Today\u2019s modern IT environment consists of Mac, Windows, and Linux devices, and users at many companies are spread out all over the world. This all adds a new layer of complexity to user and device management<\/a> that can easily result in a substantial loss in productivity and\/or present major security concerns if not dealt with properly. This diverse IT landscape requires a modern approach to user and device management<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To keep up with the current and future iterations of the modern IT environment, a device management system needs to recognize that users are at the core of everything \u2014 including devices<\/a>. On top of that, the user and device management system that your organization chooses to employ needs to include five key components and capabilities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this article, we\u2019ll hit on why proper device health and telemetry management is essential within your IT ecosystem, what types of data you should be monitoring, and how JumpCloud specifically addresses device health concerns whether the devices are remote or on-prem with Directory and System Insights<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Putting a system in place that monitors devices and their overall health is essential to maintaining a secure IT environment and a productive workforce. Telemetry data pulled from devices can be used for a variety of improvements across an organization, including (but not limited to) the user experience, security posture and practices, as well as application health and performance. Device health and monitoring in this sense is not to be confused with user activity monitoring and privacy invasion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With how often devices are used in an organization, likely 40+ hours a week, there\u2019s significant room for problems to arise if those devices are left unmanaged and are not closely monitored for updates, security gaps, and inconsistencies. Whether you have a device management system in place already or you\u2019re looking to implement one from scratch, you need to consider what device health data you currently monitor and what data you want to monitor going forward \u2014 does the solution you have in mind cover all of that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although the types of data collected and monitored vary across organizations based on different goals and needs, there are many types of data that we recommend all organizations monitor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Examples of data that should be monitored across company devices:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Automatically collecting this data sets your IT team up for success considering the significant amount of time they already pour into related tasks where they may have to manually hunt down data and information. Having this data readily available for viewing and filtering is integral to passing compliance audits<\/a> and to making immediate changes within the environment when someone notices that something is amiss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
JumpCloud\u2019s platform includes two primary \u2018Insights\u2019 tools that can be used to monitor, log, export, and save user, device, network, and system data \u2014 they are called Directory Insights\u2122 and System Insights\u2122.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Directory Insights<\/a> is JumpCloud’s event logging and compliance feature. Directory Insights allows admins to get a bird\u2019s eye view of what\u2019s happening in their IT environment, which is absolutely necessary in order to pass compliance audits. The information found in this feature can be used as evidence to prove compliance to auditors, make useful changes within the environment, and monitor suspicious activity directory-wide, no matter where users and devices are located.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Examples of activities and processes you can monitor with Directory Insights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
JumpCloud\u2019s System Insights<\/a> feature extends system management by providing telemetry across your fleet of devices, whether macOS, Windows, or Linux. Using System Insights, you can easily take stock of your suite of systems and get an overview of the state of the devices across your organization. You can also query system endpoints to proactively resolve issues without interrupting users. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
System Insights provides vital information on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Utilizing tools like Directory and System Insights is a core part of modern device management, because no matter where organization-managed devices are, IT can monitor and manage them from a single pane of glass. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These tools help you understand the reliability of your organization\u2019s systems and gather critical information about system uptime, which can be leveraged to diagnose problems before they present far-reaching effects. These tools also let you monitor device memory and storage statistics which can be used when making system upgrade decisions. In terms of inventory management, these features help you keep track of hardware information such as vendor, model, serial number, and user assignment. Most importantly, adding these insights into your environment allows admins to track patterns and quickly see when something seems off regarding security and compliance \u2014 giving them the time and resources they need to improve security posture and set up processes to help prevent future breaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Modern device management includes but is not limited to managing device health and telemetry. At JumpCloud, we believe that there are five key components of modern device management<\/a> that cannot be overlooked. Each component works hand-in-hand with the others to ensure that your web of devices remains secure, compliant, and efficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n