This document discusses the challenges of managing mobile applications at an enterprise scale. As more employees use mobile devices for work, the number of applications a company needs to support grows exponentially. Managing hundreds or thousands of applications across different devices and operating systems is a significant challenge. The document recommends adopting a common application development platform to simplify management. It also advocates for tools that can remotely distribute, configure, update and remove applications over a device's lifecycle.

1. SAP White Paper
Mobile Applications
Mobile Applications May Be Running the Business,
But Who’s Running the Apps?
The Challenges of Managing Mobility at the Application Level

3. Table of Contents
5 Who’s Minding the Mobile Apps?
6 What Is Application Management?
Application Management
Challenges for Corporate IT
8 Scaling Mobile Business Operations
with Scalable Application
Management
What to Look for in an Application
Development Platform
Distributing, Configuring, and
Maintaining Mobile Applications
10 Service-Cycle Approach to
Application Management
Managing Application Development
Managing Application Use
11 Optimizing Mobile Operations
Through Application Management

4. Today’s enterprise mobility is a consumer-driven phenomenon. In
many organizations, it is workers bringing their own devices into the
workplace who are forcing the hand of IT policy makers. New devices
are coming to market faster than corporate IT can formulate policies
about them; companies often have no idea what software or data
their employees are accessing. As enterprise mobility evolves far
beyond mobile e-mail, application management is becoming a
fundamental mobility management challenge.

5. Reality Check in the Mobile IT World
Who’s Minding the Mobile Apps?
Why is mobile application management •• Many companies get started with
such a big deal? mobility by thinking in terms of a few
Here are several points that help illus- mobile applications for certain kinds
trate what is happening in the mobile IT of business operations. However, as
world: more and more employees push for
•• Many companies are allowing employ- mobile solutions, it is not always clear
ees to use their own smartphones exactly how many mobile applications
and tablets at work. These are called a company is supporting. Of course
employee-liable devices, and it makes the bigger question is, how many will a
sense for employers to allow them company ultimately need to support?
because it shifts some of the burden of Large enterprises use thousands of
mobility management to employees. commercial and internally developed
One company realized it didn’t know applications to run conventional busi-
how many of its employees had mobile ness operations.
connections to basic corporate ser-
vices like e-mail. It decided to use a As mobile operations spread through the
mobile device interrogation tool to see organization, how is it possible to man-
what business applications mobile age, support, and configure hundreds if
workers were accessing. As soon as not thousands of mobile applications for
the tool was turned on, the company employees who use different mobile
was surprised to discover 1,800 more devices and operating systems requiring
devices accessing e-mail services than different versions of the same
it realized. This had an impact on its applications?
e-mail software licensing agreement. There is a way, but before we get into
that, it’s important to understand what
application management is all about.
SAP White Paper – Mobile Applications May Be Running the Business, But Who’s Running the Apps? 5

6. Key Aspects from Acquisition Through Removal
What Is Application Management?
There are three distinct but interdepen- Mobile security includes extending Microsoft Windows client systems run-
dent aspects of managing enterprise corporate security practices and poli- ning a suite of office software, while
mobility. cies to mobile workers. Mobile security creative designers might prefer Mac OS
Mobile application management involves the use of both device and appli- systems.
involves not only acquiring, building, and cation management tools to enforce Enterprise mobility is different. When
customizing applications to make them security policies. Basic device controls it comes to supporting mobility, most
suitable for use in the business but also like remote lock and wipe, automatic data enterprises today support multiple
distributing them, configuring them, fading, activity logging, data encryption, mobile operating systems for all kinds
securing them, updating them, tracking and password protection are important of workers, and workers using different
their usage, and deleting them from tools for mobile security. The applications devices often need to run the same
decommissioned devices. themselves also become tools for enforc- applications. Furthermore, there may
Mobile device management is life- ing security, as the corporation controls be greater variation in the applications
cycle management that includes enabling who gets them, what data they access, workers carry on their mobile devices
devices for use in the business, device and how they handle data. than there is in the applications one
configuration and provisioning with basic would find on a typical desktop or laptop
software and data, monitoring business- Application Management system. This is because the smaller form
related device activity, having remote Challenges for Corporate IT factor of mobile devices makes them
device controls, and device decommis- ideal for smaller applications that are
sioning. As the trend toward “bring your In a traditional enterprise IT environ- more specific to a worker’s job functions.
own device” (BYOD) becomes the norm, ment, desktop and notebook computers Here’s an example. Let’s say business
some traditional device management often run the same operating system. unit managers want a mobile budget
functions, like device and service provider If there are different client operating sys- dashboard app that gives them a real-
selection, are shifting to workers. For tems, they are typically used by different time snapshot of their balance sheets.
more information about device manage- kinds of workers running different kinds Others in the organization would have
ment, see the SAP white paper Managing of applications. For instance, basic busi- no need for this app and therefore would
Mobile Devices in a Device-Agnostic World ness operations typically happen on not be running it. The company might
(registration required).
How is it possible to manage, support, and
configure hundreds if not thousands of mobile
applications for employees who use different
mobile devices and operating systems requiring
different versions of the same applications?

