What are the main components of mobile device management (MDM)?

Mobile device management is a security software solution that allows IT teams to monitor, manage, and secure employee devices across the organisation. 

A handy solution that allows IT teams to control devices remotely. 

MDM comes with a range of components and benefits that help your organisation move closer to complete security. 

This blog covers exactly what the main components of MDM are, the benefits of MDM, and how you can integrate them into your organisation. 

What is MDM?

MDM is a security software that allows an IT team to configure settings, enforce security rules (i.e. passcodes), and protect company data on employee devices, without necessarily granting access to personal user data.

The idea behind MDM isn’t that it gives IT total control over the device; they’re not there to scroll through your texts, see your photos, or track your location. It simply creates a layer of protection between personal data and company data. 

The IT teams’ focus is solely on the work and organisational aspects. So what exactly can and can’t they see?

Can see:

• Device model and OS
• Work apps (i.e. Outlook, Slack, etc.)
• Security status
• Lost mode (when reported as lost)
• Remote wipe (only for company data)
  

Can NOT see:

• Your camera roll
• Personal texts or emails
• Your browsing history
• Live screen view
• Your passwords

What are the four components of MDM?

Device management

Device management is all about keeping your devices’ software healthy and compatible with your organisation’s network. 

As mentioned earlier, it’s not designed, nor does it have the capability, to track your every move or access personal information; this feature simply lets your IT team ensure your operating system is up to date and properly provisioned. 

There is a risk of compatibility issues with your device and your company network, leading to glitches and frustration, which is why your IT team is interested in monitoring your device’s technical health. 

Application management

This component is designed to make your life easier by eliminating tedious manual setup. 

Instead of requiring you to search for, download, and configure every single work tool yourself, IT uses Mobile Application Management (MAM) to automatically deploy and update the apps you need. 

This means that tools used solely for work (e.g., Teams, Outlook, Slack) can be automatically added to your device, saving you a lot of time. 

Data management 

Data management, also known as Mobile Content Management, is about keeping company data secure and separate from your personal life. 

With MDM, IT teams can manage file access to professional data, ensuring company files remain within company apps, preventing any of your personal data from being included in any company software, and protecting against potential data exposure or breaches.

Security management

The security side provides essential threat defence by setting up some basic safety rules. This means implementing standard, invisible protections, such as requiring a passcode or encrypting the device.

By doing so, it makes sure that if your phone ever goes missing or is stolen, the company’s data stays completely locked down and safe from anyone who gains unauthorised access to your device.

Learn more: Here’s why you need an internet policy for your staff

The benefits of MDM

Enhanced security

MDM provides a crucial layer of security for everyone involved that’s ultimately aimed at keeping your organisation’s data as secure as possible. 

By enforcing standard security measures such as encryption, passcodes, and biometric logins, MDM ensures that sensitive client data is protected if your phone is ever lost or stolen. 

You won’t have to panic about a data breach because IT can remotely secure or wipe the work section of your device without touching your personal photos or accounts.

Increased productivity 

MDM gets you connected to the tools you need more efficiently. 

This is ideal for onboarding as no configuration is needed.  Your work emails, calendars, and essential apps, such as Slack or Teams, are automatically pushed to your device. It removes the frustration of manually installing and syncing all your work-related apps. 

Streamlined support

MDM makes support from your IT team more accessible than ever with remote management of company resources. 

Since the team can access your device for work-related issues, there’s no need to physically hand it over (unless it’s a hardware issue). You can get help with IT problems much more quickly than usual.

So if you ever get locked out of a work app, or you’re missing a software update, or pretty much any work-related issue, IT teams are able to figure out and fix the issue much more easily, all from their device. 

Guaranteed personal privacy

MDM gives you two halves of your device: your work profile and your personal profile. 

One side where your IT team can access to help with work-related issues, and one side where they have no control over or access to keep your private life private.

A final thought

What’s important to remember – and what so many businesses get confused about – is that MDM is not used by organisations to watch employees’ every move. 

MDM is designed to separate personal from professional, while giving you the convenience of having everything at your fingertips with just one device.  

By automating tedious tasks such as app updates, initial setup, and security patches, MDM takes that technical burden off employees. 

You get a device that works exactly when you need it to, and the organisation gets the peace of mind that their sensitive information isn’t one lost phone away from a data breach.