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Even small businesses need control over their mobile devices

MDM is for everybody

Sponsored article This article is sponsored by EE

No matter how small your business, the chances are that smartphones, tablets, laptops and the like, whether owned by employees or the company, are an essential component of working life. They enable staff to respond quickly to questions and address problems at any time, wherever they are.

A glance at EE’s small-business app store indicates the type of data that can find its way onto handsets and tablets, from business accounts to customer data and internal documents.

But keeping track of all the information on these devices, ensuring that they are secure and free from malware, and keeping track of the devices themselves, not to mention the need for data backup and disaster recovery, can present any manager of a small business with a severe and persistent headache.

The impact of data loss on a business can be profound. Research from analyst Gartner has shown that half of companies that suffer disruption because of data loss can go out of business within two years.

And any business, no matter how small, is sure to have customers, suppliers and partners who all expect a certain level of compliance with IT security and performance standards.

On the safe side

This is where mobile device management (MDM) comes in. MDM allows mobile devices, whether owned by staff or the company, to be managed remotely. It means the business can stay flexible and efficient and can securely control access to data, software applications and content.

Contrary to the common perception, MDM is not just the preserve of big business, although there is little sign that many smaller businesses understand this.

A report last year from Spiceworks, a social network for IT admins, found that while more than 60 per cent of SMBs have adopted a BYOD (bring your own device) policy, there is still trepidation as to how to best handle and manage these devices.

Only 17 per cent of companies questioned said they have a mobile device management policy in place.

The report also found that many small businesses were poorly informed about MDM. A staggering half of those that did not have an MDM solution didn’t think the threat was big enough to warrant the investment.

A third dismissed the idea of a solution on grounds of cost, and a third also said they didn’t know enough about it to be able to implement a solution.

Only 17 per cent of companies said they have a management policy in place

There are plenty of solutions that can help a smaller business manage its mobile estate. But where do you start and what do you look for?

MDM allows a business to simplify and automate activities such as configuration – ensuring that all devices are configured in the same way – remote provisioning and content delivery, so that the latest version of a spreadsheet or report is automatically delivered to all the people who want to see it.

Obviously a business with only a few members of staff can't afford and doesn’t want the same kind of offering that would be appropriate for a big blue-chip enterprise employing thousands of people. But its needs when it comes to managing mobile devices are broadly the same.

Cloudy outlook

A small business needs device security and vulnerability protection, the ability to manage application and system updates, and an awareness of who has what data.

Perhaps it is time to start thinking about what elements of an enterprise-style MDM offering might be beneficial for a small business and relatively painlessly incorporated into it.

Let’s start with the platform delivery. Do you want a hosted or an on-site solution? The Spiceworks survey found that more than half of small businesses preferred the hosted route, with MDM technologies delivered via an app store in the cloud.

This approach makes eminent sense for small businesses, where resources and expertise are often in short supply.

Then it is a question of weighing up priorities and deciding which aspects of a full-strength enterprise MDM solution are most appropriate for a particular business. Chances are that some or all of them are available as individual tools which have been optimised for the smaller business.

Secure data backup and storage is surely a prerequisite. EE, for example, offers MozyPro to customers through its Business Apps store. This backs up business data over the mobile operator’s 4G network and stores it in data centres with “military-grade" security measures.

Personal space

Workspace management tools provide the ability to separate and containerise the data that belongs to the business and the user’s personal data.

Centralised admin can enable the small-business manager to provision devices so that they conform to an agreed standard of configuration. Updates of applications security patches and the like can then be performed over the air, without the user needing to be present.

Then there is mobile browsing. Does the business want some control over what its staff are able to do on the internet? What about a channel for staff to access secure data when they are on the move?

No matter what its size, it is clear that any business can benefit from some or all the elements of an MDM solution. ®

EE

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