Mobile Device Management
Mobile Device Management Simplifying Device Lifecycle Management
Secure, Monitor, and Manage company or employee-owned devices. Avoid security risks and solve maintenance challenges during all phases of device lifecycle using cutting-edge mobile device management software.
What is Mobile Device Management?
Mobile Device Management (MDM) is a system that allows IT administrators to securely manage the company-owned as well as employee-owned mobile devices used in their organization. By using an MDM system, administrators can control the software, hardware, security, and other aspects of mobile devices in order to ensure better security, compliance, and productivity.
SureMDM by 42Gears is an intuitive and powerful MDM solution and app for Android, iOS/iPadOS, Windows, Linux, macOS, Wear OS, VR, and IoT platforms. With SureMDM IT teams can secure, monitor, and manage company-owned devices for dedicated-use as well as employee-owned devices used to access company data (BYOD). SureMDM incorporates all aspects of enterprise mobility through unified endpoint management, including Mobile Application Management, Mobile Device Management, and Mobile Content Management. All SureMDM plans include SureLock (industry-leading kiosk solution), SureFox (secure lockdown browser), and SureVideo (secure digital signage solution).
Why is Mobile Device Management important?
In the modern business world, mobile devices have almost replaced conventional desktops. Companies are also increasingly shifting their infrastructure to the cloud, allowing employees to access applications, corporate data, and other resources from anywhere and on any device. This has provided businesses with greater mobility and flexibility.
However, this new wave of mobility has brought along greater cybersecurity risks and made device management even more difficult. These challenges make it imperative for businesses to adopt device management solutions.
Mobile Device Management Solution for Device Lifecycle Management
Even for businesses asking “what is MDM?,” it’s never too early or late to start using a mobile device management solution. Enterprise devices have different needs at different points in their life cycles. Using an MDM solution will help with every one of those points, helping businesses get the best return on investment.
Enrollment
SureMDM provides a comprehensive hub for enrolling any kind of device into your network. Where applicable, the MDM software works with Android Zero-Touch Enrollment (ZTE), Apple Business Manager, and Windows Autopilot to rapidly build your device network. You can also manually enroll devices by installing an on-device MDM app and easily connecting the app to the central MDM console. Plus, you can enroll employee-owned (BYOD) devices through Android Work Profiles and Apple User Enrollment, and generate a secure virtual container to store sensitive data.
Provisioning
MDM software makes it simple to provision devices with the apps and content they need. Use Apple Business Manager or Managed Google Play to push apps, or allow employees to access a secure, exclusive Enterprise App Store. For secure files, offer employees an exclusive File Store. You can also lock devices down to several apps, or a single app, to ensure employees use devices as intended once you deploy them. SureMDM’s kiosk lockdown component allows you to easily limit device functionality so devices can serve a dedicated purpose. Plus, mobile device management software also lets you lock down Internet browsing to pre-approved websites for safe browsing.
Deployment
Deploying devices to employees can be challenging if security certificates and other important credentials don’t reach every device properly. SureMDM gives you a straightforward way to push and check security certificates at any time, making sure that devices work well once deployed. Another potential problem is that devices may not properly sync to Wi-Fi, but if they are locked down, users can’t reconfigure Wi-Fi. SureMDM’s lockdown solution automatically opens network settings when necessary, even when device settings are normally blocked, making sure everyone can access the Internet at any time after deployment.
Management
Managing active devices requires admins to keep track of many things at once, and 42Gears’ device management solution makes that possible. With an MDM solution, you can automatically restrict device activity based on time of day and location, for example, and monitor data consumption to warn or block data-hungry devices. Plus, you can coordinate remote app updates across every device from the central console, even when devices are in the field. This keeps device software consistent between users without demanding excessive time from those users. Perhaps most importantly, remote troubleshooting allows admins to get devices working from anywhere, eliminating most travel costs and minimizing device downtime.
Retirement
When it comes time to phase out devices, you can use a mobile device management solution to keep track of devices and ensure they are all factory-reset. You can remotely wipe lost devices as well, to guarantee the data on those devices doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. With employee-owned devices, SureMDM makes it easy to remove the secure enterprise container from the device.
Benefits of Using a Mobile Device Management Solution
Even once you can answer the question “what is mobile device management?,” it’s important to see why it matters so much. Choosing to implement a mobile device management solution with SureMDM provides businesses with a wide range of benefits:
Save time by setting up apps and content on many devices at once from a central console, and push updates.
