The global pandemic has resulted in the rapid and widespread shift to remote working, and this has increased the trend of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) in the workplace across many industries and companies both small and large. While BYOD may improve efficiency in employee communications and functionality and decrease hardware costs, it also means that Managed Service Providers (MSPs) must track and digitally protect more devices that are less secure than laptops. Mobile Device Management (MDM) is an easy and effective way to address this.
How is MDM Used?
Information Technology (IT) departments utilize MDM to oversee, regulate, and secure employees’ mobile devices when connected to their company’s network. MDM’s goal is twofold: make mobile devices functional and secure while also protecting the network.
MDM typically consists of two parts: MDM agent endpoint software, and an onsite or cloud-based MDM server. MDM can be monitored and controlled by the MSP through a server console to configure policies at a data center level, then the MDM server pushes these policies out to the MDM agent and to each mobile device connected to it.
The Importance of MDM
Among small businesses, over half use mobile business applications and over two-thirds consider mobile solutions to be critical to their operations. Yet with nearly two-thirds of companies allowing BYOD, only 10% have a security plan to cover it. Without MDM, a business could become the victim of a hacker’s data breach or virus, which not only increase costs for the company, but also can harm the company’s morale and reputation. MDM services provided by MSPs help companies keep up with BYOD and other mobile device trends while maintaining security, flexibility, and productivity.
The Benefits of MDM
MDM has several benefits, but here are a few of the most important:
- Remote management allows MSPs 24/7 automatic monitoring and management of employee mobile devices more efficiently, including actions like detecting problems, pushing updates and patches, logging and reporting, and adjusting network settings no matter where in the world the BYOD device may be located.
- BYOD support is expanded and enhanced by MDM, allowing employees to link multiple types of devices to the network with security and flexibility and giving them the ability to communicate and work with more efficiency and speed. It is also scalable to increasing numbers and types of BYOD.
- Network security is increased due to centrally managed and controlled updates and security features, such as encryption, work/personal data barriers, and remote locating, locking, and wiping of if the BYOD device if the need arises.
Summary
While the increasing trend in remote working and BYOD at businesses has improved employee productivity and decreased company hardware costs, it brings with it the need for MSPs to track and secure more network-connected devices. Mobile Device Management is the best approach for this because it allows the MSP to oversee, regulate, and secure many types of employees’ mobile devices when connected to their company’s network, preventing data breaches, keeping devices up-to-date, and reducing IT costs.
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