Advantages of Using an MDM Solution (Image by Emteria)
Managed Mobile Device Management (MDM) means your IT team has more time for strategy and big-picture projects. But how using a managed MDM service provider save your IT department time?
As we realize, managing mobile devices is a complex task that demands significant IT department time and resources. You feel the complexities, right?!
Therefore, utilizing a managed MDM service provider streamlines this process, ensuring devices are set up and maintained efficiently.
MDM simplifies device access, reduces errors, and minimizes the need for on-site IT visits through remote management capabilities.
MDM also facilitates centralized updates and better inventory management.
Ultimately, MDM allows IT departments to focus on more strategic projects, offering substantial benefits for businesses.
Okay, enough for the big picture. Let’s go to the details here.
What is Mobile Device Management (MDM)
Mobile device management (MDM) is the process of securing, monitoring, managing, and supporting mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops that employees use to access company data.
Let’s saya you have John Doe as your finance staff in your company. During his vacation in Bali, John Doe lost his company phone.
That company phone has sensitive client data and access to confidential systems. Panic sets in! Or does it?
MDM is like a remote control for all your company’s smartphones, tablets, and laptops. MDM is a tool or invisible hand protecting your company’s data.
Without MDM, John Doe’s lost phone is a ticking time bomb for your business.
Sensitive information could be exposed, and IT is scrambling to contain the damage.
So yes, MDM allows for the centralized management of mobile devices to ensure your company security policies are uniformly applied across all devices.
According to the 2023 Market Research Report by Fortune Business Insight, The MDM market is experiencing rapid growth, with projections suggesting a surge from $7.26 billion in 2022 to $58.38 billion by 2030, indicating a CAGR of 29.8% during this period.
This growth indicates the increasing need for data security, efficient device management, and compliance with regulatory standards across various industries, including healthcare, IT, and retail.
How does MDM Work?
Now, let’s get into the actual steps of how MDM makes everything better.
By covering all these bases, MDM provides a comprehensive solution for managing the mobile device lifecycle within your company.
Enrollment and Configuration
The journey begins with enrolling devices into the MDM system.
This step is crucial for bringing devices under management with minimal hassle.
IT administrators can remotely deploy company policies across a fleet of devices, ensuring a standardized setup across the board.
For instance, personal devices are enrolled in a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) model, allowing for controlled access to company data.
Policy Enforcement and Device Management
Following enrollment, devices are configured with necessary security policies and restrictions.
This includes installing VPN settings and Wi-Fi configurations and enforcing device usage policies like Single-App Kiosk mode.
Such configurations ensure data security and compliance, providing employees with the necessary tools.
Application and Content Management
A vital aspect of MDM is managing the applications and content accessible on the devices.
Your company can centrally manage mobile content, update applications, and even whitelist or blacklist apps to control what is installed on the device.
This ensures employees access the right tools and information, enhancing productivity.
Security Measures
MDM tools employ several measures to secure devices and data.
Features include enforcing strong passwords, disk encryption, and creating secure containers to separate company data from personal data.
If a device is lost or stolen, it can be tracked and remotely wiped to protect sensitive information.
Remote Maintenance and Support
MDM allows for the remote maintenance of devices, enabling IT departments to perform software updates, troubleshooting, and configurations over the air.
This capability significantly reduces the need for physical IT support, saving time and resources.
Automation and Efficiency
Automation is a cornerstone of MDM, allowing for seamless device enrollments and configurations.
This reduces manual efforts, decreases the chance of human errors, and accelerates the setup process for new devices.
Automation not only simplifies management but also contributes to overall cost savings.
The Purpose of an MDM System
The core purpose of a Mobile Device Management (MDM) system is to ensure the security and efficiency of mobile devices within an organization.
This includes laptops, smartphones, tablets, and IoT devices connecting to enterprise networks.
MDM is a tool for IT departments, providing a comprehensive platform for managing these devices effectively.
MDM systems are particularly valuable in today’s workplace, where hybrid and remote work models have become prevalent.
They support employee productivity and business continuity by enabling secure and flexible work arrangements.
Furthermore, MDM simplifies the IT management of end-user devices through a combination of on-device applications and configurations, corporate policies, and backend infrastructure.
MDM allows IT administrators to monitor, manage, and secure mobile devices remotely, ensuring data security and compliance.
