Lots of ways for VMware to pivot off this acquisition It’s still early but 2014 is shaping up to be highlighted by M&A activity. The VMware/AirWatch marriage is the latest example.So why was VMware willing to spend $1.5+ billion for an MDM leader? The easy answer is that the world is going mobile – new application development is focused on mobile or web applications alone while PCs are moving closer to mainframe status. AirWatch immediately bolsters VMware’s play for endpoint computing as well with mobile complementing virtual desktop technology. Aside from the strategic implications however, AirWatch places VMware into a lucrative market with plenty of vendor churn and immediate opportunity. According to soon-to-be-published ESG research:• 48% of enterprise organizations have deployed MDM technology while 31% are in the process of deploying MDM technology and 11% are interested in doing so. This means that more than half the enterprise market is still in play to some extent so lots of instant opportunities for VMware sales. • Of those organizations that have deployed MDM, only 43% have standardized on a single MDM vendor across the enterprise. This means that there will still plenty of market churn as organizations replace tactical MDM with enterprise-class suites.• 23% of IT/security professionals working at enterprise organizations (i.e. more than 1,000 employees) believe that MDM is a commodity technology today with little differentiation between products while another 41% believe that MDM is not a commodity today but will be a commodity technology within the next few years. Good news for VMware as it can integrate AirWatch technology into broader initiatives around endpoint computing and thus differentiate itself from me-too the me-too MDM status quo.Yes, VMware is venturing into new turf where its server virtualization hegemony really doesn’t matter to the mobile crowd. What’s more, its endpoint computing successes have been marginal at best. That said, this is a bold and shrewd move for VMware. Market leaders like Good and MobileIron will stick around while IBM/Fiberlink and Citrix/Zenprise are already pursuing the bigger integration play. Nevertheless, there is plenty of market upside and integration opportunity for VMware and AirWatch. If it can keep AirWatch focused on mobile market developments and execute on an integration strategy, VMware could really have an impact on an IT environment dominated by cloud and mobile. Related content analysis 5 things security pros want from XDR platforms New research shows that while extended detection and response (XDR) remains a nebulous topic, security pros know what they want from an XDR platform. By Jon Oltsik Jul 07, 2022 3 mins Intrusion Detection Software Incident Response opinion Bye-bye best-of-breed? ESG research finds that organizations are increasingly integrating security technologies and purchasing multi-product security platforms, changing the industry in the process. By Jon Oltsik Jun 14, 2022 4 mins Security Software opinion SOC modernization: 8 key considerations Organizations need SOC transformation for security efficacy and operational efficiency. Technology vendors should come to this year’s RSA Conference with clear messages and plans, not industry hyperbole. By Jon Oltsik Apr 27, 2022 6 mins RSA Conference Security Operations Center opinion 5 ways to improve security hygiene and posture management Security professionals suggest continuous controls validation, process automation, and integrating security and IT technologies. By Jon Oltsik Apr 05, 2022 4 mins Security Practices Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe