Apple has released iPhone OS Enterprise Deployment Guide Second Edition, for Version 3.1 or later on their website. This guide hits on all the golden nuggets and facilitates using the iPhone in enterprise while creating a little more comfort for the IT administrators, and I recommend anyone tasked with managing iPhones to download and read the documentation. Apple is also showing some interest by conducting "business seminars" for those interested in learning more about their recent Snow Leopard release and OX Server with a FREE evaluation license that expires January 4, 2010.I recently attended one of those sessions and before the meeting I was greeted by the Apple "Business Consultant." During the presentation a few attendees brought up issues that were technical in nature and they were valid concerns. The first concern was iChat that is SIP based and causing users grief when implemented behind routers and firewalls with NAT. Turning off the firewall as is told to customers and even in Apple's documentation just isn't an option. Snow Leopard has substantially improved iChat to work behind NAT devices. The next concern was using iChat with other clients and only AOL was offered as an alternative. iChat will work with other clients and there are other solutions to extend interconnection of iChat with other clients. An IT manager running a sizeable shop brought up another concern about Boot Camp and the users not being able to see other users in their domain but could see all the users in other domains. The IT Manager, also an MCSE, stated he heard a concern that Apple reportedly said, "the iPhone is not intended for business use." Since there was a Mac Air sitting in front of me, I Googled "iPhone is not intended for business use" and sure enough the report from TechSpot came up. The statement is contained within the Apple UK EULA.
The last discussion centered on Mac OS X Server. Unlimited users for $499 with some pretty neat added capabilities reviewed by Cameron Sturdevant:
* Address Book Server provides CardDAV for contact information exchange * Microsoft Exchange Server support for LDAP directory * Mobile Access Server is a reverse proxy enabling remote secure file access * Podcast Producer allows dual inputs to combine camera and screen content and is a seven step process that simplifies creating and publishing podcasts * Wiki Server adds iPhone support to Snow Leopard's group collaboration.
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Unseen in Apple's presentation was any provision for voice, or business communications. Calendars, email, files, shares, desktops... but nothing on voice! Apple had initial issues with iChat and too many users moved to Skype to satisfy their video, chat and voice needs with other Macs. iChat is based on SIP, thus Apple does have an onboard VoIP dialer. Whatever it is about Apple that inspires people including me to love and then forgive them later--I do think it would be awesome having Apple engage business communications. Positive user experience is golden but whether or not the King Midas touch from Apple will ever reach the voice industry outside of iPhones remains a wait, see and guess venture.
