F5 Networks has announced a SSL VPN platform that supports devices running Android’s latest operating system, codenamed Ice Cream Sandwich.

The F5 BIG-IP Edge Client for Android aims to secure all Android devices that connect to an organisation’s network, as well as accelerate their performance. The company claims this make it the first to offer a SSL VPN system for Android devices running the newest operating system.

With the new platform IT admins can set policies for individual users, whether those policies are based on regulatory requirements or simply what a user can and cannot access when connect to the corporate network, such as limiting web access for certain users.

The BIG-IP Edge Client can also be used side by side with BIG-IP Edge Gateway, which F5 said can accelerate application performance for mobile devices by as much as 10 times. It can also hop between different network connections so theoretically users should never be knocked offline.

F5 has also released a version for "rooted" Android devices, meaning devices running older versions of the OS can still be supported.

Mark Vondemkamp, director of product management at F5, said the announcement means the company can protect a wide variety of mobile platforms. "Our Edge Client and Edge Portal applications give users secure, convenient, and fast access to company resources from the corporate and personal devices of their choice," he said.

"With leading support for Android, Linux, and Apple iOS endpoints, F5 solutions provide flexible, optimised access to empower mobile users without sacrificing IT’s ability to manage applications and infrastructures," Vondemkamp added.

Speaking to CBR recently, F5 CEO John McAdam said that his company had seen an "explosion" in mobile usage and traffic over the last three years, which was putting a huge strain on corporate networks.

Stay tuned to CBR for a fuller Q&A with John McAdam coming up soon.