Aerohive Networks, Inc. announced that it has created a flexible application programming interface (API) for mobile device management (MDM) platforms and has integrated its enterprise Wi-Fi products with AirWatch, LLC's enterprise-grade MDM solution to allow retailers to easily monitor and secure their mobile environments. Aerohive and AirWatch have teamed up to develop a new solution that enables comprehensive management of multi-OS mobile devices and enforces enrollment to ensure corporate policy compliance. News facts: Combining these best-in-class technologies, the new Aerohive and AirWatch MDM solution integrates intelligent Wi-Fi Access Points (APs) with a robust, fully configurable architecture to create a comprehensive network management access solution for multi-vendor mobile devices in retail environments.

Mobile devices are increasingly becoming a staple in day-to-day retail operations--whether used to speed up check-out, provide employees with the most recent product and customer information, or enhance the customer experience. But as mobile becomes more integrated with the retail world, a major challenge for retailers is securing and managing the plethora of mobile devices connected to their enterprise wireless networks, while also allowing customers to use the same infrastructure to enhance their buying experience. This new integrated solution provides retailers with control and visibility over mobile devices within their businesses safely and securely-- including point-of-sale (POS) hardware, tablets and smartphones.

Aerohive's HiveOS(TM) now provides an API to the system that allows any MDM vendor to integrate and enforce enrollment policy on Aerohive's enterprise-class controller-less Wi-Fi network. AirWatch's MDM solution leverages Aerohive's API to enable IT administrators to manage and enforce enrollment and security policy on a diverse range of mobile smartphones and tablets within a single console including Android, Apple, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Symbian and Windows devices. Together, this integration allows businesses to force MDM enrollment of devices in their enterprise environments, configure and update device settings over-the-air, enforce security policies, secure mobile access to corporate resources and remotely lock and wipe managed devices.

The AirWatch MDM enrollment feature will be a free upgrade in Aerohive's HiveOS network operating system and HiveManager(TM) public and private cloud-based network management system available March 2013.