BlackBerry takes its device management platform to the cloud

By Euan Rocha TORONTO (Reuters) - BlackBerry Ltd said on Monday it plans to offer a cloud-based version of its device management platform BES12, a move that will make the service more accessible to small- and medium-sized businesses that need to secure devices on their own networks. Waterloo, Ontario-based BlackBerry has built a reputation around its device management and security capabilities, catering mainly to the needs of large government agencies and corporations. With data security needs becoming more critical, and a number of new entrants in the field nipping at its heels, BlackBerry said it is now broadening its offerings. BlackBerry's new BES12 platform manages and secures not only BlackBerry devices, but also those powered by operating systems such as Google Inc's Android, Apple's iOS and Microsoft Corp's Windows platform. It can also manage and secure medical diagnostic equipment, industrial machinery and even cars. By offering a less costly cloud-based version of the system, BlackBerry hopes to attract a wider range of small- and medium-sized businesses that need these capabilities, but do not have the capacity to install and manage expensive servers of their own. "We are trying to broaden the enterprise mobility management space," said BlackBerry Chief Operation Officer Marty Beard on a conference call with media. "And a cloud version really enables us to broaden our footprint." The new cloud-based offering, unveiled at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Monday, will be offered to customers later this month. India's Essar Group, a conglomerate with more than 60,000 employees spread across over two dozen countries, has signed up for a trial of the cloud-based version. Beard said BlackBerry is seeing growing demand from smaller companies for cloud-based device management offerings, but is also getting demand from larger companies that have certain divisions or groups that need cloud-based capabilities. "This is definitely not just an offering for the small- and medium-sized businesses, but something we think larger companies will be interested in as well." (Reporting by Euan Rocha; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli)