As mobile computing becomes more popular throughout the enterprise, IT
executives from systems vendors to CIOs are placing an increasing emphasis
on securing those expanding work environments. In fact, just last week when
PalmSource announced its latest secure platform at the CeBIT America tech
conference, CEO David
Nagel highlighted the single biggest point of irony that underscores the
difficulty of accelerating the deployment of mobile enterprise computing:
“you have a $250 device with $250 million worth of corporate data on there.”
On Tuesday, IBM introduced two software tools to help systems
administrators maintain the same level of security across their wired or
wireless networks while still allowing for seamless roaming across a variety of
protocols.
The Armonk, NY.-based IBM has updated its WebSphere Everyplace Connection Manager suite in order to enable software that creates a mobile VPNfor both Internet
Protocol (IP) networks and non-IP, or private packet radio networks. The tools protect sensitive enterprise data by encrypting data, optimizing performance and reducing transmission costs. Mobile employees can use a
laptop or a PDA to move from location to location no matter if the
connection point is based on Wi-Fi, iDEN, CDMA or some other high-speed
cellular standard.
The Connection Manager software is certified on Windows, Solaris and
IBM’s proprietary AIX/UNIX platforms under the Federal Information
Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 level requirements — one of the most
stringent cryptographic security standards developed by U.S. and Canadian
governments.
The newest WebSphere software, version 5.0, is the clearest example yet
of IBM’s renewed commitment to handheld-computing pioneer Palm Solutions
(formerly known as Palm Computing). Within the last month, the two companies
have announced a series of arrangements
to strengthen their ties to each other and the developer communities
they respectively serve. When Connection Manager version 5.0 is combined
into IBM’s new Mobile Office Entry Jumpstart solution, enterprise customers
in numerous industries will be able to pilot and test run the software with
newly enabled Palm Tungsten handheld computers supporting up to 50 clients.
“WebSphere Everyplace Connection Manager raises the bar to new heights for
mobile workers who need secure access to data from multiple types of
computing devices,” said Joe Damassa, vice president of IBM Pervasive
Computing Division.
IBM also announced the introduction of Wireless Security Auditor as an
additional tool in the arsenal of its IBM Global Services division. The
wireless security tools allow Global Services security consultants to help
system administrators assess security vulnerability in their wireless
systems.