; delivering an exceptional customer experience. Our customers absolutely love our product and our employees.
WashingtonExec: What other options exists for people looking to implement BYOD policy?
David Lingenfelter: This really depends on where a company mobile strategy is over the next 12- 24 months. Companies can attempt to leverage the existing tools which are provided by Microsoft, Apple and Google. They all come with limitations and may not scale or meet specific needs for all customers; however, can be used to assist a BYOD policy implementation.
WashingtonExec: What’s on your summer reading list?
David Lingenfelter: My kids get summer reading assignments that I usually don’t pay too much attention to, but when my oldest had Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein on their reading list I couldn’t help but dust off the old classic (in e-book form) and read it again myself. I’m also a big fan of Stephen King and his latest installment to the Dark Tower series “The Wind Through the Keyhole” is waiting for me.
WashingtonExec: What’s something most people might not know about you?
David Lingenfelter: Hmmm, there are a lot of things people don’t know about me. I guess that may have something to do with my career choice, but one thing that people may not know is that I’m a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. There’s not a lot of spare time in my schedule now to keep going forward, but getting my black belt then helping younger students work towards theirs means a lot to me.
WashingtonExec: Do you see us doomed to mobile doomed to mobile pilot programs? Why or why not?
David Ligenfelter: I certainly hope not. I think what we’re currently seeing is a market going through a very rapid evolution and maturing. This lends itself to people testing different solutions to see which options and features they will really use. I think we’re going to see the mobile market, from hardware and services mature and settle down where people will want to go past the pilot program phase and move on to the next step in mobile maturity where they are more focused on the apps and the data while the devices and the management of the devices gets integrated with the corporate fabric.
WashingtonExec: What are some of the infrastructure issues that the United States needs to address for better mobile computing?
David Lingenfelter: As the mobile market continues to mature we’re seeing a lot of advancements in business level apps and home-grown business apps, which will continue making the mobile solution a more integral part of a business solution. As part of this, the end users are going to have the expectation of access from anywhere. Couple that expectation with the consumer side of mobile with everyone over the age of 10 having some type of mobile device or gaming system that needs connectivity and you’ll have a recipe for infrastructure overload. The mobile infrastructure is already struggling in some areas to keep up with demand, and that is going to continue as long as the development of apps continues to outpace the bandwidth available to end users.
