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3 Reasons to Brush Up On Your Mobile Device Management Skills

More devices are interconnected than ever - they need to be secured and managed

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 Over the last decade, Mobile Device Management (MDM) has evolved from a novelty into a necessity for organizations. The reason for the shift is readily apparent: smartphones, tablets, and wearables have become fixtures of the work experience, playing a much more prominent role than the staples of yesteryear (e.g., personal digital assistants, pagers, and BlackBerry phones) ever did.

A look at the MDM landscape: Billions of new devices require management

The overall MDM market has expanded rapidly in response to these fundamental changes in business office culture. ResearchandMarkets reported that MDM solutions constituted a $2.81 Billion market in 2018 and could expand to $7.86 Billion by 2023, which would represent a more than 22 percent compound annual growth rate over that timespan.

These numbers seem realistic in light of the average digital consumer already owning 3.64 connected devices, according to Global Web Index. A Strategy Analytics study also projected that there would be 33 billion such devices by 2020, for an average of 4.3 per person. While PCs represented two-thirds of internet-capable devices in 2007, they now account for less than 10 percent, underscoring the major shift toward mobile as well as the Internet of Things.

The time is right for building and/or refreshing your MDM (or EMM - for Enterprise Mobility Management, a term that has become more prevalent in recent years) skills. Here are three reasons to commit to learning more about the key platforms in this space, such as VMware AirWatch and Citrix XenMobile:

1. Protect your network from malware and data exfiltration

One of the essential capabilities of any MDM/EMM solution is to protect the corporate network from unauthorized devices and applications, which might introduce malware or facilitate data theft. But any worthwhile tool needs to balance data protection with convenience for end users. Taking AirWatch as one example we can see how such a sweet spot can be hit:

  • AirWatch allows single sign-on and multifactor authentication for web, cloud and native applications.
  • Conditions such as device compliance, user location and authentication strength can be accounted for when granting or denying conditional access.
  • Access can be easily and automatically revoked by administrators if an employee leaves the organization or a compliance policy is violated.
  • An identity-defined app catalog ensures that the proper applications are delivered to the right people.

Platforms such as AirWatch help streamline the complex tasks of MDM/EMM. IT professionals can reliably advance their careers by learning the ropes of it as well as the rest of the VMware ecosystem.

2. Support remote offices and workers

Many organizations have come around on remote work and are now looking to capitalize on its benefits for employee retention and real estate costs. But supporting employees at home and/or at branch offices creates some potential complications for IT administrators.

Utilities such as virtual private networks, remote desktops and virtualization can help enforce secure implementations of company applications. MDM/EMM is a powerful addition to this mix of security tools, as it both simplifies and strengthens the use of mobile devices from any location. Administrators can rest easier, knowing that only thoroughly vetted endpoints are being permitted to access the corporate network.

3. Simplify IT administration for the entire organization

The ideal MDM/EMM solution can be implemented over the air (i.e., wirelessly) and then be scaled to support many additional devices and services down the road. For example, AirWatch's name speaks to its role as an OTA platform MDM/EEM. Plus, it is part of an open ecosystem through its integrations with other services such as Microsoft Office 365, Dropbox and ServiceNow.

Sharpen your MDM/EMM skills at a New Horizons Career Development Solutions

Mastering MDM/EMM for today's mobile device landscape requires a broad background in relevant technologies from VMware, Citrix, Microsoft and other vendors. You can acquire this knowledge and expertise at your local New Horizons Career Development Solutions campus. We offer a wide variety of technical courses in MDM/EMM. Learn more today to get started on a new and productive career path.

 

GET MDM TRAINING

 

Kayla Tellers

Kayla Tellers

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