Mobile phones, laptops and tablets are part of the basic equipment in everyday working life. With mobile device management, companies retain control over their mobile devices, optimise security and enable efficient working from anywhere.
Mobile Device Management
Smartphones, tablets and laptops have long since found their way into professional life. And they have certainly earned their status as indispensable utensils. They make work more flexible and ideally increase productivity in a company - provided that basic security criteria are met and a smooth flow between individual interfaces is guaranteed. This is where mobile device management comes into play.
Definition MDM: What is Mobile Device Management?
In times when the new-work concept is becoming increasingly important, MDM is also gaining in significance. The term MDM (Mobile Device Management) refers to an IT solution that is particularly useful for companies. MDM manages all mobile devices integrated in the workplace network with the help of centrally operating software.
What purpose does MDM serve in IT?
MDM or Mobile Device Management primarily aims to manage the entire corporate network in a bundled manner. The focus here is particularly on protecting sensitive corporate data, which is essential especially when using devices that are used both privately and for business.
The MDM software ensures, for example, that unauthorized third parties do not gain access to internal business information and that cyber attacks, such as those caused by hackers or viruses, are prevented. This is achieved through specific settings and specially configured access and usage restrictions. It is also possible to initiate backup management measures, necessary updates, remote support and maintenance as part of mobile device management, and to create device inventories.
In addition, particularly sensitive data can be stored in encrypted form and separated from private applications. Mobile device management is also designed to promote work efficiency - especially when it comes to registering, integrating, and setting up smartphones, tablets, and the like.
For the employer or the responsible IT department, MDM has the advantage of continuously monitoring the data on the relevant devices. This means that security gaps can be identified in good time and counteracted immediately.
Functionality and prerequisites of MDM
The basis for a functioning mobile device management is the responsible software - or the so-called MDM agent. The remaining functionality differs from MDM system to MDM system. In most cases, however, the software is installed on the respective end device and is the starting point for communication with the management server or the management cloud. The latter are controlled and monitored by the responsible administrator. For all this to function smoothly, it is imperative to ensure that the MDM software can be integrated into the existing operating system and used within it. It is equally important that the end devices are technically suitable.
To the point: the benefits of mobile device management
Mobile device management brings numerous, especially security-relevant advantages for companies. For example, the software solution opens up opportunities for:
- Encryption of sensitive data
- Determining individual access rights
- Locating or tracking a device in case of theft or loss
- Locking a device
- Separation between private and business data
- Quick and easy setup of new and deletion of old user profiles
- Creation of hardware and software inventories
- automatically implements important updates
- Initiate regular data backups
- Remote maintenance and monitoring