http://www.informationweek.comInformationWeeken-usCopyright 2012, UBM LLC.2012-09-19T01:14:00Zhttp://reports.informationweek.com/abstract/18/8897/Mobility-Wireless/fundamentals-backing-up-android-and-ios-devices.html?cid=SBX_iwk_related_commentary_Mobile_Security_security2012-07-30T08:00:00ZAndroid and Apple devices make backup a challenge for IT. Look to smart policy, cloud services and MDM.http://www.informationweek.com/news/240004130?cid=SBX_iwk_related_commentary_Mobile_Security_security<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <!-- InformationWeek Digital Issue--> <div id="inlineGreenPromoTop"> <div class="greenBand"></div> <div class="inlineGreenPromoContent"> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/073012s/?k=axxe&cid=article_axxe_os"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/supplement/033/smallcov.jpg" alt="InformationWeek Digital Supplement - August 2012" title="InformationWeek Digital Supplement - August 2012" align="left" class="greenIssueImage" /></a><br /> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/073012s/?k=axxe&cid=article_axxe_os"><img src="http://twimgs.com/infoweek/graphics_library/misc/Green_leaf_88x88.jpg" alt="InformationWeek Green" title="InformationWeek Green" align="right" class="greenLeaf" /></a> <div class="greenPromoText"> <strong><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/073012s/?k=axxe&cid=article_axxe_os">Download the entire August 2012<em> InformationWeek</em> digital supplement on mobile device backup</a></strong>, distributed in an all-digital format as part of our Green Initiative.<br /> (Registration required.)<br /> </div> </div> <div class="greenBand"></div> </div> <!-- / InformationWeek Digital Issue--> <br /><!-- leave as a br to not interfere w/ the insights boxes --> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/supplement/033/033SUP_CS_art_110.jpg" width="110" height="110" alt="Mobile Device Backup" title="Mobile Device Backup" width="110" height="110" class="artInlineTopImage" /> <P> As smartphone and tablet use grows in companies, IT wrestles with how to back up sensitive data that might reside on these platforms. IT can't simply deploy a software agent for full backups as it would with PCs or laptops because of restrictions built into mobile operating systems. Mobile backups are also complicated by the fact that many smartphones and tablets are the property of the employee, not the employer--86% of respondents to <a href="http://reports.informationweek.com/abstract/18/8792/Mobility-Wireless/research-2012-state-of-mobile-security.html?cid=pub_analyt__iwk_20120730" target="_blank"><i>InformationWeek</i>'s 2012 Mobile Security Survey</a> say they allow or plan to allow employee-owned devices.</p> <P> Those employee-owned devices are likely to be Apple or Android products. Our survey shows that 46% of respondents allow employee-owned Apple iOS devices to store corporate data, followed by 36% that allow Android 3.x and 4.x devices, and 28% that allow Android 2.x devices.</p> <P> A feasible mobile backup plan should address both employee- and corporate-owned devices. While IT has more control over devices it deploys to users, many of the backup challenges are the same regardless of whom the device belongs to. </p> <P> <strong>Put It In Writing</strong></p> <P> Start with well-defined policies that explain IT's responsibilities regarding corporate data on both employee- and IT-owned devices. On the technology front, consider cloud-based storage and synchronization services to back up essential corporate data, and look to mobile device management software that can provide the kind of fine-grained control necessary to enforce company policy on personal devices. </p> <P> If you let employee-owned devices access company applications or data, make sure your mobile device policy clearly describes the requirements for access. IT's first reaction to the bring-your-own-device phenomenon may be to write separate policies for employee- and company-issued devices. That's the wrong approach, says Michael Finneran, an independent consultant and industry analyst (and <i>InformationWeek</i> contributor). "Our job is to make sure mobile users get access to the stuff they need securely, regardless of who owns the phone," says Finneran. "What level of security is required is defined by the organization, &#8230; and what users get access to is defined by their role."</p> <P> Your policy should be just as clear about where IT's responsibilities lie regarding backups. IT has an obligation to back up company data and to take steps to do so. But IT doesn't have any obligation to protect an employee's personal information, files, applications, and other information, such as photos and videos.