Mobile Device and Endpoint management is a type of security software used by an IT department to monitor, manage, and secure employees’ mobile devices (laptops, smartphones, tablets, etc.) that are deployed across multiple mobile service providers and across multiple mobile operating systems being used in the organization.
Mobile device management (MDM) is the administration of mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablet computers, and laptops. MDM is usually implemented with the use of a third-party product that has management features for particular vendors of mobile devices. Though closely related to Enterprise Mobility Management and Unified Endpoint Management, MDM differs slightly from both: unlike MDM, EMM includes mobile information management, BYOD, mobile application management and mobile content management, whereas UEM provides device management for endpoints like desktops, printers, IoT devices, and wearables as well.
Some of the core functions of MDM include:
Ensuring that diverse user equipment is configured to a consistent standard / supported set of applications, functions, or corporate policies
Updating equipment, applications, functions, or policies in a scalable manner
Ensuring that users use applications in a consistent and supportable manner
Ensuring that equipment performs consistently
Monitoring and tracking equipment (e.g. location, status, ownership, activity)
Being able to efficiently diagnose and troubleshoot equipment remotely
MDM functionality can include over-the-air distribution of applications, data and configuration settings for all types of mobile devices, including mobile phones, smartphones, tablet computers, ruggedized mobile computers, mobile printers, mobile POS devices, etc.
By controlling and protecting the data and configuration settings of all mobile devices in a network, MDM can reduce support costs and business risks. The intent of MDM is to optimize the functionality and security of a mobile communications network while minimizing cost and downtime.
