IBM and AT&T partner to provide enterprise mobile cloud security

'We're giving enterprise mobile device users stable, private access to data and apps in the cloud,' said Caleb Barlow, vice president of IBM Security

IBM and AT&T are teaming up to provide a mobile cloud security solution that is designed to allow users "to be productive without compromising security and the mobile user experience".

AT&T and IBM's mobile cloud security solution is designed to provide enterprise users with "simple tools" that can be deployed to "properly enable" a growing mobile workforce while ensuring it remains secure from threats posed by hackers and cyber criminals.

The deal will combine AT&T and IBM mobile security architecture, including IBM MobileFirst Protect, an enterprise mobility management platform designed to help organisations manage and control mobile devices, apps and documents.

IBM will also provide its IBM Cloud solution, which the company says secures public and private clouds for applications and data storage.

Meanwhile, AT&T will enable users of the joint partnership to deploy AT&T NetBond, a cloud networking service designed to provide secure connections to IBM's cloud infrastructure.

An AT&T Work Platform will also enable separate billing of business and personal charges for voice, messaging and data use on an employee's personal smartphones and tablets.

"Balancing employees' need for convenience with security has become a challenge for CISOs and CIOs across the world," said Caleb Barlow, vice president of IBM Security.

"To help protect organisations, employees and data, IBM Security and AT&T are delivering a tested and easy-to-deploy set of complementary tools. We're giving enterprise mobile device users stable, private access to data and apps in the cloud," he added.

Steve McGaw, chief marketing officer of AT&T Business Solutions, welcomed the partnership with IBM and described mobile security as one of the biggest challenges facing the enterprise.

"More employees are using mobile devices to be more productive. At the same time, data and apps are moving to the cloud. The changes are exciting, but security needs to be top-of-mind," he said.

"Trusted collaborators like IBM are helping us better address changing business models. Together we're giving options to deliver highly secure mobile access to cloud apps and data," McGaw added.

Both IBM and AT&T have numerous customers that rely on their cloud, security and mobile device management products. Finnish airline Finnair recently signed a hybrid cloud deal with IBM designed to help drive digital transformation through policies such as mobile on-flight services.

Meanwhile, AT&T provides mobile device management and security to the Infiniti Red Bull Racing, as Al Peasland, head of technical partnerships at the Formula 1 team previously told Computing.

IBM is making a strong push to be recognised as a provider of cloud services and recently expanded its Bluemix hybrid cloud platform to enable enterprises to "accelerate" cloud capabilities and allow them to more quickly build and deploy applications.

Computing's Enterprise Security and Risk Management Summit takes place later this year and is free to attend for qualified end users. Register here.