Unified Endpoint Management: all the benefits

One of IT's main tasks is to make sure that the dialogue between connected devices and the company's systems does not have any flaws that could threaten business continuity.

But with the unprecedented transition that has taken place in recent months towards remote working models, new scenarios have emerged. Think of the management of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), i.e. employees' personal devices, or the need to ensure operational support outside traditional work environments.

The  type of devices that the company has to manage meanwhile grows more and more (PCs, laptops, smartphones, tablets, etc.) and consequently also the  different operating systems to deal with (Windows 10, macOS, iOS, Android and Chrome OS). Various activities are planned for each of these:

● configuration, so that the devices support the company's apps and functionalities (VPN, mail settings, updates, etc.)

● management, monitoring and maintenance, to ensure they work

● compliance, to set them up to meet corporate standards for device security and integrity

In today's remote working environment, these challenges have been amplified and if not managed properly, can lead to damage that spills over to the entire company.

This is why we are increasingly moving towards  the concept of Unified Endpoint Management: a  single console or software tool  to manage all corporate devices, regardless of their  type and  operating system.

Unified Endpoint Management (UEM): trends

According to IDC research, nearly strong class three quarters (72 per cent) of US companies are piloting or implementing UEM solutions, with 45 per cent of companies beyond the pilot phase. It is a growing market and the same research identifies trends:

● mobile endpoint management.

Mobile devices play an increasingly central role as  working tools. For this reason,  UEM solutions that include  mobile device management functions will be favoured by the market. With this in mind, Ivanti, one of the global leaders in UEM solutions, has acquired MobileIron, which specialises in MDM (Mobile Device Management).

● support of non-business devices (BYOD).

The overall scope of a UEM platform must also be able to include BYOD devices (now present in 90 per cent of companies) and apply with the same granularity security and control policies on the apps and data they access, as if they were corporate devices.

● complementarity of IT services and solutions

The needs of the IT department are manifold and range from Identity Management to Service, from IT asset management to network security. A UEM solution that includes in its portfolio complementary IT products, services and solutions that can easily integrate with its platform simplifies the time and cost of implementing the various technologies.

● smart working and 'work space'.

With the rise of smart working, companies are interested in an in-depth analysis of the workspace. A UEM solution, which has a broad view of endpoint and end-user activities, can become a central point of data collection on worker behaviour, device and app usage patterns, and overall tool performance.

All this information, in fact, can be useful for better planning. For this reason, those EMU vendors with strong analysis and reporting skills will be more competitive than those who do not focus on these aspects.

● cloud, hybrid and legacy

The cloud is the future of the UEM market because it allows a modern and scalable endpoint approach. With the expansion of the workforce from home, many companies are accelerating their UEM migrations to the cloud.

Through the cloud, they can manage endpoints wherever they are without having to set up and maintain  servers or supporting IT resources. More than a third of companies will increase their spending on this type of technology in 2021, according to the  "COVID-19 Impact on IT Spending Survey."

However, not all organisations can  pursue this "modern" approach. This includes those realities that for stringent security reasons (such as banks or government agencies) rely on the  hybrid cloud, and thus with a  local deployment part, and those that use  legacy tools and thus with  customised configuration options whose replication on the cloud is costly or not supported.

UEM solutions that allow these different scenarios to be managed together will be successful.

In addition to these main trends, there are others, such as the ability to handle emerging operating systems like Google Chrome OS (with all the associated transitions) or to set conditional access controls (which apps a user can connect to and based on which factors).

What are the benefits of Unified Endpoint Management for business?

So far we have talked about topics that are closely related to the tasks of IT. But why must this topic also become of interest to business? Let us look at the benefits:

● Security and business continuity

Centralised endpoint management facilitates the control of all devices, as well as all security aspects associated with the management of these devices. From a single console, it is possible to monitor their status, perform updates and coordinate the different access levels.

It is therefore possible to prevent harmful situations, such as data loss due to outdated devices or system malfunctions, which directly impact business continuity and image.

● Cost Reduction

A UEM solution frees IT staff from repetitive and low-value-added tasks. Saving time (and thus reducing costs) does not only affect the budget. IT can better support the business by focusing on innovation projects and process optimisation through technology.

● Governance of corporate IT assets

Knowing in real time the status of devices and their use helps in planning maintenance and decommissioning, as well as forecasting future purchases. This helps in budget allocation and avoids unexpected extra expenses.

Conclusion

Finding one's way through the "thicket" of UEM solutions offered by the market is not easy, however. One reference is Gartner's Magic Quadrant, which annually defines the positioning of the major vendors, but it is not always sufficient.

Given the trends that are emerging, it is a good idea to make sure that you choose the platform that best meets your needs, and in this case it is crucial to take advice from certified ICT companies. In the Italian market, WEGG, Ivanti's Platinum partner, is one of the companies with the most experience in the UEM field.