</p> <P> Of course, separating personal and corporate data is really hard. A mobile device can quickly become a hodgepodge of business and private information. For instance, a phone's contact list could have personal and business contacts. Business documents saved as PDFs may be loaded into an e-reader app. Thus, your policy must make it clear that while IT isn't responsible for backing up your MP3 files or vacation photos, some personal data may be intermingled with corporate backups. Your policy must also address remote data wipes for just the same reason--personal data may be destroyed if a device is lost or stolen.</p> <P> <!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <center><strong>To read the rest of the article,<br /><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/073012s/?k=axxe&cid=article_axxe_os">Download the August 2012 <em>InformationWeek</em> digital supplement.</a></strong></center><br clear="all" /></p> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <P> <!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <center> <div id="inlineReportPromo"> <div class="inlineReportPromo_headline"><a href="http://reports.informationweek.com/abstract/18/8897/Mobility-Wireless/fundamentals-backing-up-android-and-ios-devices.html?cid=pub_analyt__iwk_20120730" target="_blank" style="color:#ffffff;">Fundamentals: Backing Up Android And iOS Devices</a></div> <div class="inlineReportPromo_inner"> <img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/supplement/033/033SUP_reportcover.jpg" width="175" height="107" style="float:right;"> Our full report on <a href="http://reports.informationweek.com/abstract/18/8897/Mobility-Wireless/fundamentals-backing-up-android-and-ios-devices.html?cid=pub_analyt__iwk_20120730" target="_blank">backing up Android and iOS devices</a> is free with registration.<br /><br /> This report includes <strong>15</strong> pages of action-oriented analysis. What you'll find: <ul class="normalUL"><li>Pros and cons of cloud backup and sync services</li> <li>Advice on policy and key MDM requirements</li> </ul> <center><strong><a href="http://reports.informationweek.com/abstract/18/8897/Mobility-Wireless/fundamentals-backing-up-android-and-ios-devices.html?cid=pub_analyt__iwk_20120730" target="_blank">Get This</a> And <a href="http://reports.informationweek.com/">All Our Reports</a></strong></center> </div> </div> </center></p><br clear="all"> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->2012-07-11T08:00:00ZWrite once, run anywhere is the dream. Cross-platform tools can help, but problems remain.http://www.informationweek.com/news/240003476?cid=SBX_iwk_related_commentary_Mobile_Security_security<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <!-- InformationWeek Digital Issue--> <div id="inlineGreenPromoTop"> <div class="greenBand"></div> <div class="inlineGreenPromoContent"> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/071112s/?k=axxe&cid=article_axxe_os"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/supplement/035/smallcov.jpg" alt="InformationWeek Green - Jul. 11, 2011" title="InformationWeek Green - Jul. 11, 2011" align="left" class="greenIssueImage" /></a><br /> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/071112s/?k=axxe&cid=article_axxe_os"><img src="http://twimgs.com/infoweek/graphics_library/misc/Green_leaf_88x88.jpg" alt="InformationWeek Green" title="InformationWeek Green" align="right" class="greenLeaf" /></a> <div class="greenPromoText"> <strong><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/071112s/?k=axxe&cid=article_axxe_os">Download the entire July 2012 <em>InformationWeek </em> supplement on Mobile Appplication Development</strong></a>, distributed in an all-digital format as part of our <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/green/">Green Initiative</a><br /> (Registration required.)<br /> </div> </div> <div class="greenBand"></div> </div> <!-- / InformationWeek Digital Issue--> <br /><!-- leave as a br to not interfere w/ the insights boxes --> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/supplement/035/035SUP_Cover2_110.jpg" width="110" height="110" alt="Threats Vs. Readiness" title="Threats Vs. Readiness" width="110" height="110" class="artInlineTopImage" /> <P> As smartphone and tablet use skyrockets, companies are developing mobile applications for customers and end users. Sixty-four percent of respondents to <a href="http://reports.informationweek.com/abstract/18/8484/Mobility-Wireless/research-mobile-device-management.html" target="_blank"><i>InformationWeek</i>'s 2011 Mobile Device Management and Security Survey</a> say they're developing or planning to develop business apps.</p> <P> If your company is considering creating its own mobile apps, you must understand the development landscape. The platform you target, be it Android, BlackBerry, iOS, or Windows, has a preferred language. If you want to write an app that will run on multiple platforms, you can either write it in each platform's preferred language or use a third-party tool to generate code for different platforms. This second approach can save time and effort, though it may affect usability.