Enterprise Mobility Management

EMM is a set of process and policies to simplify the management of devices and fortify corporate data security. It usually consists of mobile device management (MDM), mobile application management (MAM), mobile content management (MCM), and mobile identity management (MIM).

Mobile Device Manager Plus is a comprehensive EMM solution that allows IT teams and admins to manage devices across multiple platforms, enforce the required security measures to protect business-critical data on these devices, as well as enhance employee productivity by remotely distributing apps and securely granting access to the data required by employees, all from a central console.

Benefits of using Mobile Device Manager Plus as your EMM solution

Automated device onboarding and seamless user assignment

Facilitate the automated bulk enrollment of corporate-owned devices out-of-the-box with tools like Android Zero-Touch, Apple Business Manager, and Windows Autopilot, etc., ensuring the IT admin has an additional amount of control over these devices, and keeping the devices managed even if it is reset. BYOD devices owned by employees can be enrolled by sending invites to users through SMS or email, or users can be allowed to even self-enroll their personal devices. Make user assignment an ease by integrating directory services with MDM.

Efficient app management

  • Silent app installation: Install Store and enterprise-developed apps on devices silently, with zero user intervention. Apps can also be installed manually, by distributing them to an app catalog on the device accessible to the user.
  • Configuring app permissions: View the permissions required by apps and modify them to be user-controlled, permanently allowed or permanently disabled.
  • Distributing app updates: Ensure apps are up-to-date by enabling automated app updates or monitoring exactly what each app update brings, while also controlling when the update gets installed. It is also possible to have multiple versions of the same enterprise app to allow different app functionalities to be distributed to the teams that require them.
  • Blocklist apps: Block malicious apps from being installed on devices. If the app is already installed, it can be uninstalled automatically upon blocklisting.

Secure content distribution

  • Dedicated app: Securely share content to managed devices, making it accessible through a dedicated MDM app ensuring that unauthorized third-party apps cannot access such content.
  • Automate content updates: Automatically distribute content updates to devices that have older versions of the file.
  • Data leak protection: Prevent data leaks by ensuring shared content cannot be copied or shared to other devices from the user's device.

Lockdown devices in Kiosk mode

  • Configure dedicated devices: Set up devices that have a single app (single-app Kiosk mode) or a set of apps (multi-app Kiosk mode), to fulfill a single purpose effectively.
  • Distribute web-shortcuts: Provision Kiosk devices with web-shortcuts, with limited browser functionality.
  • Enforce advanced restrictions: Restrict device hardware and display elements like the status and navigation bar in this mode to enhance the user experience and prevent device misuse.
  • Customize device layout and device branding: Configure the home screen layout and add folders or pages when provisioning devices in multi-app Kiosk mode. Also customize app icons, fonts and device wallpaper to match your organization's central theme.
  • Configure autonomous app mode: Distribute autonomous apps to Kiosk devices, to allow these apps to run only for a specified amount of time.

Robust security management

  • Security restrictions: Enforce security policies and restrictions on managed mobile devices to ensure that they are as secure as the rest of the organization's network. For instance, it is possible to force devices to have a password configured, ensure that devices are restricted to connect to public, unsafe Wi-Fi networks, and that devices do not automatically create a back-up of corporate data on third-party cloud services.

  • Containerization: Create an encrypted virtual container within the device to effectively separate corporate and personal data. Moreover, this container can be password-protected (in addition to the device password), reducing the chances of a data breach.

  • VPN and certificates: Configure VPN and distribute security certificates to devices to ensure that they securely access corporate data, to protect their integrity during transit.

  • Block or allow web content: Ensure devices are protected from threats posed by malicious domains by blocking them from being accessed, or allow only a set of trusted URLs to be accessed in which case any other URL will be inaccessible.
  • Geofencing: Create a geofence and apply it to devices ensuring that they stay within certain geographical boundaries and have actions like a device wipe performed on them if they leave the specified boundary.
  • OS update management: Automate, schedule or even restrict OS updates on devices to prevent them from being installed during work hours and to ensure that they are tested for stability beforehand.
  • Lost/stolen devices: If a user reports a device to be lost or stolen, a remote command can be initiated to set off an alarm on the device that rings even if the device is in silent mode. If the device cannot be located, it can be put in lost mode, in which case it can be configured to display a phone number to be contacted along with a message. In the event that the device proves to be irrecoverable still, it can be remotely wiped or factory reset to ensure that the sensitive corporate data on the device doesn't fall into the wrong hands.

Secured enterprise email

  • Pre-configure email accounts: Set up email accounts on managed devices in bulk by associating an email policy.
  • Configure email security: Secure email communication by enforcing the use of secure protocols, and restrict corporate emails from being forwarded to prevent data leaks. Ensure that emails are in plain text by restricting html, protecting from any hidden threats.
  • Secure viewing of attachments: Facilitate email attachments to be accessed and viewed by a dedicated MDM app or a trusted app, preventing attachments from being accessed by third-party app providers.
  • Conditional access: Ensure the Exchange server is protected from unauthorized access by enforcing a conditional access policy, allowing only managed devices to access these resources.

Comprehensive asset management

  • Remote troubleshooting: Remotely view and control devices from the MDM console to resolve any technical issues on them and even initiate commands to perform a wipe or lock devices.
  • Granular Inventory details: Gain a bird's eye view of all the managed devices right from the MDM console or view granular device details about a single device.
  • Battery level tracking: Keep track of the battery level on managed devices to make sure business-critical resources stay powered on when required.
  • Track the real-time location of devices: Track the geographical location of devices and even maintain a history of locations the device has been in.
  • Asset tag: During physical device audits, initiate a command from the MDM console, to have devices display the details required for the audit.
  • Reports on devices: Generate a set of predefined reports on devices, or create custom reports and have them emailed to you on a regular basis.

