Mobile app virtualization enables organizations to effectively manage BYOD challenges by allowing remote access to applications without storing sensitive data on devices. It offers advantages like high user density, lower hardware costs, and centralized management, significantly improving performance compared to traditional virtualization methods. This technology also enhances security through centralized data storage and patch management, making it appealing for businesses seeking efficient mobile application management.

1. Mobile App Virtualization
101

2. BYOD
has forced IT departments
to change the way that
they manage and secure
applications and devices.

3. Due to BYOD, IT must:
 Provision and maintain mobile apps
 Support phones and tablets from
different manufacturers
 Protect business data on mobile devices

4. Virtual Mobile Infrastructure (VMI)
helps solve BYOD challenges by allowing
users to access mobile apps that are hosted
in remote data centers—so sensitive data is
never stored on mobile devices.
Virtual Mobile
Infrastructure

5. VMI empowers organizations to:
 Develops apps once and support any device
 Centralize mobile app management
 Detect unauthorized access or data loss
 Enforce strong authentication and encryption

6. Not all VMI solutions are equal.
Mobile App Virtualization
offers better session density than
other VMI solutions. It can run
multiple, isolated user instances on
a single Android operating system.

7. 64-bit Android
Multi User Extensions
User 1
User 3
User 2
HW Offload Engines
Because mobile app virtualization does not need to run
a separate Android VM per user, it delivers 8 to 10x
better density compared to full OS virtualization1
Android
VM 1
Android
VM n
Mobile App Virtualization Full OS Virtualization
Hypervisor
1 Density estimate based on a 16 MB mobile app running on a 1 GB Android system.

8. Mobile app virtualization
requires fewer servers, so
it lowers hardware and
operating costs.

9. The cost savings are even greater
in the cloud. Organizations can
rent one VM for hundreds of
users rather per user.

10. Mobile app virtualization:
 Accelerates app “boot up time”
 Reduces storage requirements
 Processes input events and images at
the app level to maximize performance

11.  64-bit Android VM needs more than 2GB of RAM
 More VMs will require
• Large data center with higher power and cooling costs
• Complex IT management
• Expensive external storage solution
• Additional VM management solution like OpenStack
 Most VMI solutions require professional services
• Not a drop in solution
• High initial setup cost and time
Cost and Scalability of Alternative Approaches

12. Android VM
App App
Display
Audio
Input
Simple Doesn’t Scale…
XEN/KVM - HYP
Base Linux or DOM0 Linux
QEMU – Emulation
X-Win
VMI Remote Protocol
 QEMU overhead is substantial.
 All devices such as display are emulated.
 The amount of traffic between VM and
host will be enormous. A 1080p emulated
device will consume 2 Xeon cores.
10+ Gbs
Display Audio Touch

13. Capturing Encrypted Data
Multi-User Android Runtime
Secure Container
Secure
SSL Proxy
File Scanner
Secure I/O Monitor
for Keystroke & Video
App Behavior Scanner
Network Scanner

14. Mobile App Virtualization: Security
 Centralized storage of data
– Prevents data loss from device theft
 Centralized patch management
– Eliminates concerns about devices with
vulnerable or unpatched software
 Optional user monitoring
– Records sessions for forensics

15. Monitor User and Application Activity
 Dashboard of
system status
 Detailed logs of
user activity
 Ability to record
full user session
 Geo-tracking

16. Mobile App Virtualization Architecture
VMI Security
Gateway Clients
Authentication
Server
Benefits
 Very high density
 Apps can share resources like GPU
 Easy to manage
 No need for expensive storage
Considerations
 Cannot define hardware
resources per session
64-bit Android
Multi User Extensions
User 1
User 3
User 2
HW Offload
Engines

17. Reasons to Consider Mobile App Virtualization
Low Hardware Costs
High User Density
Streamlined Management
in the Cloud
Accelerated Boot Up Time and
Responsive User Interface

18. Try Mobile App Virtualization at www.sierraware.com/demo