RIM have announced BlackBerry Mobile Fusion (www.blackberry.com/mobilefusion), their bolt-on device management platform for BES 5.0.3 which provides support for Android and iOS devices besides BlackBerries. The platform is based on software developed by Ubitexx, the company they acquired a few years ago. Coming next year, BlackBerry Mobile Fusion will provide a number of device management, security and compliance features:

• Manage devices, users, groups and policies from a single place

  From a single interface, administrators can access the most common management tasks for mobile device management across multiple BlackBerry domains. Administrators can create and manage groups, manage user profiles and provision mobile devices.

• Manage required and optional work applications

  Administrators can support over-the-air installation, upgrading and auditing of required and optional apps for BlackBerry devices. For BlackBerry PlayBook tablets, BlackBerry Mobile Fusion works with BlackBerry App World™ to enable administrators to push and install required work apps on users' tablets. Administrators can also make a catalog of optional apps available for download through the work channel of BlackBerry App World.

• Supports BlackBerry Balance technology for BlackBerry devices

  BlackBerry Mobile Fusion includes BlackBerry® Balance™ technology which allows BlackBerry devices to be used for personal and work purposes without compromising management or security. When a BlackBerry device is activated with BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, a secure, encrypted file system is created for work information and apps. This creates a perimeter between work and personal data and helps keep information secure.

• Manage and secure BlackBerry PlayBook tablets

  Features of BlackBerry Mobile Fusion enable organizations to manage and secure BlackBerry PlayBook tablets. After associating a tablet with an individual user, administrators can configure the tablet for work purposes using a centralized administrative interface. Administrators can set password requirements, enable encryption of work information, remotely lock tablets or wipe work-related or all information from BlackBerry PlayBook tablets.

• Support for devices that use Apple iOS and Google Android operating systems

  Use BlackBerry Mobile Fusion to manage and secure devices that use Apple iOS and Google Android operating systems. Certain features enable administrators to add and import iOS and Android users, create group memberships, view user and device information, define IT policies and connectivity settings, manage apps on devices and assist users in the recovery of misplaced devices.

• Security designed for everyone

  A variety of policies provide maximum control with minimal impact to the user experience. For BlackBerry devices, BlackBerry Mobile Fusion leverages the security of the BlackBerry solution to provide an added layer of protection for the synchronization of email, contacts and calendar information.

Mobile Fusion will be available in closed beta in January and will launch in March next year.
There will be no limit to the number of devices that can be assigned to an individual user, and each Mobile Fusion server will be able to manage up to 10,000 devices.

iOS and Android device management features will include:

• Set WiFi settings
• Set VPN settings
• Set Email settings
• Set LDAP settings
• Lock device
• Unlock device (iOS)
• Reset device password (Android)
• Wipe device
• Remove the configuration profile and the device client
• Provision user and CA certificates (via device client or via SCEP)
• Trigger app installation
• Provide company app store
• Provide end user device notifications
• Provide rooting detection (Android)
• Provide jailbreaking detection (iOS)

Read more and sign up for updates on the BlackBerry web site - www.blackberry.com/mobilefusion

The full Webcast covering this software announcement is available here - http://webcast.streamlogics.com/audience/index.asp?eventid=98320733