MOBILE APP DELIVERY

There's no shortage of mobile app delivery approaches to help business users get real work done on their smartphones and tablets.

Virtualization, application refactoring and enterprise app stores are all potential options, but IT pros must consider the cost, complexity and user-friendliness of each before making any decisions. Delivering Windows applications to mobile devices may be easy -- especially in shops that already use desktop or application virtualization -- but it doesn't always make for a great user experience. Native mobile apps are easier to use, but building, buying and deploying them can get tricky.

A good mobile app delivery strategy helps users do their jobs better and eases IT’s management burdens. App stores, Web and cloud apps and virtualization are some of IT’s options.

As more employees bring mobile devices and apps into the workplace, IT has several mobile app delivery and management options to consider.

One of the biggest risks of the consumerization of IT is that mobile device users exchange and store sensitive enterprise data without the necessary oversight. IT can limit these risks by controlling mobile app delivery, management and security.

Desktop and application virtualization are often the first technologies IT pros turn to when they need to deliver legacy software to mobile devices. Virtualization streams Windows applications -- which are designed for mouse-and-keyboard interfaces -- to mobile devices, which have touchscreens. As such, it may not provide the greatest user experience compared to apps that have been developed from the ground up for mobile. Refactoring could emerge as a beneficial middle ground.

There are four approaches worth considering:

1. Mobile app delivery with enterprise app stores

2. Using Web apps for mobile app delivery

3. Mobile app delivery via cloud

4. Mobile desktop virualization