</p> <P> To help you determine your best approach, we'll examine development tools offered by Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Research In Motion, as well as at two popular cross-platform tools: Air and PhoneGap.</p> <P> <strong>The Test Environment</strong></p> <P> I used four smartphones to test the development tools: Motorola Droid running Android 2.3.5, Apple's iPhone version 4.2.1, Windows Phone version 7.5, and BlackBerry Bold version 7. I also looked at the BlackBerry PlayBook version 1 tablet. In general, the devices offer a similar user experience. The real distinctions are on the developer side; when it comes to writing applications native to each platform, the differences are stark.</p> <P> The four mobile platforms offer virtual devices that let developers write and debug programs without the actual mobile hardware. The virtual devices run on a developer's PC, emulate the mobile hardware, and execute the mobile environment. The developer interacts with the virtual device via the keyboard and mouse.</p> <P> Because all four platforms contain a built-in browser, they support applications that use Web standards. Instead of accessing the app from a Web server, the Web files (HTML/JavaScript/CSS) are packaged for the device and executed in a browser container on the device. A number of third-party tools such as PhoneGap take advantage of this feature by creating a common JavaScript API with platform-specific code underneath, giving programmers access to multiple platforms with a single code base.</p> <P> Android provides developers with the most freedom to choose an OS on which to develop applications. Developers can use Windows, Mac, or Linux. BlackBerry users can choose between Mac or Windows, and a Linux option is on the way. If you want to develop for iOS or Windows devices, your only option is Mac and Windows, respectively. Let's take a look at each platform's development tools.</p> <P> <!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <center><strong>To read the rest of the article,<br /><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/071112s/?k=axxe&cid=article_axxe_os">Download <i>InformationWeek</i>'s July supplement on mobile application development.</a></strong></center><br clear="all" /></p> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <P> <!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <center> <div id="inlineReportPromo"> <div class="inlineReportPromo_headline"><a href="http://reports.informationweek.com/abstract/18/8728/Mobility-Wireless/fundamentals-mobile-app-development.html?cid=pub_analyt__iwk_20120711" target="_blank" style="color:#ffffff;">Fundamentals: Mobile App Development</a></div> <div class="inlineReportPromo_inner"> <img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/supplement/035/035SUP_CSreportcover.jpg" width="175" height="109" style="float:right;"> Our full report on <a href="http://reports.informationweek.com/abstract/18/8728/Mobility-Wireless/fundamentals-mobile-app-development.html?cid=pub_analyt__iwk_20120711">mobile app development </a> is free with registration.<br /><br /> This report includes 16 pages of action-oriented analysis. What you'll find: <ul class="normalUL"><li>A breakdown of development environments for the major mobility platforms</li> <li>Insight on cross-platform tools and secure coding</li> </ul> <center><strong><a href="http://reports.informationweek.com/abstract/18/8728/Mobility-Wireless/fundamentals-mobile-app-development.html?cid=pub_analyt__iwk_20120711">Get This</a> And <a href="http://reports.informationweek.com/">All Our Reports</a></strong></center> </div> </div> </center></p><br clear="all"> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <P>2012-07-03T18:09:00Zhttp://reports.informationweek.com/abstract/22/8793/SOA-App-Architecture/it-pro-impact-html5.html?cid=SBX_iwk_related_commentary_Mobile_Security_security2012-05-11T01:22:00Zhttp://reports.informationweek.com/abstract/18/8740/Mobility-Wireless/fundamentals-5-options-for-mobile-app-development*.html?cid=SBX_iwk_related_commentary_Mobile_Security_security2012-05-11T01:15:00Zhttp://reports.informationweek.com/abstract/18/8728/Mobility-Wireless/fundamentals-mobile-app-development.html?cid=SBX_iwk_related_commentary_Mobile_Security_security2012-03-05T15:58:00ZVS 11 is a live beta, meaning it just got a little less risky to build production Metro apps.http://www.informationweek.com/news/232602029?cid=SBX_iwk_related_commentary_Mobile_Security_securityIn a recent webcast, Microsoft's Jason Zander, corporate VP of Visual Studio, shed some light on Visual Studio 11 and .NET 4.5 beta. The company is using the code internally and made the Feb. 29 release a "live" beta--meaning that companies can build