Datasouth Business Solutions

Apple in the enterprise

Wednesday, 26th May 2010

Reading the business and IT press some days you could be forgiven for thinking Apple is the only computer company in the world. Their progress in the consumer computing market hasn't been matched in the enterprise space, but there are signs this is changing. As a business leader, is Apple in the enterprise something you should be concerned or delighted about?

Apple has typically been on the fringes of enterprise computing, consigned to specific niches like design, advertising and education. A January 2010 survey conducted by the Enterprise Desktop Alliance in the USA showed that 66% of IT administrators at large organisations expected the number of Apple Macs in their enterprise to increase. "Despite the uncertain economic conditions, Apple can expect the Mac to continue to find acceptance in large organisations," said T. Reid Lewis, president of the Enterprise Desktop Alliance, in a press release.

Less positive is IT research giant Gartner. "Our stats do not show Apple's major uptake in the enterprise market," Gartner analyst Mikako Kitagawa was quoted as saying in CIO Magazine. "Apple's share in the PC market has been less than 1 percent in the last several years and has not changed." Another study from Forrester Group, quoted in Computerworld UK, showed just two percent of 'information workers' surveyed used an Apple desktop computer for work. The study's sample was 3,218 US, Canadian and UK information workers at companies with 100 employees or more.

While Apple is still at the fringe there are growing pressures on large organisations to consider them. The iPhone has made huge inroads as the mobility device for corporates, and the hype surrounding the iPad has increased worker interest in using Apple Macs for their corporate computing. Such is the power of the brand that some organisations use the lure of a Mac to attract new employees.

What are the issues in assessing the integration of Apple into your enterprise?

Cost is typically the number one issue when contemplating Apple for the enterprise. Upfront costs for Apple hardware are considerably higher (2 to 3 times), although greater longevity makes them competitive over 3-4 years as replacement cycles are longer.

There is some evidence that savings can be achieved because Macs usually require lower levels of support by your IT team. Mac users also tend to be able to self-address many low level issues.

However, there are deeper costs for your IT team. Managing two operating systems in an enterprise computing situation obviously costs more, and there is also the challenge and expense of securing people with MAC OS skills.

Being locked into a single hardware vendor with Macs is a risk you have to assess carefully. Competition in the Wintel world has resulted in good machines at highly competitive costs. Depending solely on Macs means you are at the mercy of Apple, and you have to trade-off a small range and model types.

Software costs are also an issue. Although it is improving, many Windows software vendors offer Mac versions but they are not always as reliable and effective as their core product. That can lead to compatibility problems with other organisations, for example everyday tasks like calendaring, logistics, or online meetings.

While Macs typically require less investment in anti-virus software, they do need desktop virtualisation to run core enterprise applications such as ERP and supply chain management systems. That requires additional specialist software that needs to be configured and managed. Macs are also harder for IT teams to manage. In a Microsoft environment, centralised administration tools provide the standard for the management, maintenance, and application of security policy within the computing environment. These same tools are not compatible with Macs, increasing support costs and creating the potential for security risks in the enterprise as corporate policy cannot be applied to these devices.

Interest in Apple in the enterprise will increase, particularly as iPhones become the mobile tool of choice for business people. Moving to Macs is valid in certain situations, but it needs to be carefully assessed, particularly in terms of the management and integration challenges. Talk to Datasouth today to understand these challenges and opportunities.

Datasouth provides technology solutions that assist organisations in enhancing their business by improved information flow and productivity. As an organisation that has been giving advice to government and corporate clients for over fifteen years, we can advise, design and implement solutions that truly provide a competitive edge and reduced cost structures.

To better understand how we may help you to drive your business forward, please contact Datasouth to discuss your specific requirements.