Do you remember what it was like working and running your business before smartphones? How about before remote work? Or web 2.0? Business was so much simpler back then. More specifically, cybersecurity for business was much simpler back then.
When all your employees worked from a single, centralized location and only had access to a desktop workstation and a landline, you didn’t have to worry about someone trying to hack into your business. If you were worried, you installed a traditional Antivirus solution. Problem solved.
But business has changed, and the way we do business has changed. More importantly, the way your employees conduct business has drastically changed. Employees are more likely to work in multiple locations with access to critical corporate data via various devices. Modern businesses need modern solutions; the old school Antivirus won’t cut it.
What is Mobile Device Management (MDM)?
Mobile device management is a cyber security solution made up of three parts. One is a set of core business policies around cyber security. Two, software. And three devices. When put all together, MDM allows IT administrators or MSPs to control, secure, and enforce policies on devices like smartphones, tablets, and other endpoints.
MDM aims to optimize the functionality and security of mobile devices within your company while protecting the corporate network. An IT admin or your MSP can further segment the company network to enforce security settings and compliance for specified users, groups of users, and even users in geographic locations.
Why Mobile Device Management is Important
The way you work and conduct business has changed over the years. The same is true for your employees. It used to be that everyone would come into a central office and use a desktop workstation and landline. Those days are long gone, so how you approach cybersecurity for your business must change too.
In today’s work environment, it’s not uncommon for your employees to work remotely. An employee’s schedule could be a few days in the office, with a few days working from home. During this hybrid schedule, an employee may access essential business files from a desktop in the office, from a laptop in a coffee shop, and maybe even on their smartphone.
The problem is that hackers are crafty, and they understand employees are accessing business data from multiple devices. Employee mobile devices have increasingly become targets of malware. On top of that, what happens if an employee loses a device or it’s stolen? A robust MDM platform can manage all the company’s devices and mitigate risks like a stolen or misplaced laptop.
How Mobile Device Management Works?
At the most basic level, mobile device management solutions use software to manage devices like tablets and smartphones. MDM protects the device’s applications, data, and content. MDM allows for a company’s network to be divided into subnets. These subnets are dedicated to specific needs and functions depending on the employees’ need-to-know basis.
Mobile device management solutions rely on an MDM agent (the software) and an MDM Server. The server could be on-premise or in the cloud. The MDM server pushes policies over the air to the MDM agent on a specific device. Depending on how you conduct your business, you may give your employees devices, or they might use personal devices. Either way, a mobile device management solution provides benefits like:
- Tracking, monitoring, and wiping device data.
- Lowering the risk of hacking.
- Device updates and backup.
- Remote support of devices.
Examples of Mobile Device Management
An IT admin or MSP can roll out your mobile device management solution in several ways. You’ll have to decide which option is best for your business and which solution best aligns with your business goals and targets. Below are a few common examples.
BYOD or Bring Your Own Device
A BYOD approach to mobile device management can be a cost-effective solution for your business because there’s no need to purchase extra hardware. BYOD is an excellent approach for start-ups or companies looking for cost savings. BYOD is simply applying MDM to an employee’s personal device. However, challenges can be associated with using MDM on personal devices versus devices you supply to your employees.
Enterprise mobility management or EMM
EMM is a broader form of device management that includes application and endpoint management with BYOD. Enterprise mobility management is super scalable and can provide real-time insights and alerts on behaviors and activities from multiple sources simultaneously. EMM can be an excellent solution for a mid-sized business.
Unified endpoint management or UEM
The UEM approach integrates MDM and EMM to secure and control the entire IT environment and its endpoints. These endpoints include physical devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops and the user’s personal data, apps, content, and enterprise data. UEM is an enterprise solution offering the most layered protection.
Manage Multiple Mobile Platforms from a Single Interface
ONE 2 ONE offers a mobile device management solution that supports Apple, Android, Windows, and Chrome devices, all from a single interface. When you work with ONE 2 ONE, you get foolproof security for your corporate data. You never have to worry about sharing documents or accessing email from a personal device and being hacked.
More importantly, the ONE 2 ONE MDM solution is cloud-based, so you don’t need to have a physical server on location or hire someone to manage the system. A cloud-based mobile device management solution will help your company save money and time.
Here’s a short list of the features you can expect:
- Provide convenient and secure access to your organization’s email, in line with Conditional Exchange Access (CEA).
- Enterprise mobile device management.
- Remotely distribute and manage documents on mobile devices.
- Secure and manage the applications running on devices in your network with mobile application management.
- Separate corporate and personal information in each device so that there is no compromise on data integrity
- Fortify enterprise security with mobile security management.
Enterprise Vs. Mobile Device Management
ONE 2 ONE offers you options with our mobile device management solution. There are two options: Enterprise and Mobile Management.
Mobile Management covers just your mobile devices. This option is a fantastic entry-level solution. Think of the BYOD example above. Purchasing devices is unnecessary. We’ll install the MDM agent (software) on your employee’s devices.
The Enterprise solution would be like the UEM example above, protecting the company’s entire IT environment. The Enterprise solution protects all mobile and desktop devices, apps, and corporate and personal data.
Start with MDM!
Is your business ready for a modern solution for remote work and managing employee mobile devices? Do you need help figuring out where to start? We want to help.
Enjoy peace of mind regarding your company’s mobile IT environment. Why should you worry about an employee losing a device or someone on your team receiving malware on their device?
Reach out today to connect with a ONE 2 ONE mobile device management expert, and let’s discuss how MDM can protect your critical corporate data and employees while saving you time and money.
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