E-Handbook:
The state of workspace tools and where they're headed
Article 1 of 4
BACKGROUND IMAGE: Rawpixel/iStock
The digital workspace brings consumer bundles to the enterprise
At my house, I have to use one clicker to access cable and on-demand offerings and a second to access Netflix. Even worse, I have to change the input on my television and use a completely different controller to play video games.
I went to my friends' apartment recently to watch basketball, and I saw the future. They had an Xbox One they could use to play video games; watch cable; and run Netflix, HBO Go, YouTube and other services with just one controller.
"I saw the future" is a bit grandiose, and yes, some of this technology has been around for a while, but the cable integration in particular is quite a development. In the enterprise world, IT administrators and end users seek a similar holy grail. Enter the digital workspace, which aims to deliver the same type of experience the Xbox One gives my friends with their home entertainment.
The idea behind workspace suites is to give users one hub where they can access all of their applications and data from any device. Likewise, on the IT side, the digital workspace consolidates all the management platforms necessary to manage users' diverse devices, apps and data. Instead of jumping from a mobile device management platform to secure smartphones and tablets, and then to a systems management console to control PCs, admins can use one tool to do it all -- at least in theory.
Channel surf through this three-part handbook to learn more about digital workspace tools, how to cut through the hype and when the technology is and isn't a good fit.
