Manage Compliance and Security Easily With Enterprise MDM

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Manage Compliance and Security Easily With Enterprise MDM

Why Do You Need Enterprise MDM?

The world is more mobile than ever, and business is no exception. Global enterprises have teams working at home, in the office, in different countries and across time zones. Questions can be answered within minutes, even from an airport or between client meetings. To manage all these mobile devices and apps, businesses need enterprise mobile device management (MDM) solutions. But what is enterprise MDM, and how can it benefit your organization?

Enterprise MDM solutions have become increasingly in demand as more employees use personal smartphones and tablets for work purposes. The pandemic accelerated the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) trend. Gartner research from 2021 found that over 50% of employees used personal devices or personally acquired applications and web services.

There are many benefits to implementing an enterprise MDM solution, and this trend should continue for businesses of all sizes as more mobile services and applications are developed. Learn more about these benefits and how enterprise MDM can help your business.

What Is Enterprise MDM?

Enterprise MDM is software used by organizations to manage policies, security and other aspects of employee-used mobile devices. This software helps businesses securely manage and monitor employee-owned devices, including phones, tablets, and point-of-sale devices. Your business can authorize and issue devices, track their use, enforce security policies, secure lost or stolen devices, and ensure compliance.

While mobile devices make it easy for employees to work from anywhere, they also pose security risks. Enterprise MDM mitigates these risks by providing control over how mobile devices are used and what data is stored.

Enterprise MDM helps your business gain productivity while maintaining control over security, applications, and data management. If you’re considering implementing an enterprise MDM solution, you need to understand your options as they relate to your business needs.

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3 Benefits of Enterprise MDM

While advantages can be unique to each business, here are three of the most common benefits of enterprise MDM.

Higher Productivity

Mobile devices empower employees to work remotely or while traveling. Enterprise MDM helps your employees securely access corporate data, update documents, communicate and much more, regardless of location.This increased flexibility helps you retain employees, improves productivity and avoids unnecessary employee downtime. Enterprise MDM supports this by centrally managing all mobile devices and enforcing security policies.

Your organization needs to strike a balance between convenience and security, especially with mobile devices. You might allow remote access to certain resources while blocking others through security measures such as two-factor authentication or virtual private networks (VPNs). With enterprise MDM, you provide your team with secure access to the resources they need without putting your organization at risk.

Lower IT Costs

Enterprise MDM can save on your IT costs by making it easier and faster to manage mobile devices. Solutions typically include features like remote device management and self-service portals that allow users to manage their own devices. Because enterprise MDM enables central management of devices, your IT team doesn’t need to dedicate as much time, resources or staff.

Automation through enterprise MDM also saves your IT team the time and expense of manually configuring and deploying individual devices. That also means less downtime when issuing new devices to employees.

Improved Security

Enterprise MDM can help mitigate security risks by allowing you to set and enforce device policies. These include password or PIN code requirements and the remote control of devices.

Enterprise MDM also enables more active forms of security. For example, you can remotely monitor and manage devices. Examples include device tracking and reviewing app and data usage, which can help your team quickly identify potential security issues.

You can also track potential threats by setting up alerts and monitoring for malicious activity and unauthorized access attempts. If a device is lost or stolen, you can wipe important or confidential information without requiring access to the physical device.

Cost savings are another benefit of improved security. Security breaches incur a variety of costs, including lost productivity, lost data, financial losses and reputational harm. Enterprise MDM helps you avoid these issues by securing all of your organization’s devices.

5 Steps to Implementing Enterprise MDM in Your Organization

To implement enterprise MDM, start by assessing your organization and its needs. Only then can you make an informed decision about a solution. Here are five steps to get you started.

Assess Your Enterprise MDM Needs

Begin by assessing your needs, including the devices, applications and capabilities. Consider each type of device, including phones and laptops, as well as their operating systems, to ensure that they’re compatible with your enterprise MDM decision. Similarly, review the enterprise MDM apps you anticipate you’ll need and confirm required compatibility and functionality before making purchasing decisions.

Beyond device requirements, make sure that your enterprise MDM solution can grow with your business’ anticipated needs. Implementing an enterprise MDM solution should improve scalability, not limit it.

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Develop Enterprise MDM Policies

After assessing your needs, develop a clear and comprehensive enterprise MDM policy. This policy should cover a few areas. One is permissions and tasks. Assign responsibility for managing and maintaining devices. Detail what types of apps and data are allowed, and share guidelines on how to access them.

Your enterprise MDM policy should also be instructional, a trusted resource for employees. Write out rules and guidelines for mobile device usage, security and compliance. Offer guidance on app, data and network usage, as well as how users and your IT team should respond to security issues.

Consider any needs that are unique to your organization, such as your corporate networks or how you manage expenses and billing. After you’re done, remember to regularly review and update your policies to adapt to changes in technology, compliance or security.

Choose an Enterprise MDM Solution

There are a lot of MDM solutions available, so it’s important to partner with a reputable mobility management expert. Find a partner that can meet today’s needs and grow with you. Make sure your partner can help you meet your security and compliance needs. While every situation is different, there are a few key features to look for in an enterprise MDM solution.

For example, make sure you can centrally manage all mobile devices.
Your solution should also offer features such as order fulfillment, setup and activation.
You may also want inventory management or kitting and triage.
Consider also invoice handling and expense management, which can automatically review bills, pay them and identify cost savings.
If you have a remote workforce, look for enterprise MDM software that provides a secure, unified endpoint management (UEM) system.
Another important and user-friendly feature is self-service portals that allow users to manage their own devices. These portals reduce IT costs by allowing users to perform simple tasks, like resetting passwords, without needing to contact the IT department.
Finally, review available support services, including any help desks, chatbots or consulting options.
A quality provider goes beyond the minimum to offer additional services, such as carrier integrations or logistics.

Enroll Devices and Train Users

Enrolling your devices typically involves installing software on every device, then configuring it to meet your requirements. This step can also include setting up additional security features, installing a VPN and configuring additional application settings. Keep in mind that enrolling devices isn’t a one-time action, but an ongoing process as employees transition or devices need upgrading. Educate your team on critical device issues, mobile security and other policies. Such training can cover company rules, security threats and how to report security incidents.

Monitor and Manage Devices

Finally, monitor and manage your organization’s enrolled devices. After employees receive their devices, start tracking what apps and data are in use. Just like device enrollment, this is an ongoing process. Regular review helps your IT people stay prepared to manage and secure devices. Regularly monitor devices for potential issues, such as malware or unauthorized access attempts. While device tracking might not be a feature you need every day, it’s incredibly useful for locating lost or missing devices. Device management also includes software updates and your device, app and user inventory levels. These levels change often, so make sure you monitor them for potential security and compliance issues.

Enroll Devices and Train Users

Monitor and Manage Devices

The Future of Enterprise MDM

Enterprise MDM solutions are constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of businesses. We can expect to see enterprise MDM solutions that are tailored to specific industries while offering comprehensive security features. We can also expect these solutions to become more user-friendly, making it easier for businesses of all sizes to implement them.

Even with those trends in development, enterprise MDM offers many advantages you can enjoy right now, especially if your employees are using mobile devices for work. The popularity of remote work and BYOD practices makes device management more important than ever.

Partnering with an expert such as Tangoe can help you maximize your efforts and keep your enterprise safe. Discover five things you need to do to get the best ROI out of your managed mobility provider.

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