GroundControl Makes Enterprise iOS Device Management Easy

By Todd Bernhard I recently attended VMworld in Las Vegas, to learn about VMware's efforts in the cloud, but perhaps the most interesting info to come out of the show, at least for iOS observers, was from GroundControl's booth.New York basd GroundControl offers enterprises a platform for managing the contents and profile of assorted iPads and iPhones. Through a combination of their software and their optional hardware, they can wipe and reinstall iOS images on iOS devices. The potential for such a solution includes hospitals, security-conscious enterprises, and schools. A teacher could collect iPads at the end of class or the day and plug them in to the GroundControl station to have them restored to a preconfigured state. Aaron Freimark, the CEO, was kind enough to demonstrate the process and it was pretty straightforward, and speedy, at around five minutes, which is important for schools where a dedicated IT department may not be available. Some of the GroundControl capabilities include:

• Digitally “sanitize” shared devices to remove personal data
• Enable “Self-Healing” of misconfigured devices
• Lock devices to specific apps, or lock out Apple IDs and iCloud
• Block unapproved WiFi networks
• Switch devices from one MDM server to another
• Set specific app settings for groups of devices
• Keep iOS and apps up to date to maintain security, but without interrupting the work day.

If you run an enterprise and need to manage multiple iPads and iPhones, GroundControl can be a great way to control them.