7. need to support five different versions ment tools. As the number of applica- Maintaining Mobile Applications
of this application because the business tions and devices increases in the Applications and business operations
unit managers all use different mobile organization, their management change. With a large portfolio of mobile
devices. becomes a nearly impossible task. apps, there will be continuous need to
Here’s another example. Let’s say your One of the most important ways to get revise and update apps, and it will be
business hires consultants to work on a handle on managing mobile applica- necessary to ensure that employees get
specific projects under contracts that tions is to enforce an application develop- these updates. Also, if employees change
have limited duration. While they are ment platform standard. All applications devices – for instance, if they switch
under contract, your company needs built on a common platform can be man- from an iPhone to an Android device –
them to run certain mobile applications aged with the same set of management they will need to be reprovisioned
that are integral to the operations they tools. with the appropriate versions of their
are involved in. When their contracts Another key advantage of applications applications.
end, you want to wipe those applications built on a common development plat-
and associated data from their mobile form is that they can all share data. This Removing Business Applications and
devices. Of course, these consultants has significant implications for the future Data from Mobile Devices
could be using any of a number of differ- of a mobility strategy that is expanding If a mobile device is lost, an employee
ent mobile devices. through an organization. It’s difficult to leaves the company, or a consultant’s
Multiply these scenarios by the hun- predict who will need what data in new contract ends, it will be necessary to
dreds or thousands of applications and emerging operations. However, if a remove business applications and data
needed to support enterprise mobility, platform standard allows all future appli- from those devices. If companies support
and it is quickly apparent that managing cations to share data, the need for data a BYOD policy, they must be able to per-
mobile applications presents a different transparency among different applica- form these tasks without touching the
kind of IT challenge. In this environment tions (or the lack of it) ceases to be an personal-use functionality of a device.
of rapidly proliferating applications, issue.
companies must resolve the following Companies can mandate that all in-
key aspects of mobile application house applications be built using a
management. standard development platform and
all purchased applications come from
Acquiring or Building Mobile vendors using the same development
Applications for Use in the Business platform. This is an important first step
Where do mobile business applications in application management.
come from? Most officially sanctioned
business applications are either pur- Distributing Applications to Employees
chased as out-of-the-box solutions or A fundamental task of mobility manage-
the company custom-builds them. ment is distributing applications to
Many companies have been slow to employees. This means getting the right
develop policies around the adoption of versions of applications onto the devices
mobile applications because they are of people who need to run them. It also
often specialized and touch compara- means doing as much preconfiguration
tively few employees. This has resulted as possible so users do not become
in IT being saddled with managing a mis- frustrated to the point of abandoning
cellaneous portfolio of applications that the application, and IT support is not
require different, incompatible manage- swamped with technical questions.
SAP White Paper – Mobile Applications May Be Running the Business, But Who’s Running the Apps? 7

