What is Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM)?

Enterprise mobility management (EMM) is a term that refers to the systems and procedures used by an organization to facilitate the use of mobile devices like smartphones, tablets and laptops in an enterprise setting.

According to Gartner “EMM suites consist of policy and configuration management tools and a management overlay for applications and content intended for mobile devices based on smartphone OSs. They are an evolution from previous-generation MDM products that lacked application and content management. IT organizations and service providers use EMM suites to deliver IT support to mobile end users and to maintain security.”

Does EMM Matter?

Employers today have come to terms with the fact that workers prefer using their own device at work. The BYOD phenomenon is the new norm.  It is not just about employee convenience, but also about reducing cost and experiencing higher returns on labor. BYOD has completely changed the way we operate, resulting in higher worker satisfaction. But with the increasing proliferation of mobile devices and the conflicting operating systems- the task of managing mobile devices is getting extremely challenging. The fact that every operating system comes up with an update in 15 days makes security a very daunting task.

CIOs are constantly bogged down to provide IT infrastructure that works in a robust manner with a diverse range of mobile devices and ensure corporate security policies are always administered.

MDM or MAM or MIM

EMM involves mobile device management, mobile application management and mobile information management to some extent or the other. MDM is about controlling and locking mobile devices, while MAM aims to control which user type can access which applications as well as MIM focuses on allowing only authorized applications to gain access to and transmission of corporate data.

Mobile Device Management (MDM): Mainly deals with deploying, securing, monitoring and managing mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets at corporate workplace. MDM aims at enhancing the security of mobile devices at workplace.

Mobile Application Management (MAM): With this system, you get more granular controls and the ability to manage apps developed to work with a specific MAM product.

Mobile Information Management (MIM): Device-agnostic security strategy aimed at keeping sensitive data encrypted and allowing approved applications to access or transmit it.

EMM lets businesses manage email, applications as well as security policies of mobile devices and allows users to access content based on users’ specific need and position in an organization.

Advantages of EMM

Security

Businesses can benefit from several EMM features such as segregation of personal data/apps with remote wipe capability to prevent security breach from a stolen or lost mobile device and secure communications via VPN.

Productivity

EMM’s not only plays a key role in impacting productivity, but also helps effectively manage and support IT infrastructure with several features such as policy driven configuration and remote provisioning. These features make management of mobile devices less time consuming for the often small IT departments.

Finally
Before implementing EMM, think about cost associated with training, purchase price and more. You need to take stock of the situation, prioritize your goals and understand both the short-term and long-term cost savings of EMM.