5 MDM features and platforms for small businesses - TechTarget

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When SMBs deploy mobile devices, they request to find a viable MDM that tin conscionable their needs. Read astir 5 cardinal features to look for successful an MDM and immoderate beardown choices for vendors.

Reda Chouffani

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Published: 12 Dec 2022

Remote enactment has accrued the usage of mobile devices and tablets by extremity users, creating much ways of accessing concern information and interacting with the antithetic institution systems.

As a result, IT departments indispensable beryllium capable to negociate and unafraid endpoints from extracurricular of their network. This mightiness beryllium a elemental task for organizations with ample IT departments, but SMBs that mightiness not person a dedicated IT nonrecreational indispensable beryllium precise cautious astir however they expend resources and what absorption platforms -- specified arsenic mobile instrumentality absorption (MDM) -- they choose.

Why bash SMBs request MDM?

End users are successful near-constant request of immoderate benignant of IT support, whether they cognize it. These needs see exertion installs, bundle updates, show issues, information incidents oregon conscionable wide support. There are besides different communal attraction activities that administrators indispensable execute connected mobile devices to support from malicious contented and guarantee the endpoints conscionable information requirements.

One of the main risks of not utilizing MDM oregon immoderate different instrumentality wrong an SMB is the information associated with those devices connecting from location oregon nationalist networks into the institution systems. Additionally, the usage of idiosyncratic devices for this aforesaid intent mightiness person the aforesaid implications if these devices deficiency capable protections, update posture oregon are compromised. This tin pb to a breach into the company's systems and person catastrophic implications.

An mentation  of MDM's architecture shown via a chart.

To assistance unafraid devices that link to the company's web and data, SMBs indispensable see MDM -- oregon a much broad instrumentality with akin controls specified arsenic unified endpoint absorption (UEM) -- to nonstop much cautious controls implicit devices accessing institution data.

MDM tools supply respective utilities for administrators that are captious to the wellness and information of the enactment astatine large. Five of the astir important functions MDM tin supply for an SMB are arsenic follows:

1. Asset management

MDM platforms should supply assorted controls for managing and monitoring hardware assets, inventory systems, information and update posture checks, and more. On the exertion front, MDM tools assistance with bundle licensing and purchasing for the organization, which tin amended licence compliance and inventory of each paid and unpaid applications.

One MDM level with beardown plus absorption is the Apple-focused Jamf Pro. SMBs that usage Mac iPads, iPhones and Apple TVs tin deploy this platform to enactment concern initiatives via a web interface. From here, administrators tin easy place each registered devices, presumption the presumption and update poster of each, and summation insights into the antithetic apps deployed.

One of the main risks of not utilizing MDM oregon immoderate different instrumentality wrong an SMB is the information associated with those devices connecting from location oregon nationalist networks into the institution systems.

2. Security protections and argumentation management

As information continues to beryllium a premier focus of instrumentality absorption successful businesses of each sizes, dealing with mobile and idiosyncratic devices poses a important hazard to tiny businesses without dedicated IT staff. MDM platforms tin enactment the deployment of information policies that tin assistance restrict devices and support information by enforcing password policies, restricting definite exertion functions and deploying extortion applications.

MDM vendor N-able offers a level with built-in endpoint detection and effect (EDR) tools that tin support devices from a wide scope of threats.

3. Remote entree -- successful immoderate devices

Another country that is commonly needed for SMBs is the distant entree diagnostic to assistance users with immoderate of their instrumentality needs. When a idiosyncratic contacts the assistance desk, IT tin usage utilities wrong definite MDM tools to distant into the devices and spot what the extremity users are experiencing.

Vendors specified arsenic Hexnode connection distant entree tools wrong their Remote Monitoring and Management offering to assistance with distant access.

4. Application and update management

When it comes to installing applications and deploying updates, it is nary longer feasible for administrators to necessitate their extremity users to beryllium physically contiguous successful the bureau to tally them. This is owed to galore factors, but main among them is distant work. To assistance facilitate the request to support apps and mobile OSes updated, MDM tools let admins to propulsion applications and spot systems accordingly.

For organizations with dense Apple instrumentality usages similar iPads, iPhones and Apple TVs, Apple Business Manager has an MDM offering that serves these needs. It includes Apple relationship configuration and management, mobile VPN management, information policies, licensing management, information absorption and exertion management.

5. Remote monitoring for mobile devices

To support up with the wellness and presumption of mobile devices, admins tin usage MDM tools to person alerts connected immoderate instrumentality issues. These see retention issues, alerts, information risks and immoderate different applicable wellness details connected the instrumentality to debar malfunctions, show issues oregon information incidents.

Tools specified arsenic Microsoft Intune -- now a portion of Microsoft Endpoint Manager -- tin supply reporting and method assessments, arsenic good arsenic benchmarks against Microsoft's published champion practices for mobile devices. Admins tin usage this accusation to marque immoderate indispensable changes that are recommended by the level and guarantee that the due policies and updates are successful place.

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