The 7 stages of Mobile Device Management

Mobile working continues to rise in popularity thanks to the advances in mobile technology. More people want to remain connected and as more of us are travelling the mobile phone is the way this trend is being played out. Employees are increasingly requesting to use their favourite mobile devices for corporate data and applications access regardless of their company’s approved platform, this growing trend is creating a headache for IT Managers in most organisations.

Currently the iPhone is by far the most requested device for support by users, but regardless of the current device of choice, companies will have to support each new platform as it gains popularity. The knock on effect of having multiple mobile device platforms is that without any management and control organisations run the risk of exposing their company to the threat of viruses that may propagate through the corporate network.

Not only is security a concern but supporting a growing fleet of employees, in the field, that need to be mobile is also important, together with ensuring the way these individuals use their devices and how they comply with corporate standards and policies. The final aspect of any new technology is how it can save money and device management is no exception in that there are many ways to remove cost while creating greater efficiencies within the enterprise.

Stage 1 - Consider new applications for operational efficiency

Many employees and department heads know they could not live without mobile phones. But has anyone really examined how and how often these tools are used?  It is important to be able to identify where in the organisation mobiles applications are working well today, and where they are falling short. What jobs could be done more efficiently by going mobile? How can today’s mobile employees utilise newer applications to be even more effective, beyond Personal Information Management (PIM) applications? Organisations need to consider Mobile Unified Communications, Location based services and Fixed Mobile Convergence.

Stage 2 - Consider corporate policies and decide how mobiles are to be used in the organisation

Develop policies for acceptable use in line with other devices that connect to the corporate network and develop these findings into a deployment plan. Identify which employees in what functions will have access to mobile devices and applications. Develop control policies but also allow for flexibility and change for future innovations. Use robust security practices to ensure mobile devices use security methods around password protection.

Stage 3 - Consider associating devices with SIM cards and people

When no asset tracking is in place devices drift in most organisations and this is usually at a rate of between 8-10%, with software asset management this can be greatly reduced. The benefit of mobile phones is that they are mobile, the challenge is ‘not knowing’ where they are; there is a significant cost associated with devices that are not accounted for, so within device management applications there is the benefit of asset management to track devices associated with people. A full audit trail allows users to be re-allocated devices and provides notifications when SIM cards are switched between devices.

Stage 4 - Consider ‘Over The Air’ provisioning

Finally, in deploying a mobile solution, it is important to make sure that the delivery of the technology, especially to a remotely dispersed workforce, is addressed. How will the application, devices, any training and support be delivered? This is where Mobile Device Management technology comes into its own. The ability to apply policies, configure devices and provision new applications, in bulk, all over the air with or without the consent of the end user through a common management platform provides a massive cost saving for IT departments, in man power, reduced travel and logistics.

Stage 5 - Consider the ongoing maintenance

IT departments need to be able to support users in a planned as well as unplanned mode, updating activities on mobile devices Over The Air. New releases of any software such as operating systems, security features, applications and databases must be updated as needed. Device configurations can be updated, when necessary, and inventory should be changed accordingly. In case of devices being lost or stolen, all local data must be wiped from the device, the device must be locked, and hardware and software features must be disabled. For stricter controls on devices IT departments need to control or limit what the user can install on the device, by updating white and black lists for applications, thus  allowing certain applications or disallowing other applications whichever represents  the least administrative overhead. User requirements may extend to self-service updates, restoring initial configuration settings, backing up data and delaying updates or patches for convenience. This provides the user and organisation with the knowledge that the device is protected and secure.

Stage 6 - Consider ongoing monitoring

Mobile Device Management provides IT administrators with capabilities to monitor, in real time, application deployments, device performance and faults to enable easy identification of issues, regardless of whether they happen at the device in the network or at the application level. Monitoring and optimisation services that enable the tracking of mobile system behaviour and problem troubleshooting can lead to faster resolution, especially where individuals are rendered with an inoperable device, speed and efficiency are paramount to ensure restoration to a normal working condition. Many devices can be infected by mal-ware or viruses and so the ongoing monitoring and updates of virus definitions is important to continually maintain a problem free device. Inventory information of the installed applications and configurations can also be tracked so organisations can ensure device use  remains in line with HR and IT policies.

Stage 7 - Consider the decommissioning of devices

The end of the device's life cycle can happen for a number of reasons, either through a planned disposal, repurposing or reassignment, or when something unexpected happens, such as the device is lost or stolen. In all cases, IT departments must ensure that sensitive information is thoroughly wiped from the device. The standard delete function for most devices does not ensure that all data is completely erased, information is often still retained in the memory, or on attached memory chips. It is important in these cases that the appropriate instruction to remove all data from any storage medium, attached to the device is complete. Upon provision of a new device for the user, a previous backup can be reinstalled to aid the speed and efficiency of returning the user to their normal working condition.

Conclusion

Mobility is radically changing the ways people work and reshaping the workplace itself. Equipped with powerful new mobility tools, employees today can work productively from virtually anywhere. Its growing potential to strengthen organisational performance has moved mobility from the sidelines to the mainstream of information technology. Organisations intent on maximising corporate performance must incorporate mobility as a fundamental component of their strategic plans and device management is a critical aspect to enable integration, security and cost reduction.

To find out more speak to your account manager or contact talktous@damovo.com.

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