and deploy projects with VS 11, and Microsoft will provide support. <P> If you plan to use Metro, this is a good time for developers to start getting familiar. <P> Other interesting developments showcased in the webcast include support of management methodologies, notably CMMI, and the fact that IntelliTrace can be used in a production environment to help track down bugs. In demonstrations, the VS 11 interface was free of clutter and sported enhancements to keep developers from losing context while they program. On the management side, Team Foundation Server supports agile through Scrum; in fact, Zander says 90% of his team is using Scrum. <P> Microsoft says it built Visual Studio 11 around three pillars: creating modern consumer and business apps, simplifying the development environment with powerful tools, and giving large teams the ability to collaborate at all points in the software life cycle. Let's look at how it plans to deliver on each. <P> <strong>Creating Modern Apps</strong> <P> Two trends in particular helped shape VS 11: Consumers have an increasing number of digital devices, and they want to share data among them. Through Azure, Microsoft's cloud computing service, developers can provide hooks to help users share data, similar to how Apple's iCloud and Dropbox work. The upcoming live beta will allow developers to create Metro-style apps for Windows 7 and Windows mobile devices. <P> <strong>Simplifying The Development Environment With Powerful Tools</strong> <P> I noticed a few things in the new IDE. The interface has been simplified considerably by removing toolbars and minimizing the use of gradients. Minimizing gradients? Why would Microsoft VPs go out of their way to mention that? It's another example of the focus on streamlining by removing distractions. Along the same lines, during the webcast, the company demoed new search-and-suspend features and showed how the Object Explorer is built into the Solution Explorer. A simplified search toolbar integrated with the Solution Explorer allows developers to search across the entire workspace. I think we can agree that Visual Studio was in dire need of a new search utility. The suspend tool enables a developer to save all current settings in a project, switch to a new task, and later reload every window and setting from the previous project, exactly the way it was. <P> Again, these are features that streamline the user experience, allowing developers to focus on code. Fewer distractions means more time in the zone. <P> Perhaps the highlight for developers will be the ability to use IntelliTrace in a production environment. IntelliTrace is a debugging tool that allows developers to see the state of a program after it crashes. It works by creating a ring buffer log file that can be traced with Visual Studio. Of course, logging comes with a price: Tracing can slow down execution 5% to 10% (Zander says the hit is closer to 5% in his experience). Even at 10%, it's a relatively small price to pay to find a crash that occurs only every few months.Zander says IntelliTrace also helps tighten the dev-ops cycle. Collecting information on a malfunctioning program from ops can be a humbling experience. IntelliTrace helps alleviate this issue. Developers can turn the feature on or off, control what data is captured, and select the maximum size of the log file. <P> <strong>Large-Team Collaboration</strong> <P> Microsoft's Team Foundation Server allows teams to collaborate across the development life cycle. Among other features, TFS has source-control and project management tools, with built-in templates for agile project management with Scrum. <P> Zander says his experience with Scrum has been positive: He's seen a tightened development cycle, with issues surfacing sooner and more productive developers. In Scrum, stakeholders and operators are added to the cycle to ensure that features are implemented as expected. How often do business teams agree on a list of requirements only to find that development had a completely different view from operations? Including all players in an iterative cycle lessens the likelihood of working at cross purposes. <P> The Azure-based Team Foundation Services offering is steadily receiving features from the on-premises TFS. Zander says he expects the two to be on par eventually. For the time being, access to TFS Azure for developers is by invitation only, but it promises to be a full-featured product by the time it's released. Zander says his team has 15 TB of data stored in a TFS Azure instance. This beta release will add TFS to the list of Express tools Microsoft offers. It's available by individual license or for teams of up to five members.2012-02-02T20:45:00Zhttp://reports.informationweek.com/abstract/7/8636/Enterprise-Software/it-pro-impact-windows-developer-road-map.html?cid=SBX_iwk_related_commentary_Mobile_Security_security