Mobile device management (MDM) solutions offer enterprise-grade security by continuously monitoring, providing control, and deploying security measures centrally and remotely to endpoint devices such as mobile phones, tablets, desktops, and virtual systems thus securing corporate databases and networks. The devices can be managed centrally with app deployment and configuring settings in individual devices.

Introduction

With recent development in cloud technology, corporate servers and functions can be accessed remotely without the need for employees to be on-premise. The Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies and remote working conditions from the Covid pandemic further add vulnerabilities to the corporate security network. The devices used by employees are unsecured and connected through Local Area Networks (LAN). Compromise of any one device may mean compromising the entire corporate network providing hackers with access to sensitive company data.

Mobile Device Management offers a single platform for securing all corporate and personal devices on a single platform by real-time monitoring, management, and security.

What are Mobile Device Management solutions?

MDM is a unified platform to monitor, manage and secure all endpoints devices such as mobile phones, laptops, desktops, tablets, and virtual systems and provides enterprise-grade security. In current times with BYOD policies and devices having more capabilities to perform corporate tasks, ensuring the safety of all devices on a network is more important than ever. Compromise of any device could compromise entire company security allowing hackers to access sensitive corporate data. Although cloud technology increases mobility, connectivity, and ease of work among employees, it also represents endpoint security challenges. The MDM technology offers a unified console to monitor, deploy and manage security solutions, applications, and push notifications.

MDM works on client-server architecture. The client-side is the user endpoint device. The server side is a central administrative console. The server side sends commands to client-side Over The Air (OTA), which are received by Applications Programming Interfaces (APIs) and executed. The notification services are leveraged to enable the management of systems.

MDM solutions can be seamlessly integrated across different platforms and devices. They can be developed to be compatible with all kinds of Operating Systems like iOS, Android, Linux, and windows, among others. MDM solutions are easy to deploy and can be deployed on-premise or cloud-based as a Software as a Subscription (SaaS) model. MDM can be integrated with Help Desk Ticketing Software, App development tools, and other business solutions.

List of Mobile Device Management Solutions

Various MDM solutions have been developed since 2007, which can be deployed on-premise or on the cloud as a SaaS model. MDM solutions can be integrated with the existing enterprise framework and network administration functions. MDM offers centralized management and ensures the security of all endpoint devices. The following MDM solutions have been listed based on various features like compatibility with Operating Systems (Windows, Linux, iOS), GPS-based tracking, content management, and email management, among other features.

VMWare Workspace One

VMWare Workspace One is a Mobile Device Management solution that provides Unified Endpoint Management capabilities (UEM), integrating all endpoint devices onto a single platform. The devices can be categorized as private devices or corporate-owned devices. The devices can be enrolled with the help of the Apple Device Enrollment Programme, Know Mobile enrollment, and android zero-touch enrollment. Enhanced security is introduced with Identity Management (IM), multi-level authentication, and data encryption. Devices can be remotely controlled and wiped in case of a security breach. Applications can be mass deployed, and patches can be updated for all devices with push notifications. Experience is user-friendly with Single Sign On (SSO) for users to access corporate databases, functions, and applications.

Features:

• User-friendly self-access automatic onboarding process with Identity Management and Single Sign-On to company intranet and applications.
• Mass deployment of applications and upgrading, be it from the app store, SaaS app, or enterprise application.
• Powerful collaboration tools like calendar, email, and company social.
• Security features like IM, multi-step authentication, protection against jailbreak, and GPS tracking. Devices can be locked or wiped out in case lost, stolen, or compromised.

VMWare Workspace One is available for a 30-day free trial and costs $3.78 per device and $5.72 per user for starting packages.

Microsoft Intune

Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based service with Mobile Device Management (MDM) and Mobile Application Management (MAM) capabilities for endpoint user devices. Company security policies and applications can be configured and deployed. Intune ensures the security of organization data and segregates personal data from enterprise data. Best suited for personal devices (BYOD policy) for home and office use. Intune is part of a package of Microsoft Enterprise Mobility and Security Suite (EMS), which Azure Active Directory to control access and Azure Information Protection for data security. Office 365 can be embedded with Intune to deploy applications like One Note, Microsoft Teams, and package while ensuring company data security policies. Intune has the following features:

• Get a list of enrolled devices and an inventory of endpoint users accessing the enterprise database.
• Configure and deploy security policies best suited to your needs
• Access to company intranet with push certificates and VPN(optional)
• Get updates on compliant and non-compliant devices
• Lock or wipe company data from a stolen or lost device
• Interactive guide to show the step-by-step process of using the admin console, enrolling devices, managing and deploying security policies and applications, among others.
• App management and application-level security allowing admin to deploy apps from a central console to specific person or groups, mass upgradation, configure apps to start with specific settings, get real-time updates on people accessing company resources and enable partial wipe or complete wipe of company data.
• App security policies segregate personal data from enterprise data with higher grade security to company data, protect data from copying, saving, or sharing data, and can be integrated with other MDM software.
• Compliance and conditional access enabling devices to meet certain security protocols before accessing company resources, and access to certain data and functions are provided to certain users only.