8. Accommodating Both Business Needs and Evolving Mobile Technologies
Scaling Mobile Business Operations with
Scalable Application Management
Understanding what is involved in applica- •• The platform also supports HTML5 Figure 1: Container Concept
tion management is one thing, but how do and JavaScript (the standard scripting
you pursue an effective application man- language used to create Web applica-
agement strategy that is responsive to tions). This important capability is
the mobility needs of an organization? used to build hybrid mobile applica- Application with generic business logic
Workers are pushing for mobility tions. A hybrid application consists of
because the enabling technology makes a Web app that runs in a native app
it possible for them to work in better “container” installed on the mobile Android (or other) container
ways. Companies are turning to mobile device (see Figure 1). Hybrid applica-
devices because of the efficiencies and tions significantly reduce the cost of
productivity gains they realize by doing mobile application development while
Android-specific hardware functions
so. In many cases, a company’s mobility delivering the performance of a device-
infrastructure lags behind its mobility specific native application.
ambitions. An effective application man- •• The platform allows you to extend your
agement strategy needs to enable mobil- portfolio of mobile apps to new device Android-specific data storage
ity rather than obstruct operations, and types by adding new device-specific
it needs to accommodate changing busi- containers.
ness needs as well as evolving mobile •• All applications built on the platform
Access to back-end databases
technologies. tie into back-end corporate data and
What capabilities does an application support server-driven events, mes-
management strategy need to support? sages, and notifications.
•• All applications built on the platform
What to Look for in an Applica- support a single, consistent encryption
tion Development Platform across different devices.
An application development platform is Companies that mandate the use of a
the cornerstone of a scalable mobile single application development platform
application management strategy. Mobile for all their internally developed and
applications developed on a common vendor-built mobile applications will sim-
platform share data, and they can be plify near-term application management
managed with a common set of applica- and help ensure long-term compatibility
tion management tools. These are key for all the mobile applications in their
points in a business environment that can portfolio. This compatibility will be consis-
easily depend on hundreds or thousands tent across all devices, even new devices
of mobile applications. What makes for an that have not yet reached the market.
ideal application development platform?
An enterprise-grade mobile application Distributing, Configuring, and
platform will have these characteristics: Maintaining Mobile Applications
•• Applications built on the platform eas-
ily port to different types of mobile The heart of an effective application man-
devices. agement strategy is a robust application
•• The platform supports standard appli- management platform. This platform pro-
cation development languages like vides tools needed for application distri-
C++ and others. bution and configuration, managing who

9. gets which applications, and managing needs to provide visibility into devices applications on user devices, many
different methods of application distribu- enabled for business use. Dynamic business applications are best man-
tion (see Figure 2). Here are key capabili- device interrogation provides real-time aged through a company or enterprise
ties of an enterprise-grade application information such as what version of an app store. This enables employees,
management platform: operating system a device is running partners, and even customers to
•• Compatibility with the widest selec- so that the correct version of an appli- download applications as they need
tion of device types and mobile oper- cation is remotely installed on that them. An enterprise-grade mobile
ating systems – This is critical in that device. It can also monitor software application management platform will
it enables an organization to support usage for accurately managing soft- include an app store distribution
the most up-to-date mobile devices. It ware licensing agreements. model. Companies can organize their
also gives an organization greater flexi- •• Group policy management – An app stores so that users are only able
bility when creating a BYOD policy for enterprise-grade application manage- to install applications appropriate to
employees. ment platform enables a company to their relationship with the company.
•• Remote provisioning and control – preconfigure and distribute mobile
This enables companies to push appli- applications to users based on their A good application management platform
cations to remote devices over the device types, job functions, or other provides maximum control to the com-
phone service network. It also allows criteria. This helps ensure that the pany, minimizes user configuration
companies to remotely configure right people get the applications they headaches, and takes advantage of user
devices, and it provides remote and need, and it reduces time spent by self-service opportunities. This enables
automated security controls used to users configuring new applications mobility to scale within an organization
secure data on lost, stolen, or decom- installed on their devices. in a cost-effective way. With these appli-
missioned devices. •• Support for an “app store” distribu- cation management capabilities, it also
•• Dynamic device interrogation – An tion model – While companies need becomes possible to build and enforce an
application management platform to preconfigure and remotely install overall application management strategy.
Figure 2: Application Management Ecosystem
Corporate IT
Mobile application Mobile application
development management
platform platform
Company employees Partners and consultants
• Devices provisioned with basic apps and • Service-cycle app support
data at start of service • Group policy management to control
• Download of additional apps from Company app store access
company store
• “Push” distribution of updates
• App and data wiped at end of service
Partners and consultants
• Access to customer-facing applications
SAP White Paper – Mobile Applications May Be Running the Business, But Who’s Running the Apps? 9

