How to take advantage of Mobile Device Management

The smartphone has completely changed the way that employees work and interact with their co-workers. It has also completely changed the security landscape for most companies. In 2012 Gartner found that 65% of corporations were adopting new mobile device management (MDM) tactics to try and address the security concerns that smartphones and tablets were bringing into the workplace. Businesses are scrambling to create new policies that allow employees to move company data securely while using their preferred devices. This is where MDM comes in, a solid MDM plan will allow all of your employees to use the devices they want to safely and securely, here is how.

• With a solid MDM plan you will be able to track your employees location as long as they have their cell phone on them. This could help you to reschedule appointments for them if you see they are running behind, not to mention find a lost or stolen phone.
• If an employee was tolose their cell phone you can remotely delete all of the phones data to keep your companies information safe, this definitely comes in handy if they never set a passcode (please have them set a passcode by the way).
• If they change their passcode and forget it the passcode can be reset remotely, you can also provide pre-decided passcodes to you employees. My girlfriend thought she was funny after changing my passcode last weekend, she was going to change it back for me but I said don't worry about it and she was amazed 2 minutes later I was back on it (so it makes for a good party trick as well).
• MDM clients can get a report containing battery level type of hardware and what applications are installed. You could use this to find out what employee has an old phone that needs to be upgraded. Maybe an employee isn't answering your phone call, hey maybe its because their battery is at 0% or they are in a dead zone, both of these you can check instantly.

Right now the average company is running blind when it comes to managing their mobile devices. MDM will definitely extend your companies ability to manage workers that are on the road as well as keep up with security, allowing you to make sure that an accident such as a lost phone doesn't cost you anything more.

Written By: Vic Braga
Cloud Support Engineer TOSS C³

To learn more about MDM check this out