Hi Folks,
bring your own device (BYOD) is always a big thing for company’s but very often there is a big question: How can users access there device to sync pictures/contacts and other or to perform a firmware update in a company environment. Very often i got question like “How can i access my xxx phone in a VDI session” or “How can i access pictures..” and so on.
Of course you can install drivers and use USB redirection but depending on the network it will work more or less stable and is mostly not really user frindly. The most vendors also do not really take care about this question.. Why?
Now we come to the paperworks.. Do you know that VDI/Terminal Server use/access is forbidden and a license fault for a couple of vendors?
Let’s check it out, Scenario we have a couple of Apple devices and want to use them or make them available for the Users in a VDI / Company environment. Sounds simple right.. But what are we required to do? We need do deploy the Software/Drivers to the End User Device (Desktop PC/Thin Client) and/or to the Virtual Desktops (incl. Terminal Servers). Now check out the Apple License Agreement for IOS 7 and also ITunes.
From IOS7 License Agreement:
“…and you may not distribute or make the iOS Software available over a network where it could be used by multiple devices at the same time”
From ITunes License Agreement:
“You may not make the Apple Software available over a network where it could be used by multiple computers at the same time.”
What do it mean? Quite simple: Software deployment = Forbidden, Use on Terminal Server = Forbidden, Use on VDI = Forbidden
For Windows Phone 8.1 Microsoft denies the use of the Software for “commercial Software Hosting services” without any deeper explanation. For Android devices it depends on the vendor, but mostly here you will find similar parts in the EULA.
This is also one reason why we have discontinued the work on our integration packs for IOS/Android.
So how can you exchange files? Quite simple: Use cloud services like OneDrive, GoogleDrive or similar. Using a Smart Phone as “USB Memory” is mostly obsolete today and there are a bunch of cloud services available to perform the job.
So from my point of view in “company” or “commercial” environments mostly all smart phone vendors only allow the use thru cloud based services incl. Exchange based EMail and that’s it. If you have an other view please share it… 😉
Cheers
Michael