10. Managing Application Development and Use
Service-Cycle Approach to
Application Management
With solid application management capa- Managing Application Use having physical access to the device.
bilities, it becomes possible to create a Over-the-air provisioning is an essential
platform-based application management A traditional device-centric approach to feature of effective enterprise application
strategy that is both manageable and IT management considers IT manage- management.
enforceable. ment tasks in the context of a device’s
There are two broad aspects of appli- lifecycle. Production
cation management that are manage- Enterprise mobility is different for sev- The production phase covers that period
able through rules and technology-driven eral reasons. Increasingly, people bring when a device is in active service. Work-
practices: their own devices into the workplace, and ers use applications appropriate to their
•• Development and maintenance of they take their devices with them when job functions. They may download new
applications they leave. Additionally, a company may applications from the company app
•• Deployment and use of applications provide mobile applications to partners store. Periodically, the company will push
who manage their own devices, and com- applications and application updates out
Managing Application panies may work with consultants who to users over the service carrier network.
Development need access to certain applications for An application management platform
the duration of a consulting engagement. allows IT managers to do this for individ-
In many ways, mobile application devel- Mobile application management is not uals as well as groups using group policy
opment conforms to management rules so much about the lifecycle of devices as definitions and dynamic device interro-
that govern the development of other it is about the period when a device is in gations. In this way it becomes possible
business applications. These include: service with the company. It is in service to quickly modify business processes
•• Defining a standard application devel- when an employee or partner is using it. and worker activities that depend on
opment platform that ensures device It is out of service when it is lost or sto- mobile applications.
and data compatibility len, an employee gets a new device or
•• Defining an application’s business takes the device with him or her upon Decommission
objectives leaving the company, or a contract rela- Decommissioning is the process of
•• Defining the application’s user base tionship ends. taking a device out of service by remov-
within the corporate ecosystem In a service-cycle approach to applica- ing all business applications and data.
•• Defining version and device support tion management, the service cycle Devices can go out of service because an
for the application consists of three phases. employee gets a new device or leaves the
•• Proceeding with a normal application company, a consultant’s contract ends,
development process Provision or a device is lost or stolen. An applica-
Provisioning involves preparing a device tion management platform with strong
To effectively manage mobile applications, for use in the business environment by security controls provides a number of
it is necessary to build the apps to a stan- installing essential security and business ways to manually lock and wipe a device.
dard that allows IT management to use applications. It may also include installing Devices can also be configured for auto-
one set of application management tools. a platform-integrated, device-specific matic data fading. Some of these same
This simplifies the process of configuring application container. This container controls work to delete all company
and deploying apps either directly to simplifies configuration of other business applications and data when a device nat-
devices or through a company app store. applications. It also helps separate a com- urally ends its service life. An application
pany’s business data and applications management platform enables IT man-
from personal and other noncompany agement to perform decommissioning
uses. With an application management functions over the air, and to manage
platform, IT managers can quickly provi- mobile business assets without touching
sion mobile devices over the air without personal data and applications.

11. Enhancing Productivity and Security
Optimizing Mobile
Operations Through
Application Management
In the past few years there has been an essential tools for executing business Learn More
enormous change in the types and capa- processes, they increasingly turn compa-
For more information about developing
bilities of mobile devices. As exciting as nies into real-time enterprises. The most
and managing mobile apps that are core
these developments have been, they are successful companies will be those to your business operations, contact your
merely the backdrop for an even more whose mobility implementations provide SAP representative or visit
disruptive trend. New application devel- the greatest, most secure usability for www.sap.com/mobile/mdm.
opment platforms and software technol- workers. Mobile application manage-
ogies like hybrid applications are causing ment capabilities help ensure smooth
mobile application development costs to mobile operations by:
plummet. Companies are finding it easier •• Allowing workers to use the mobile
to build mobile applications and easier to devices they prefer, which maximizes
make the business cases for developing their productivity
them. •• Simplifying the process of making
It’s not hard to see how these trends workers’ devices ready for business
are redirecting the focus of corporate use
technology managers. Many companies •• Supporting a large ecosystem of
are planning major deployments of new business-related users, including non-
mobile applications. The September employees like partners, consultants,
2011 white paper A Guide to Successfully and even customers
Deploying Enterprise Mobile Applications, •• Lowering the investment required to
commissioned from Yankee Group by produce and deploy useful mobile
SAP notes, “Key factors include the evo-
, applications
lution of higher-speed mobile networks, •• Minimizing software configuration
the explosion of smart mobile devices, issues by enabling distribution of pre-
users’ familiarity with apps and mobile configured applications so that they
app stores, and a decrease in the costs install ready to run
associated with developing, distributing, •• Increasing worker engagement
and maintaining mobile applications. through mobile applications specific
This has spurred companies to look to job roles, shared data, and the
beyond mobile e-mail and basic mobile convenience of a company app store
access to corporate databases and con- •• Providing robust security controls
sider other applications to liberate enter- that prevent accidental data loss,
prise data and more directly impact key enabling workers to perform critical
business processes.” That is just a warm- business operations in a “safe” mobil-
up for what is coming as companies and ity environment
employees aggressively pursue opera- •• Enabling IT to efficiently manage a
tional advantages afforded by enterprise large portfolio of mobile business
mobility. applications
Mobility makes people more produc-
tive by placing core information, and the Companies that have the best mobility
ability to take action, directly at the deci- implementations will be the ones that
sion point in a business process. As win in a world of real-time business
mobile business applications become engagement.
SAP White Paper – Mobile Applications May Be Running the Business, But Who’s Running the Apps? 11

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