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Just a few years ago it was unthinkable that we would use our personal phones and devices at work (or to work remotely), but cloud computing has changed all that.
According to a Security Intelligence study, 60% of firms permit their workforce to use personal devices to access business data, and it’s only expected that this ‘Bring Your Own Device’ (BYOD) trend will continue to grow and be even more common in the future.
Why Mobile Device Management is Important in the Implementation of BYOD
While BYOD policies might be great for employees and flexible work arrangements, the fact is they have security and data risks. Personal smartphones, tablets, and computers aren’t as secure as company-issued ones and may not have updated security patches, antivirus software, or malware detection programs. Ultimately, BYOD devices have security vulnerabilities that can put your business at risk.
As organizations integrate these smart devices into the work environment, mobile device management (MDM) capabilities have failed to keep up. Monitoring these devices remotely is a key facet of that.
Why mobile device management, you might ask. Such an approach facilitates a relatively smooth transition to the BYOD policy.
Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of mobile device management for your organization:
The Benefits of Mobile Device Management
1. Regulatory compliance.
Organizations operating in strict regulatory environments such as defense contracting, healthcare, or financial services are often required to stick to stringent compliance codes.
A firm should have enterprise-grade data security with safeguards in place to protect against unauthorized mobile device access. Furthermore, there should be reporting capabilities to allow for robust network integrity.
An organization can take advantage of a mobile device software management system to ensure it’s in compliance and that there is necessary mobile security. This helps monitor and track access through a centralized dashboard.
2. Remote Management
MDM’s equip organizations with the ability to remotely manage mobile device use. It performs this function by qualifying the security and health of each smart device connected to an organization’s network.
Besides, the management system is an automated option for a remote management company to disable unauthorized users or applications. The software significantly increases business data security because it ensures that every device linked to a firm’s network—follows rules of conduct that ensure data safety.
3. Automatic deletion
MDM software allows users to insure against lost or stolen devices easily. As a result, it safeguards organizations from former employees accessing sensitive company information. With an MDM, you can conveniently erase confidential digital data from any device.
4. Data backup
When you integrate an MDM solution, the data conveyed through corporate applications is automatically backed up per company policy.
Consequently, this supports business continuity by easing the vulnerability of mobile devices as a potential avenue for information loss.
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5. Cost savings
Often, employees not only find it convenient to work with their own mobile devices, but are also willing to bear the cost of device maintenance, upgrades, and liability. An MDM policy allows your organization to benefit from improved productivity and controlled recurring IT expenses.
6. Controlled updates
Businesses rely on system updates as a vital component of security. An MDM solution also has controlled updates, promising that your organization is always complying with government regulations and protecting personal data.
7. Application control
Assuming that your organization uses multiple applications to facilitate productivity, these apps can create supplementary avenues for regulation and control.
Fundamentally, Mobile Device Management (MDM) security establishes centralized control for users who may need to install specific apps on their devices.
The centralized management system has advantages such as role-based access management.
8. Security
Mobile device management solutions cater to your organization’s security procedures and protocols, besides extending the same protection to mobile devices linked to your network.
Hence, internal standards around identity management, password guidelines, access control, and blacklists will apply across mobile devices. Thus, you don’t have to create loop security protocols.
What are the Benefits of MDM for Businesses?
Let’s sum up some of the key benefits of mobile device management software for organizations desiring to mitigate data compromise.
- Ensures device compliance regardless of OS platform (Android, or iOS).
- Promotes device policies and security regulations.
- Assists in managing, securing, and creation of corporate data controls and information within the framework of employee personal devices. It achieves this objective through containerization while avoiding interference with employee personal device usage.
- Supports prompt remote resolution of security concerns and helps protect business data residing on BYOD’s
- Strengthen collaboration between managed employee mobile devices across the network
- Nurtures secure remote work
Mobile device management (MDM) assists your firm in the transition from a traditional workplace to a flexible work environment. It solves some of the logistical issues by providing for over-the-air distribution of business data, applications, plus configuration settings covering a variety of mobile devices.
What are some of the specific benefits an ideal mobile device management software system can grant your business? Most of the platform’s rewards focus on preserving the integrity of your organization’s network and the data within it.
Overall, an MDM benefits your organization by providing protection and support control over mobile devices. Leading to lowering business risks and reducing support costs.
Managing your mobile devices enables you to capitalize on the opportunity to attract and retain a talent pool that’s comfortable working with personal devices.
Ultimately, MDM software allows for the use of mobile devices in a secure, monitored, managed, and supported business environment. Since smart mobile devices are an integral part of the work environment, it’s vital to secure an organization’s data. For that reason, an enterprise should consider merging MDM software with its IT infrastructure and thus considerably increase its network security.