Features like device inventory, restrictions and configurations, application and content management, and remote maintenance are key functions of MDM systems.
Those features enable IT support teams to address users’ needs across multiple locations and device types.
So, as the big picture, MDM provides a balance between management, productivity, and policy compliance, securing corporate networks while enabling employees to work efficiently.
What are the Benefits of MDM (Mobile Device Management)?
MDM offers a range of benefits that enhance organizational efficiency, security, and compliance. Let’s see some of the benefits:
- Enhanced security: MDM platforms secure your company data on devices with policies for complex passwords, lock codes, and secure network protocols like VPNs and two-factor authentication. Encryption of network communications and business application data protects from unauthorized access.
- Decreased downtime and deployment times: MDM facilitates real-time device management, reducing downtime and speeding up device provisioning. Policies, apps, and configurations can be pushed remotely, streamlining the onboarding process and relieving IT teams.
- Improved productivity: Centralized management allows IT to install apps and updates remotely, ensuring employees have the tools for practical work, regardless of location.
- Application control: IT can automatically deploy applications and manage allowlists and blocklists, preventing unauthorized app installations and ensuring device compliance with company policies.
- Optimized data collection: MDM enables comprehensive data collection from mobile devices, including inventory, location, security, app usage, and network data. This aids in identifying compliance issues and opportunities for improvement.
- Risk management: Regular patching and updates reduce risks from security vulnerabilities. Policies can secure specific apps and prevent data loss by restricting copying between business and personal apps.
- Cost saving: Remote management capabilities allow for the management of devices without needing them in the exact location as IT staff, reducing the need for physical support. Compliance features and device tracking also help avoid data breaches and loss, minimizing potential fines and replacement costs.
How Does MDM Help Save Your IT Department Time?
MDM increases operational efficiency and allows IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than routine device management tasks. Some of the example how MDM saves your time in day-to-day operations:
Automatic Updates
IT service management automation is a key benefit of MDM. One of the best practices is how MDM simultaneously pushes those critical security patches and application updates to everyone’s devices.
This isn’t just convenient – according to the IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2023, a global average data breach costs companies around $4.45 million.
Yes, MDM is like your insurance policy against costly disasters.
Remote Troubleshooting
With MDM, remote diagnostics and fixes are the new norm, slashing resolution times and keeping downtime to a mere whisper.
It’s akin to having a digital doctor on call 24/7, ensuring your team’s productivity never skips a beat.
This isn’t just a feature; it’s your secret weapon in maintaining uninterrupted operations and employee satisfaction.
Policy Enforcement
Setting your company-wide security standards with MDM becomes as effortless as flipping a switch.
Passwords, app permissions, and data usage guidelines cascade across devices with the ease of a magician’s trick, warding off countless potential IT headaches.
It’s like laying down the digital law across your corporate kingdom, ensuring order and security without constant vigilance.
This preventive measure saves time and fortifies defenses against unseen threats lurking in the digital shadows.
Proactive Security
Instant lockdowns and remote wipes transform a potential security nightmare into a controlled, calm response.
It’s like having an emergency eject button for sensitive information, ensuring that what’s yours stays yours, even in the face of adversity.
In a world where a single breach can unravel your company’s reputation, MDM stands as your unwavering shield, ready to protect immediately.
How does using a Managed MDM Service Provider save your IT Department Time?
The first question is, why use a managed service provider (MSP)? Of course, MSP has a lot of professional and cutting-edge software.
So, why use a managed MDM service provider? Managed MDM providers have entire teams dedicated to device management.
Your IT staff won’t have to handle those after-hours password resets or troubleshoot glitchy devices over the weekend.
Your provider’s experts live and breathe MDM. They understand diverse devices, complex policies, and the latest security threats. Your IT team doesn’t have to waste time researching every single problem.
MDM providers use sophisticated tools to automate routine tasks. Device enrollment, updates, and configuration become incredibly efficient. That’s less manual work for your IT folks.
As your company grows, so does device complexity. A good MDM provider easily scales alongside you. No need for your IT team to manage an ever-growing fleet of phones and tablets.
The result? Your internal IT team is freed up for innovation, infrastructure improvements, and strategic projects that bring genuine value to the business.
So, how does using a managed MDM service provider save your IT department time? The answer is in your hands and willingness. Yes, you already know the benefits of a managed MDM service provider. But why are you still in doubt?