Secure device retirement

  • Device reassignment: Re-assign corporate devices to different users by disabling factory reset protection.
  • Device retirement: Retire outdated and legacy devices by wiping the corporate data on them and taking them out of management at the end of their life-cycle in the organization.

Components of EMM

  • Mobile Device Management: Mobile Device Management (MDM) involves managing the mobile devices in an organization throughout its lifecycle - from enrollment to retirement. MDM solutions allow admins to seamlessly enroll and assign devices to the workforce, and then configure security policies and restrictions on these devices, as well as keep track of their locations.
  • Mobile Application Management: Mobile Application Management (MAM) deals with the distributing, installing, updating, and uninstalling enterprise-developed and store apps to the workforce's devices. In addition to this, through MAM, admins can also block certain malicious apps from being installed on the device.
  • Mobile Content Management: Mobile Content Management (MCM) ensures that sensitive corporate data and business-critical information are shared to devices and stored on them in a secure way. It is also possible to make sure corporate data is accessed only through trusted, authorized apps, and that such data isn't backed up to cloud services. MCM also facilitates containerization to segregate corporate data from the user's personal space.
  • Mobile Identity Management: Mobile Identity Management (MIM) deals with making sure that users are provisioned with the right level of access to corporate resources through their mobile devices, and that only trusted devices and users can access such data. It includes features like Enterprise Single-Sign on and multi-factor authentication to protect sensitive corporate data from unauthorized access.

Mobile Device Manager Plus combines the capabilities of MDM, MAM, MCM, MIM making it an effective EMM solution that facilitates the comprehensive management of both corporate-owned and user-owned mobile devices.

Why is Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) important in organizations?

EMM is essential for organizations that have adopted enterprise mobility to improve employee productivity. Additionally, EMM also allows organizations to:

  • Enhance corporate data security: Organizations can enforce stringent security policies on devices accessing sensitive business data to ensure corporate data security.
  • Secure deployment of corporate data: Organizations can distribute essential content to the required devices while restricting access from unauthorised devices and users.
  • Simplify user and device management: Organizations can automate device onboarding and ensure the required corporate resources and security protocols are available as soon as devices are assigned to the users. EMM also simplifies the deprovisioning of devices when an employee leaves the organization and the device is handed over to a different employee.

How does an EMM software work?

The major benefit of enterprise mobility is that improves employee productivity by allowing employees to work on the go. But, these mobile devices if not managed, also pose a threat to organizational security. Their portability increases the chances of device theft, and hence result in data loss or unauthorised data access. Another major cause of concerns for IT admins, is the installation of malicious apps that could result in a malware attack on the entire corporate network.

An EMM software/solution enables you to keep security threats at bay, without affecting productivity by managing the devices, apps, content and access. With the help of EMM solutions organizations can Blocklist malicious apps on devices, enforce security policies on devices, enable encryption on devices, prevent unauthorised access and sharing of corporate data across all the devices in the organization, and remotely wipe corporate content from lost/stolen devices. This ensures employees can securely access corporate data without having to worry about data loss or theft.

What are the benefits of Enterprise Mobility Management solutions/tools?

EMM solutions provide a single console to help your organization secure and manage your organization's devices. Whether it's an employee-owned device or a company-owned one, with EMM software/tools, your IT admins can set up, deploy, locate, secure, and manage any device, anywhere. In addition to these, EMM solutions also have other benefits:

  • Manage multiple devices from a single console.
  • Apply profiles, policies, and restrictions.
  • Containerize corporate data on personal devices to ensure robust enterprise mobile management and security.
  • Enforce comprehensive app and device security measures.
  • Track assets assertively with configurable reports.
  • Detect and remove jailbroken and rooted devices.
  • Track mobile devices in real-time.
  • Manage available OS updates on devices.
  • Reduce IT help desk calls with remote device troubleshooting.
  • Revoke and selectively wipe devices.

EMM - Applications and industry use cases

EMM software have gained momentum and popularity across various sectors. Deploying the right EMM solution/tool in an organization can help it address the rapidly evolving industry standards. Here's how EMM solutions are used across various industries:

  • Healthcare: Hospitals and other healthcare organizations must ensure they comply with various industry compliance standard such as HIPAA, that help secure patients personally-identifiable information (PII) on mobile devices. With an EMM solution, organizations can meet these compliance standards while access and storing the patient records on mobile devices.
  • Transportation: Transportation and logistics organizations have greatly benefited from the introduction of enterprise mobility. EMM solutions can allow admins to remotely track the device location in real-time while also maintaining a history of the locations traversed by their employees.
  • Education: As schools and universities adopt tablet-based learning to enhance the teaching experience, it's essential to ensure these devices are not misused. With an EMM software, educational institutions can lock down devices to specific apps, distribute required study material, restrict access to inappropriate websites and prevent access to certain device functionalities such as Camera.
  • Retail: With retail stores using mobile devices as digital signage and self-service devices, it's essential to ensure these devices do not leave the premises. EMM tools have the capabilities to ensure the devices cannot leave a specific geographical location.

What type of organizations can use Mobile Device Manager Plus as an Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) solution:

Our enterprise mobility management (EMM) tool is designed for all types of enterprises, no matter the size. You can choose to deploy Mobile Device Manager Plus as an enterprise mobility software, either on your servers (on-premises), or host it on our secure, state-of-the-art servers (cloud).

Give ManageEngine's enterprise mobility management (EMM) solution a try, today. Start 30-day free trial!