The recent Windows Mobile announcement from Microsoft is a great validation of the importance of the mobile device management (MDM) marketplace, as well as the maturing of the enterprise need to mobilise employees and applications (Management boost for Windows Mobile, 29 October).

However, while Microsoft will provide capabilities that address some of the issues highlighted, these will only be for Microsoft devices – less than 15 per cent of the smartphone market, according to Canalys statistics from 2006.

In a typical enterprise, there are many different mobile devices being used, many of which have probably not been sourced by the IT department. Therefore enterprises need complete MDM capabilities that enable them to manage and secure all device types irrespective of the operating system, manufacturer, mobile network used, or data applications and services supported.

Matt Bancroft, Mformation