Mobile Device Management (MDM) is a term used in the industrial field for the administration of multiple devices that helps handle deployment, security, monitoring, and integration of mobile devices (scalability for over 20,000 supported devices).
Thanks to Mobile Device Management, it is possible to simplify and improve the management of mobile devices assigned to employees and collaborators, with clear benefits for companies that use smart working (and not only). From the traditional “workstation”, that is the desk with a corporate desktop, we rapidly moved to the laptop, and from there to accessing company data and applications through commonly used devices such as laptops and smartphones. All this while the success and pervasiveness of the cloud, as-a-service models and the modern workplace have made everyone productive wherever they are, without limits of place and time. Today, to work it is enough to have a simple Internet connection, even with a personal smartphone, according to the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) model.
Through the use of a mobile manager, integration and management of new devices becomes much more efficient because the system allows simultaneous action on all devices that are part of the network.
Through the use of a mobile manager, integration and management of new devices becomes much more efficient because the system allows simultaneous action on all devices that are part of the network.
By way of example, think of a large container where emails, documents, and corporate information inside are encrypted according to the most secure standards, ensuring their integrity and protection. The MDM maintains an inventory of the devices it manages. The inventory includes key machine information such as device name, manufacturer, operating system, serial number, carrier, and IMEI. This allows IT to keep track of all mobile devices within the organization.
The main function is precisely this: sharing corporate resources in mobility without compromising corporate security. In practice, a mobile manager consists of two parts, a server component and a client profile. The former is managed and controlled by the company and governs the application of corporate policies, the use of predefined applications, resource sharing and OTA (over the air) distribution of updates across the entire mobile network. The latter is installed on the device and executes the commands. It is obvious that, since there is extensive sharing and use of the network by many authorized users, the risk concerns the protection of corporate data (cyber security). One of the major advantages of the system is compliance with the principle of accountability because it allows timely intervention when needed. Thanks to the control panel available in the company, all device functions can be disabled to protect information. With a mature MDM platform, IT and security departments can manage all company devices, regardless of type and operating system. An effective MDM platform helps keep all devices secure while making the workforce flexible and productive.
MDM software can monitor and control behaviors and data on registered devices. And with more sophisticated MDM solutions, these can be analyzed automatically via artificial intelligence. Such tools ensure device security against malware and other cyber threats. A company, for example, could assign an employee or consultant a laptop or smartphone pre‑configured with data profile, VPN, and other necessary software or applications. In this case, MDM offers maximum control to the employer. With MDM tools, companies can track, monitor, troubleshoot and even wipe data in case of theft, loss, or detected breach. In a modern scenario where everyone has a smartphone and brings it to work, information security and its administration certainly depend on MDM systems.