BlackBerry Digital Workplace combines BlackBerry Desktop, Cylance, and Awingu in one bundle.
BlackBerry today launched BlackBerry Digital Workplace, a secure robust workspace that provides users simple and secure online and offline access to corporate on-premise or cloud content including Microsoft Office 365 resources.
BlackBerry Digital Workplace eliminates the need for a VPN or VDI solution and provides continuous threat protection using artificial intelligence and machine learning to enable users to securely work anywhere and from any device.Â
BlackBerry says that organizations need a way to enable this wider range of users to easily access firewall-protected business resources using either company-managed devices or, increasingly, their personal devices.
With BlackBerry Digital Workplace, this mixed workforce can use their own devices to get to their corporate email, calendar and contacts, and remote desktop and files with many of the same capabilities they would have with a traditional corporate-owned and managed computer.
IT can then easily wipe all corporate data from the device, such as at the end of a contract or in the event of an emergency – without having to worry about a complex enrollment and deprovisioning process.
“Unlike traditional workspace products that inhibit productivity in the name of security, BlackBerry Digital Workplace is easy to use and cost-effective, while simultaneously protecting users both online and offline,” said Billy Ho, Executive Vice President of Enterprise Products at BlackBerry.
“Built for virtual workers in the digital age, this solution leverages the power of artificial intelligence alongside BlackBerry’s advanced networking and security features to give users an unparalleled level of productivity, security and flexibility.”
BlackBerry Desktop
The core of the bundle is BlackBerry Desktop ( formerly known as BlackBerry Access for Windows and Mac ), for browsing, email, calendars, and contacts. Everything is encrypted in the secure enclave, and network connectivity is taken care of via BlackBerry UEM.
With an easy single sign-on experience, BlackBerry Desktop — including BlackBerry Access and BlackBerry Work—provides users with convenient and secure access to email, intranets, servers, apps and files on their personal or non-corporate managed Windows 10 or macOS device.
BlackBerry Desktop is based on Chromium and BlackBerry has added support for offline email and document editing by OEMing SmartOffice.
BlackBerry Cylance
BlackBerry Cylance is administered through its own cloud console, but BlackBerry has integrated installers for CylancePROTECT and BlackBerry Desktop, so there’s only one thing for users to download.
Admins can set policies to determine whether or not the Cylance agent is installed, based on what antivirus products may or may not already be present.
Awingu
BlackBerry Digital Workplace integrates Awingu to simplify access to Windows and Linux apps, desktops, corporate intranets, and SaaS and file shares.
Awingu is a browser-based workspace that enables access to Windows and Linux apps, desktops, corporate intranets, and SaaS and file shares.
Awingu provides additional workspace aggregation capabilities, with an app launching interface for web and virtual apps. They have their own RDP to HTML5 conversion services; several authentication, federation, and single sign-on options, as well as support for Sharepoint, OneDrive, and traditional file server access.
Awingu is also packaged as a virtual server that customers can install in the cloud or behind their firewall.
“The combination of BlackBerry Desktop, CylancePROTECT and Awingu makes a unique and highly competitive unified workplace solution which sets itself apart thanks to its end-to-end security focus,” said Walter Van Uytven, CEO of Awingu.