Lower maintenance costs by replacing many in-person repairs with remote troubleshooting via a device management solution.
Improve stakeholder confidence by bolstering your network’s security and ease of management.
Establish clear boundaries for worker-owned devices to manage sensitive data without overstepping personal boundaries.
Prevent device loss with constant inventory tracking, and use location-tracking to find and secure misplaced devices.
Boost productivity by blocking access to games and entertainment via the on-device MDM app.
Types of SureMDM Deployment
When setting up SureMDM, it’s important for you to choose between two deployment methods – cloud-hosted (SaaS) deployment and on-premise deployment. That’s because the method of deployment has a significant impact on how you operate and maintain the solution later on.
Cloud-Hosted or SaaS Deployment
If you choose to go for a SaaS deployment, 42Gears will host all of your company’s data on servers actually hosted by cloud-infrastructure service providers such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform. It’s a great choice for companies looking for a straightforward way to quickly set up a mobile device management solution.
Pros:
- You can save substantial time and money by relying on pre-existing infrastructure.
- All maintenance activities are handled by 42Gears, so you don’t have to worry about behind-the-scenes logistics.
- You can scale up as needed as there will always be more space in the server whenever you feel the need to support more devices.
Cons:
- You have to trust us to keep your data safe. But rest assured, we have all sorts of safeguards to ensure data stays safe.
On-Premise Deployment
If you choose to go ahead with an on-premise deployment, 42Gears will lease its software (SureMDM) for use on your own servers. In this case, you will be fully responsible for maintaining and protecting the solution infrastructure.
Pros:
- You don’t have to store your company data externally.
Cons:
- You will need to build and set up your on-site infrastructure, and then maintain and update it regularly. You will also need time to train your IT staff to do all related tasks.
Mobile Device Management FAQ
MDM stands for Mobile Device Management, which refers to the technology and policies used by businesses to manage, monitor, and secure both employee-owned and company-owned mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, used by their employees for business operations.
MDM can be used to manage, monitor, control, and secure a wide range of mobile devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other IoT devices used in corporate settings.
MDM offers a range of features, including device enrollment and configuration, security policy enforcement, application distribution and management, content distribution, fencing, remote support, device monitoring and reporting, remote wiping and locking, and location tracking. Some MDM solutions may also offer advanced features such as containerization, app wrapping, and secure browsing.
No, MDM is not only for large enterprises. Organizations of all sizes can deploy MDM solutions to manage and secure mobile devices used in corporate settings.
Mobile device management allows businesses to manage and secure mobile devices used by their employees to access corporate data and applications. MDM solutions enable organizations to enforce security policies, manage and monitor devices, distribute applications, and remotely wipe data in the event of device loss or theft.
Computer Device Management is the process and tools for managing the various devices that are connected to a computer system, such as printers, scanners, external drives, and more. This process usually involves setting up the devices, configuring their settings, monitoring their performance, and providing maintenance and updates when necessary.
An MDM solution can manage a variety of devices, including smartphones, tablets, and other mobile computing devices. It supports a range of operating systems and versions, including Android, iOS, Linux, MacOS and Windows. Additionally, some solutions can also be used to manage desktop computers, laptops, and other common workplace devices. Very few solution providers also offer custom solutions for less common platforms, such as Blackberry and Windows Phone.
It depends on the MDM (Mobile Device Management) provider and the type of MDM solution being used. Some MDM solutions have features that allow businesses to manage and monitor their employees’ mobile devices, but it is typically not possible to use these features to listen to phone calls. Generally speaking, employers should not attempt to listen to employees’ phone calls, as this could be illegal.
Yes, MDM solutions have features that allow businesses to track the location of their employees’ mobile devices. This can be an important security feature for businesses, as it allows them to ensure that their mobile workforce is in compliance with company policies and regulations. Location tracking can also be used to optimize resource utilization and improve customer service.
It depends on how the device was enrolled into the MDM. Some MDM solutions have features that allow businesses to monitor the apps that their employees have downloaded to their mobile devices. This can be used to ensure compliance with company policies, as well as to track the effectiveness of employee device usage. In addition, businesses can also use MDM to restrict access to certain apps, and even remotely uninstall apps if necessary.