As tablet computers edge their way into the workplace, IT managers have to determine how much latitude users are permitted in downloading applications. To make tablets more manageable, the Enterprise Mobility Foundation recommends limiting allowable apps to an in-house app store, reports Bob Violino at Computerworld.

By restricting apps to an approved list, IT departments can be sure that the programs are tested before users download them. To figure out which apps should be included, you can consider the ways in which employees are using the devices for their work, the company's overall goals and its culture. The policy in place for smartphone use can also contribute to the framework.

Medical equipment supplier Imris set up its own app store for its employees using iPads, including sales and marketing reps, executives, and product managers, Violino reports. Imris has made 16 privately developed apps and two public apps available on the store so far. The in-house supply ensures consistency for the employees and simplifies management of the devices.

Imris prefers that employees stick with the in-house app store, but users are not forbidden from downloading other programs for personal use, said the company's IT director, Ben VanOsch. "Most [users] have the same app requirements; however, due to their different roles and localization needs, it provides them the latitude to personalize their iPad in a manner they believe will provide them the greatest benefit," VanOsch says.

With an in-house app store, everyone throughout the company has the same tools available to them, and those tools can be managed centrally. For the marketing and sales departments, for example, the materials used remain up-to-date so that all reps are presenting the same message at the same time.

For more:
- see Bob Violino's article at Computerworld

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