IT automation firm Panorma9 released an update to its flagship platform that empowers admins to manage Windows and Mac PCs from a single pane of glass. The cloud-based  patch management service says that the solution can be particularly handy for startups that find themselves on the “leading edge” of the BYOD trend.

“Mac and Windows have different and sometimes conflicting cultures. Windows machines are built for IT administrators to manage, whereas Macs are  user-centric and don’t require a middle-man,” said Allan Thorvaldsen, CEO and co-founder of Panorama9. “We provide a middle layer that manages both worlds in a seamless way.”

Panorma9 has taken the back office route to cloudifying IT: the company is targeting organizes that are adopting the cloud and mobile in the workplace, but don’t have the tools to manage it.

SugarSync, a popular file locker service, is looking to pull off something similar – bridging the gap between platforms on an on-demand basis.  The company recently overhauled its service with a new interface and enhanced functionality, namely the addition of SugarSync Drive. The centralized panel allows users to manage synchronized files and folders across their entire personal cloud, including their smartphones and tablets.

The new syncing folder is joined by several other improvements, including a contacts menu that makes the PC and Mac clients much easier to use.

Cisco is doing the same as Panorma9 and SugarSync, only from the networking angle. Last week the company announced that it’s shedding out $1.2 billion for Meraki, a privately-held provider of “cloud-controlled” WiFi and switching solutions. The deal buys Cisco a foothold in the software-defined networking space, an emerging architecture that is akin to virtualization and offers many of the same advantages.