Xenmobile Citrix Cloud MDM solution

Citrix endpoint solution is one of the leading MDM solutions compatible across a large variety of Operating Systems like Windows 10, iOS, iPad, tvOS, Mac OS, Chrome OS, Android, Android Enterprise OS, and Citrix. Citrix MDM solution continuously monitors endpoint devices, applications, and platforms in real-time to provide reports on user behavior. User context controls are enabled based on device, location, and role in Citrix Endpoint Management to ensure Enterprise database security. The software is supplemented with machine learning, analytics, and artificial intelligence to protect against sophisticated modern-day threats like file-less malware and zero-day attacks. Citrix offers cross-platform-based device management and can be integrated with Citrix infrastructure. Key features are:

• Real-time monitoring and remote management
• Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and analytics
• It can be integrated with Azure Active Directory and Okta

Google Mobile Device Management

Google’s endpoint management system is a simple-to-use endpoint management system. It is compatible across MAC OS, Linux, Windows OS, Chrome OS, Android, and iOS. Deployment is easy and instant, with Wifi, email configurations and server certificates pushed instantly to the user devices as soon as they are enrolled. Personal app and work apps are segregated in BYOD devices with additional security for work applications. Google was awarded Gartner Peer Insights Customer Choice for Unified Endpoint Management in 2021. Google offers a 15-day free trial and is available as a part of Google Workspace.

Key features:

• Data security: Features like screen lock, strong password partial, and a complete wipe of data in case of lost or stolen android or iOS device. Controlled sessions for Windows, Chrome OS, Linux, and MAC OS sessions.
• Endpoint management from a single administrative console: Agentless endpoint management to lock or wipe a device without the need to install an application on an iOS or Android device. The feature is ON by default.
• App deployment: Centrally deploy apps from a single console through google play store(Agentless) or Apple App store. Android Enterprise applications can be hosted on the Play Private channel.

Cisco’s Meraki MDM Solutions

Cisco presents an attractive software with a unique feature of showing user endpoint devices on a map tracked by GPS technology. Meraki MDM can run on phones, laptops, desktops, and tablets but cannot be run on Internet of Things (IoT) devices or WiFi-enabled office equipment such as printers and Point Of Sales (POS). Meraki is compatible with windows, windows phone, Mac OS, iOS, Samsung Knox, Chrome OS, and android.

An underpinning MDM establishes a secure communication channel, which is encrypted with AES with a 256-bit key. VPN applied on a per-app basis secures app communication. Individual and bulk configuration can be applied based on device type, ownership model, or user profile. BYOD devices have to be first enrolled to access the company intranet. The backpack is a security method used to deploy apps and data. The administrator uses a central console to create and send bundles of files whose permissions can be configured to individuals, groups, or entire networks. Endpoint users only receive them enrolled, part of a group, and on the company network. Complete wipe and lock features are available for lost or stolen devices. Automatic mobile plan usage tracks for excessive activity present live reports and wipes or locks stolen devices immediately.

SAP Mobile Secure MDM solution

SAP is an enterprise-grade robust security solution by preconfiguring various Windows combines settings and deploying security and compliance policies. The mobile devices can be centrally managed to provide user devices with safe access to company servers. The SAP solution can be deployed on-premise or cloud-based. It is easy to use, cost-effective, flexible, and requires minimum IT support.

Features:

• Remote lock and partial or complete wipe
• Password protection
• End to end encryption
• Access management
• Security reports and insights
• Adaptability across different OS and devices
• Remote monitoring and management
• Scalable
• Application management and deployment

Advantages of using Mobile Device Management Solution

The main purpose of MDM is to ensure the enterprise’s security while boosting productivity and connectivity among employees who can use either personal or corporate-owned devices. MDM can be scaled seamlessly and provides simple management from a unified console. The following are the advantages of MDM solutions:

• Easy to deploy in premise or via cloud technology suited to enterprise needs.
• Integrates with existing enterprise frameworks like help desk ticketing software, app development tools, and other business solutions
• Managing different devices such as laptops, desktops, mobiles, and tablets across different OS like Chrome OS, Windows, iOS, android, mac OS, and tv OS on a single platform
• Deployment of applications and patches saving time and effort
• Deploy tailored security configurations to all enrolled devices
• Remote app management to manage permissions for enterprise and personal applications. e.g. Blocking personal applications during work hours
• Achieve standard complex compliance like ISO, PCI, HIPAA, among others, with a few clicks
• Enhanced security with features of real-time monitoring, GPS tracking, remote locking, and partial or complete wipe in case of a security breach
• Send Over the Air(OTA) commands to individual user devices or a specific group of users

Mobile Device Management Industry Use Cases

Let us look at how MDM solutions can benefit individual industry cases catering to specific needs:

Healthcare

With more healthcare organizations using Electronic Health Records (EHR) to store and organize customer data through mobile phones, securing Personal Health Information (PHI) is a priority through standard compliances like HIPAA.MDM offers these features to prevent unauthorized access to hospital databases.

Transportation

MDM-enabled GPS technology helps monitor device locations and the history of places traveled by a fleet of devices. Individual devices can be tracked, and certain applications may be blocked to ensure more productivity of employees and prevent device misuse.

Education

During the current pandemic, the transition to the digital age is rapid, with more and more students using mobiles and tablets for learning. Certain sites and functions of devices can be blocked with MDM to ensure devices are used for learning only. Basic device functions can be blocked with granular restrictions.

Retail

Retail uses features like digital signage, mPOS, and self-service checkouts. Mobile devices serve specific needs with a combination of in-house apps and certain standard policies. Both company-owned and personal devices can be managed using MDM solutions.

Service

With personal devices offering more capabilities than ever, they form a part of the major workforce in the service industry. More and more employees are turning to their devices to perform company chores. These devices can be managed centrally and securely with features of app deployment, control, and upgradation.