Mobile Device Manager Gets SP1

The first service pack for Mobile Device Manager (MDM) 2008 adds support for multiple instances, enrollment auto discovery, Hyper-V, and personal identification number (PIN) reset features, but only partially supports Windows Server 2008. MDM helps administrators manage Windows Mobile 6.1—based smart phones by simplifying adding devices to the corporate network, providing automatic application installation and inventorying, preventing data loss when devices are stolen or lost, and improving virtual private network (VPN) access through firewalls. SP1, released in Dec. 2008, adds several features that make device configuration easier for users, and to allow large organizations to manage groups of devices independently.

Multiple Instances, Self-Service for Users

Along with the usual bug fixes delivered by a service pack, MDM 2008 SP1 adds the following new features:

Limited Windows Server 2008 support. Compatibility with the latest Microsoft server OS is limited to running in a Windows Server 2008 Active Directory domain or forest; MDM must run on Windows Server 2003, including cases in which MDM is running in a virtual machine (VM) on Hyper-V. Although MDM cannot run on Windows Server 2008, compatibility with Active Directory will allow organizations to migrate other parts of their infrastructure to Windows Server 2008 without waiting for MDM to be able to run on the new OS. Microsoft has not announced when it will support MDM running on Windows Server 2008.