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Do you know what your employees do on their devices?
If you’d rather not think about it, consider this — almost half of small- and medium-sized businesses (SMB) report being hit with a data breach that was initiated on a mobile device.
What happens on only one device could have a massive effect on your entire business, but a lot of SMB owners and admins worry that user management will require too many resources. This article will show you how device management might be easier than you think and help you find a mobile device management (MDM) solution to fit your business.
Importance of MDM for Small Business
Cybercrime is getting more sophisticated. Data loss and downtime are more costly than ever. And high-profile data breaches have made customers a lot more sensitive to security issues. Individual devices across your network can be major vulnerabilities, even if your overall network is secure.
MDM platforms make remote work better for everyone by enhancing security, device deployment, and app management, and reducing maintenance time and overall costs.
Benefits of Implementing MDM Solutions
Getting MDM in place for your business is the first step in developing effective remote work policies. MDM gives your IT team a bird’s-eye view of all the devices in your tech ecosystem from a single, centralized dashboard.
Investing in MDM will help you stay secure, competitive, and up to date with compliance. It will make it easier for your IT team to monitor and manage devices and more efficiently. Plus, it will make employees more comfortable and productive using their own devices for work.
Enhancing Security and Privacy
Using MDM makes sure that every user and app is authenticated before they access your organization’s sensitive data. Zero Trust frameworks reduce the risk of attacks and insider threats. MDM ensures all data is encrypted, whether stored on a server or in active communications. Endpoint security enables your IT team to identify vulnerabilities faster and patch issues across all devices.
If a device is lost or stolen, features like containerization and remote wipe ensure that sensitive data remains protected no matter who gets their hands on the device.
Streamlining Operations and IT Tasks
Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) brings smartphones, tablets, and laptops together on one monitoring and deployment dashboard. UEM gives your IT team the power to deploy software and control policies while eliminating time spent on manually configuring individual devices.
Updates and patch management are automatic and performed across all devices, keeping workflows smooth and secure.
Remote assistance allows for real-time troubleshooting, reducing time lost to downed devices and improving the user experience.
Scalability and Cost-Efficiency
MDM makes it easier for SMBs to scale by simplifying device deployment and onboarding. Device enrollment is automated. New devices are available to use with minimal setup straight out of the box.
MDM’s enhanced security and policy protocols make Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) more feasible as a money-saving strategy. MDM separates organizational and personal data on devices, ensuring compliance and encryption of sensitive company data even if employees are using personal devices.
Key Features to Look for in MDM Software
The right MDM features enable your organization to follow the best practices for device management. MDM software should foster device compatibility, make devices easier to monitor and manage, enhance security and remote IT controls, and provide system insights.
Device Compatibility and Management
With employees working on different devices and operating systems, compatibility issues are bound to come up. MDM enables more seamless communication between devices and streamlines IT operations by using standardized app configurations.
Cross-platform MDM solutions bring all types of devices together. IT teams can deploy apps seamlessly and manage users across Apple, Windows, Linux, and Android devices.
Apple Business Manager is a specific MDM solution for iOS and macOS devices. Automated enrollment and remote management are designed specifically for Apple products and can be tailored to each organization’s own policies.
Windows MDM tools allow IT teams to remotely configure devices, manage groups, and automatically provide security updates in Windows work environments.
Linux MDM solutions offer more customizable configurations that enforce uniform standards across all devices in specialized Linux work environments. There are also cloud-based options to manage Linux endpoints without the need for custom code.
Android MDM reduces security risks from BYOD devices and prevents unauthorized Android devices from accessing organizational data or resources.
Security Features and Remote Control
The right security and remote features will keep your sensitive data secure, even when employees are working from their devices remotely. Look for security features like device encryption, VPN configuration, app management and geofencing. Remote configuration and troubleshooting will ensure that all devices are up to date with the latest security patches. Remote wipe gives your IT team a rapid response security option to deal with lost or stolen devices.
Support for Multi-Device and Storage
For most organizations, it’s best to look for an MDM that supports a wide range of cross-platform devices. A unified control console allows IT admins to apply security protocols, device settings, and app management consistently across all platforms.
Make sure your MDM has capabilities to provide secure file sharing so employees can collaborate with each other from any device. Cloud storage integration allows for seamless backups and takes the storage load off of individual devices.
Reporting and Analytics Capabilities
Generally speaking system insights give your IT team the tools to identify issues, optimize performance, and enhance security. An MDM automates analytics to reduce response times to issues or attacks. Key reporting features to look for are device health and inventory, usage and behavior analysis, app and network performance, and security event logs.
Many MDM solutions offer customizable dashboards so you can track the metrics that are most important to keep your organization running smoothly.
Choosing the Right MDM Solution for Your SMB
To find the MDM solution that works best for your organization, consider how your budget and needs fit with the features of the MDM platform. Start by taking an inventory of all the devices that are currently deployed. Then think about any security, compliance, or other specialized requirements your organization might have. When looking to add an MDM, it’s also important to understand how easy (or difficult) it will be to integrate with your existing IT architecture.
On-Premises vs. Cloud-Based MDM
You’ll want to determine if an on-premises or cloud-based MDM is a better fit for your organization’s needs.
On-premises MDMs are best for organizations with increased security needs or unique situations that require customization. On the downside, they cost more up front and require maintenance and an in-house IT team to manage them. They also require additional investment and infrastructure changes to scale.
Cloud-based MDMs have lower startup costs and are much easier to manage and scale. Cloud MDM providers take care of all the maintenance and updates. However, some businesses might be concerned about data privacy and cloud security.
User Experience
An effective MDM makes the remote work experience better for everyone, from employees to IT teams. Simple, user-friendly enrollment and remote troubleshooting allow employees to remain productive with minimal downtime. Automatic updates and remote management make life easier for IT departments and keep company data safe.
Evaluating Price, Features, and Support
MDM providers offer different pricing models. Some are pay per device, some are pay per user, and some offer flat rate licensing options. Some providers offer a combination of plans which makes it easier for scaling your business down the road.
There are even a few options for free MDMs, depending on the service.
Whether you’re in the market for a free solution or paid, it helps to get a side-by-side look at their capabilities, pricing models, and support options. We invite you to check out our library of competitive comparisons to help with that review:
- Jamf vs. Addigy
- Jamf vs. SimpleMDM
- Kandji vs. Addigy
- Kandji vs. Jamf
- ManageEngine vs. Intune
- ManageEngine vs. Kaseya
- Miradore vs. Hexnode
- Miradore vs. Intune
- Miradore vs. Jamf
- Mosyle vs. Jamf
- Mosyle vs. Kandji
- NinjaOne vs. ManageEngine
- Intune Pricing Overview
- JumpCloud vs. Jamf
Implementing MDM is a process, and you’ll want your MDM provider to assist with migration. Some MDM services offer training and instruction to help with integration.
Long-Term Strategy Alignment
Overall, finding MDMs with flexible options for scaling and future-proofing will help you grow your organization. MDMs with high user ratings keep employees happy, productive, and connected. MDM automatic security updates will keep your organization safe from evolving cyber threats.
Try JumpCloud MDM Free for 30 Days
Sign up now for a free trial with JumpCloud MDM. Experience how JumpCloud’s MDM services seamlessly integrate corporate and personal devices on your network.
Take advantage of zero-touch enrollment and customizable experiences all from one access point on the JumpCloud console, and make onboarding, security, and configuration easier for your IT team.
