IBM MaaS360 with Watson

Businesses increasingly rely on mobile working to improve productivity by letting employees access enterprise applications and data from anywhere, a trend expected to accelerate with 5G. As mobile adoption grows, adversaries gain more opportunities, and enterprise risk rises further with bring your own device (BYOD) practices. Traditional client management tools lacked the capabilities needed for modern endpoint management, while early mobile device management (MDM) and enterprise mobility management (EMM) approaches were too narrow to handle the expanding mix of devices, operating systems, and cloud/on-prem interactions. This has driven standardization toward Unified Endpoint Management (UEM): a “single pane of glass” to manage desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets, printers, IoT devices, wearables, and related content and collaboration through OS-level MDM APIs. UEM became more practical with enterprise-friendly platforms such as Windows 10, macOS, and iOS 11, including Microsoft’s MDM APIs in Windows 10.

IBM MaaS360 with Watson is positioned as an AI-enabled SaaS UEM platform managing diverse endpoints, evolving from Fiberlink’s 2008 cloud SaaS endpoint toolset into a broader UEM product after IBM’s 2013 acquisition. MaaS360 sits within IBM Security and integrates tightly with Trusteer and IBM Cloud Identity capabilities such as single sign-on (SSO) and conditional access, and also connects with tools like QRadar SIEM and third-party partners such as Wandera. A major evolution came in 2017 when MaaS360 was linked to Watson, enabling cognitive features like an Insights Engine that generates “actionable insights,” automated responses for non-specialist admins, policy recommendations based on regulatory factors, app analytics, and an end-user assistant.

The platform emphasizes privacy controls (including GDPR-aligned handling of personally identifiable information and “right to be forgotten”), rapid OS support via a “day zero” compatibility approach, and frequent cloud updates (750 in 2018). Key challenges include gaps in digital workspace capabilities, limited hosting options for partners, and the lack of an on-premises version amid growing privacy regulation pressure.

• Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) can manage desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets, printers, IoT devices, and wearables from a single management interface.
• UEM typically relies on MDM application programming interfaces (APIs) built into desktop and mobile operating systems.
• Typical UEM platforms can configure VPN, email, and Wi‑Fi settings; enforce passcodes and access policies; install patches and updates; blacklist/whitelist apps; remotely wipe devices; and enroll employee-owned devices.
• Vendors supporting UEM include IBM, VMware, Citrix, BlackBerry, and MobileIron.
• MaaS360 originated from Fiberlink Communications as a cloud-hosted SaaS platform introduced in 2008.
• IBM acquired Fiberlink in 2013 and moved MaaS360 to IBM’s multi-tenant cloud platform with web-based portal access.
• IBM linked MaaS360 to Watson in 2017 to add cognitive capabilities using technologies such as natural language processing and machine learning.
• MaaS360 includes Watson-supported components such as an Insights Engine, Policy Recommendation Engine, App Analytics Engine, and an end-user assistant.
• MaaS360 received 750 updates in 2018, averaging about 15 deployments per day.
• MaaS360 is currently unavailable for managed service providers, telcos, or regional partners to offer as a hybrid-cloud hosted service.

• “This approach enables enterprises to secure, manage and control desktop computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets, printers, IoT devices and wearables, as well as content and collaboration, in a connected, cohesive manner from a single management interface – the so-called ‘single pane of glass’.”
• “Despite wide support for the UEM approach, most UEM vendors find it challenging to keep pace with the continual updates to operating systems, new mobile capabilities and features, and new data protection and privacy legislation around the world.”
• “IBM views MaaS360 as a key component of its overall security portfolio in terms of UEM and tying the management of those endpoints with some of its other security products.”
• “The most recent, and perhaps most significant evolution to date of MaaS360 came in 2017, when IBM linked it to Watson.”
• “This enabled the introduction of several features within MaaS360 to make it easier for IT teams to manage endpoints by applying Watson’s cognitive technology to all the data, devices, applications, people and identities that are managed through a UEM platform.”
• “Non security-focused administrators can then use MaaS360 to automate actions in response to those risks.”
• “In the post-GDPR era, MaaS360 enables enterprises to define what is considered personally identifiable information (PII) to be able to control what data is collected from devices and what data can be removed proactively from storage to comply with the GDPR right to be forgotten.”
• “IBM has introduced a ‘day zero’ approach to its product research and development to ensure the platform’s compatibility with all mobile operating system updates from the release day.”
• “Watson cognitive computing support, particularly in respect to analytics capabilities and ease of use, is the main strength of IBM’s MaaS360 platform, and is currently unique in the UEM market.”
• “The provision of complete UEM covering every type of device from desktops to IoT devices and the backing of a mature and trusted SaaS platform with easy integration using open standards in combination with unique cognitive computing assistance and insights, make IBM's MaaS360 a strong candidate for consideration.”