What is mobile device management (MDM)?

Mobile device management (MDM) is security software that lets your business implement policies to secure, monitor, and manage your end-user mobile devices. The software also protects your network devices and allows your employees to work remotely without compromising their security.

Why Is MDM Important?

An MDM solution protects your data and ensures your company retains control over it, regardless of where it's used or stored. It allows you to monitor, manage, and control mobile devices across your network from a single location.

How Does MDM Work?

Mobile device management refers to all of the security policies, processes, and software applied across your company's mobile devices.

Some mobile device management solutions require IT administrators to physically access each device. Others work over the air (OTA) or through the cloud. These allow IT admins to push out updates, policies, and apps to all of your devices at the same time.

To use an MDM solution, an IT admin will apply these security policies, processes, and software to any devices you want to protect. This is done by installing hardware on your devices or remotely enrolling them. Next, the IT admin can use a management console to send commands to all of your devices, at any time.

What MDM Offers

• Secures emails and sensitive documents on your business' mobile devices
• Enforces the same corporate policies on all of your devices across your network
• Pushes out security updates across your devices
• Keeps your devices running in accordance with the same standards
• Standardizes the performance of your devices
• Monitors and tracks activity on your devices
• Diagnoses and troubleshoots any device issues
• Locks or cleans up any device that needs to be removed from your network

What is Unified Endpoint Management (UEM)?

Unified endpoint management (UEM) is a type of device management that extends beyond mobile devices. You can use a UEM solution to manage, security, and deploy apps and resources across all of your network devices and systems.

What Are Mobile Endpoints?

An endpoint is a computing device that connects to a network and sends and receives information. Endpoints include desktop computers, telephones, internet servers, and printers.

Mobile endpoints refer to endpoints that can be transported and used in multiple places. Common mobile endpoints include cell phones, laptop computers, tablets, and smartwatches.

What Devices and Operating Systems Do MDM Solutions Protect?

• Cell phones
• Laptop computers
• Tablets
• Mobile printers
• Other Internet of Things (IoT) devices

Mobile Device Management Best Practices

• Keep your devices and software up to date
• Require passwords on all employee devices
• Utilize mobile antivirus software on all employee devices
• Teach your employees about the different types of cyberthreats
• Do not allow your employees to use rooted, or “jailbroken,” devices
• Encourage your employees to report lost or stolen devices

How to Choose the Best MDM Solution for Your Business

• Look for a UEM solution that works with all types of devices and all operating systems
• Choose a product that focuses on devices, apps, content, and security
• If you allow employees to work from their own devices, look for an MDM solution that works with both personal and corporate-owned devices.

Sophos Mobile is a UEM solution that gives your employees the flexibility to work where and how they want and protects them against cyberattacks. To learn more, please contact us today.

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Related security topic: What is a local area network (lan)?