Apple in the Enterprise Bobs to the Surface at Macworld

by Cameron Sturdevant

Formed in Spring 2008, the Enterprise Desktop Alliance is a collaborative effort among Absolute Software, Centrify, Group Logic, Web Help Desk and as of Feb. 10 IBM to corral Macs in the enterprise management environment.

JAMF Software makes a suite of enterprise-class tools that enable IT managers to image, monitor, and deploy Mac systems. JAMF’s Casper Suite provides inventory, image, update and patch management.

MacPractice working with MacSpeech has added the ability to verbally dictate patient information in several medical specialties.

Aspera uses fasp-AIR, a proprietary protocol to replace TCP and speed file transfers such as those used in large media files.

Even though Macs are renowned for safe computing, nothing is foolproof. Keystroke loggers and tracking cookies, along with the small number of known Mac trojans, can be contained and eliminated with MacScan.

Seems like a good idea. I’ve seen digitized paper products come and go over the last decade. If this product was freely provided to public schools it would be a great boon to educators and students. I don’t know any school teachers who can get the money for the starter pack, let alone the special paper refills. Not in California anyway.

Fusion is a good desktop virtualization tool for the Mac and a good fit for enterprise developers who need to test their wares on Mac and other platforms.

OK, this isn’t really an enterprise play, but I do want to know what my 1998 Honda thinks is wrong when the “check engine” light comes on. CarMD now comes in a Mac version.

AT&T 3G coverage leaves something to be desired in San Francisco. I almost picked up a signal booster on the show floor, but just got mad all over again that I would have to shell out to get my iPhone to work in one of the hippest, Mac-crazy cities in the United States.