Prefer Macs? Acronis Access Connect lets you use them with PCs and mobile devices

Acronis, a data protection specialist, today unveiled Acronis Access Connect – a file and print sharing solution for businesses. Acronis Access Connect (formerly ExtremeZ-IP) integrates Macs into businesses.

With this new release, Acronis Access Connect adds broad support for mobile workers to securely access files using iOS, Android, and Windows phones and tablets. This combined support across the range of PC, Mac and mobile platforms lets employees keep using the devices they love, while enabling IT departments to deliver a seamless, scalable, and problem-free file server access and print sharing experience for users.

With Acronis Access Connect, mobile workers and road warriors can now access their work files wherever they need them using the intuitively designed Access Connect mobile clients for iOS, Android and Windows mobile devices. Minimal or no end user training is required for mobile users, especially those familiar with Mac and Windows file sharing environments.

For IT managers and professionals, Acronis Access Connect eliminates SMB protocol bugs, performance issues and compatibility problems related to integrating Macs into Windows environments, reducing help desk calls by as much as 70%. Acronis Access Connect installs in a matter of minutes on Windows servers, delivering immediate time-to-value for IT administrators and support personnel. The solution allows employees to be more productive when working with files on their PCs, Macs and mobile devices – as they choose.

As bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies continue to transform the way employees work worldwide, Macs in the workplace are becoming more common. A 2014 survey of 376 IT professionals conducted by Dimensional Research found that user preference is the top reason given by IT administrators for supporting Macs. The survey also found that 66% of businesses are already using Macs today, and more than 70% officially support Macs as a company endpoint.

While many employees clearly prefer Macs, there are challenges from an IT perspective when it comes to file sharing, including compatibility, search performance issues, and a poor user experience. Acronis Access Connect allows Mac users to take advantage of key features they expect when connecting to Windows or networked attach storage (NAS) file servers, including:

· Fast, full content searching using Network Spotlight
· Automatic backups using Time Machine
· Fast browsing of network shares
· Glitch-free operations when using key applications, such as Microsoft Office or Adobe Creative Suite

“Acronis Access Connect cures two of the biggest IT headaches when it comes to file sharing,” said Serguei Beloussov, CEO, Acronis. “First, we help IT support the increasing numbers of Mac users by virtually eliminating file sharing support issues, and second, we have opened up filer server access across any device – empowering all of your employees to work and collaborate from anywhere.”

Interested?

View the associated video. 

Sophos just made securing corporate information on mobile devices easier

Source: Sophos website.

Sophos has introduced Sophos Mobile Control 5 (SMC 5), a tool that separates personal and corporate information and ensures that the corporate information is secure.

Typically, each device (laptop, tablet, iPad or smartphone) has to be configured, updated and managed individually. With SMC 5, IT managers only have to set the rules for each user once to manage the security of corporate content stored on the device or in a personal cloud. 

Dan Schiappa, SVP and GM of Sophos’ Enduser Security Group, said: “With more workers choosing to use their personal devices for business, IT managers have been faced with the complexity of managing corporate security, and adhering personal data privacy laws. Managing upwards of four devices per user brings considerable risk into the business, and unnecessarily diverts precious IT resource. By focusing on the user permissions, and with remote management and self-service capability, SMC 5 sets a new standard for usability and simplicity.” 

“IT administrators need to secure and manage all the various devices employees use today to get work done - smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktops, but most management tools still treat these devices separately,” says Chris Hazelton, Research Director, Enterprise Mobility at 451 Research. 

“For small to medium-sized businesses, the ability reduce the number of management consoles can significantly streamline the onboarding process for IT departments that don’t have specialised staff. With the goal of enabling bring your own device (BYOD) with simplicity and secure productivity, enterprise mobile management (EMM) solutions must enable all forms of mobile computing. This means managing and securing devices, content, and applications with a user-centric approach that delivers the simplest experience for both users and administrators.”