Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) refers to a broad set of tools and services that allows organizations to manage and secure mobile devices, mobile applications and corporate data.
Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) encompasses services such as :
- MDM: Mobile Device Management
- MAM: Mobile Application Management
- UEM: Unified Endpoint Management
- MIM: Mobile Identity Management
- MCM: Mobile Content Management
- And more…
Why does Enterprise Mobility Management matter?
Mobile devices have become indispensable tools for enterprise workers. They increase employee productivity and service quality, as well as customer satisfaction.
In fact, IDC (International Data Corporation) estimates that the number of global workers bringing their own smartphones to work will reach 328 million in 2017, up from an estimated 175 million in 2014.
As more executives and employees rely on their tablets, smartphones and other devices at work and on the move, the ability to deliver a wide range of content while maintaining associated levels of control is at the heart of many mobile strategies.
These strategies formerly comprised core horizontal productivity tools, such as email, contacts and calendar. Today, however, enterprises require a wide range of mobile apps to increase productivity:
- Horizontal apps, such as document editors, annotation, and file sharing tools.
- Enterprise apps, such as BI, CRM and ERP.
- Vertical, social and mission-critical apps that can be customized to specific enterprise needs.
As mobility spreads across the enterprise, mobile platforms are shifting from individual device management to broad integrated end-user computing management.
Today, EMM suites typically support a wide range of security initiatives. They deliver management and security functionality to endpoints beyond smartphones and tablets, including laptops, PCs and even IoT devices.
This evolution from device-centric controls to apps and data management reflects the need for mobility strategies that support extended use cases — including partners, contractors, and temporary workers who may require access to certain business apps and data without needing enterprise devices or extensive service levels.
EMM suites help integrate mobile devices in corporate systems, technology life cycles and security frameworks:
- System Provisioning: configuration of devices and applications for enterprise use.
- Auditing, tracking, and reporting: maintenance of a mobile device and app inventory to track service and app usage, manage assets and costs, and monitor policy compliance.
- Data protection: ability to encrypt data, control data flows and remotely revoke user access to apps and data when a user or device becomes untrusted (e.g. device loss, unauthorized reconfiguration or employee termination).
- Support: assistance to IT departments in troubleshooting mobile device issues via asset inventory, analytics, and remote actions.
Implementing an enterprise mobility strategy often requires to select a combination of software vendors in mobile application management, an enterprise app store, mobile device management, mobile content management or mobile application security.
Have a look at some of our Enterprise Mobility best practices.