Let’s face it, technology is excellent when it works, but it often fails us when we most rely on it. What if you could detect a problem with a video conferencing system before your big meeting started? What about poor network connections?
With today’s technology, you can. This is presently achievable with the help of Mobile Device Management tools, which allow IT to track anything enterprise users rely on such as desk phones, laptop/desktop computers, tablets, smartphones, IoT/connected devices, and meeting room devices. If an organization has 1,500 employees, managing the devices employees use and detecting when something goes awry becomes next to impossible. Device management is, therefore, a pivotal part of ensuring organizations run like a well-oiled mechanism.
A culture of BYOD (bring your own device) is merely one catalyst that led to a need for advanced device management tools, and there are plenty of others. I want to explore why device management is vital for enterprises hoping to thrive.
A Centralized Location for Device Management
Imagine an environment in which a telephone call meant the difference between life and death. Now, envision an operating room in a hospital – this is the environment where you want technology to work with little-to-no-error.
In this instance, a centralized platform to monitor and optimize mission-critical devices becomes a matter of necessity. Device management solutions offer this convenience, by enabling IT managers to make sure devices perform properly.
Security Becomes Key with Outside Devices
Remember when I said BYO
D was only one catalyst that impacted the way enterprises managed devices? That came with stipulations because BYOD also presents another significant consideration when it comes to managing devices in the workplace – security.
Because business information and customer data are exposed when you use any device – making sure the Device Management System you use has strong security capabilities is warranted. Dom Hume, VP Product, and Technical Services at Becrypt offered a piece of sage advice in a recently-published TechRadar article in which he wrote:
“Choose a device manufacturer committed to security patching”
The difficulty, as Hume described, is that Andriod and Apple, take two fundamentally different approaches during the manufacturing process. Apple’s ecosystem is closed, and Android is an open platform.
He said, ‘Phone manufacturers get support to build their own devices using Android.’ Regarding exposure to security threats, Hume said it takes time to ensure devices are secure for end-users. He believes ‘It is worth investigating the patch lifetime manufacturers commit to, which often correlates with patch responsiveness,’ adding: ‘Organizations with long-term projects, might consider a specialist manufacturer that extends device lifecycles.’
There are a few variables at play here – the time it takes for Android and Apple to release updates that patch security threats, and the time it takes for end-users to make updates to their devices. With mobile device management, IT can automatically push out these updates, ensuring every device has the latest in security protocol to keep sensitive enterprise data safe, according to Callum Hardie, a Service Delivery Specialist at Exactive.
