Endpoint device management is a complicated matter, and it’s only getting more complex as technology advances. These days, device management is broken down into several types of solutions, including Mobile Device Management (MDM), Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM), and Unified Endpoint Management (UEM).
The question, then, is: which type of device management is right for you? It’s time to compare MDM vs EMM vs UEM, break down what their strengths and differences are, and see what is best for IT teams and businesses managing different devices.
From MDM to EMM to UEM: How Device Management Has Evolved
MDM, EMM, and UEM all fall under the device management umbrella, as they serve similar purposes. As such, they are related technologies, as each one builds upon the features and uses of the last.
At its start, device management consisted of what is now known as Mobile Device Management: a software solution that lets IT administrators control and manage mobile devices and applications. Since its introduction, it’s expanded to include smartphones, tablets, computers, and even some Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
With the growth of mobile technology, MDM grew into Enterprise Mobility Management, which is designed to help organizations securely use mobile devices and apps. This can cover both company-owned devices and personal devices for companies with Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies.
Finally, from EMM came Unified Endpoint Management, which is designed to encompass computers, laptops, smartphones, and tablets. This provides holistic device management from a single console, so companies can push updates, apply security policies, and even remotely wipe lost or stolen devices.
How MDM, EMM, and UEM Drive Business Efficiency
While MDM, EMM, and UEM have different uses and features, they provide many similar benefits. These include:
Security: MDM, EMM, and UEM are all designed to improve cybersecurity by protecting and managing remote devices and endpoints, enabling remote and hybrid work without compromising safety.
Efficiency: Each solution is built with several features made to support remote devices and workers, so employees and teams can work efficiently from anywhere.
BYOD support: While the extent of their BYOD support varies, good MDM, EMM, and UEM solutions can all help employees work on their devices of choice.
Compliance: Proper device security and management are essential for many regulations and requirements. Protecting remote endpoints with MDM, EMM, and/or UEM can help companies meet their IT compliance obligations.
Scalability: MDM, EMM, and UEM solutions are all designed to be highly scalable, so they can support new devices as needed. This helps them keep up with your company’s growth, as new endpoints can be connected and managed without excessive interruptions or difficulty.
However, while they do share these benefits, each does so to a different extent and in a different way, which we’ll explore soon.
Real-World Applications of MDM, EMM, and UEM
With the benefits of MDM, EMM, and UEM established, we can look at their practical applications. How are organizations using these tools today?
Organizations use MDM, EMM, and UEM to manage remote devices across their workforce, including smartphones, tablets, and IoT devices. The ease of use, features, security, and accessibility make them powerful tools for improving IT efficiency, as well as maintaining cybersecurity and IT compliance in remote and hybrid work environments.
Device management is essential for remote work, as IT teams must be able to ensure each remote endpoint is up-to-date, complies with company policy, and remains protected against cyber threats. These tools provide monitoring and detection capabilities that empower IT agents to identify and address potential issues or security alerts quickly.
Good device management includes analytics to identify patterns or warning signs IT teams should be aware of, as well as the ability to send remote commands to address these concerns.
MDM vs. EMM vs. UEM: Comparing Features & Capabilities
While there are many similarities between MDM, EMM, and UEM, they are not the same. Each one has a different approach to device management, including the range of devices they manage and the features they offer.
MDM software is focused on mobile devices. It enables IT administrators to enforce security policies, control device settings, push out updates, and even remotely lock or wipe devices when needed. MDM works through a client app on each device, and is primarily used for company-owned devices, although some allow for BYOD support.
EMM software takes MDM a step further, extending beyond mobile devices and managing mobile ecosystems. This allows IT teams to manage applications, data, and content on the managed devices, helping them keep everything secure. IT agents can deploy and update apps, manage documents on mobile devices, and enable user authentication, making it a valuable tool for security, even in BYOD environments.
Finally, UEM software goes beyond mobile devices to encompass all endpoints, including tablets, computers, wearables, smartphones, and IoT devices. This also means it has to work across platforms and operating systems, which makes it valuable in BYOD environments. UEM can provide visibility across device ecosystems, enforce security policies, and protect endpoints with security features like threat detection and remediation.
We can break down the key differences like so:
Scope | Security | BYOD Support | Platform Compatibility | |
MDM | Focuses on managing mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. It’s primarily used for configuration, provisioning, and policy enforcement. | Basic security, including remote wipe, device encryption, and passcode enforcement. | Limited. MDM mainly manages company-owned devices, but BYOD is possible with restrictions. | Primarily supports iOS and Android. |
EMM | Extends MDM by adding app management, content management, and identity management. | Enhanced security with app-level policies, secure containers, and data loss prevention. | Stronger BYOD support via data separation between personal and corporate environments. | Typically supports iOS, Android, and Windows, with limited macOS support. |
UEM | Provides a single platform for managing all endpoints, including mobile, desktop, and IoT devices. | Advanced, comprehensive security, typically including endpoint detection, compliance monitoring, and contextual analytics. | Full BYOD integration with zero-trust and context-aware access control. | Typically supports iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome OS, and IoT devices. |
Operational Challenges and Limitations of MDM, EMM, and UEM
With the uses and benefits established, we still need to understand the challenges and limitations of each. Common challenges include:
Integration: Depending on the solution you choose, integration can be a challenge. Make sure you pick a solution that can integrate with every type of device and operating system your organization uses and can be easily installed and deployed across endpoints.
Complexity: If you use a complex solution, it can become difficult to properly manage every endpoint. Look for a user-friendly platform that makes it easy to manage multiple remote endpoints; otherwise, the complexity may cause more problems than it can solve.
Scalability: It’s important to find a scalable solution that can keep up with your growth. Device management solutions must be able to add new endpoints as needed, so the easier it is to scale, the better.
Limitations: MDM, EMM, and UEM each have their own limitations, such as MDM’s focus on mobile devices. Make sure you understand what endpoints your IT team needs to manage and find a solution that can support each of them.
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With Splashtop AEM, it’s easy to keep every endpoint secure and up-to-date. You can customize and enforce policies across endpoints, maintain security compliance, and automate repetitive tasks like updates and backups. This makes endpoint management fast, efficient, secure, and scalable, while Splashtop AEM is affordable for businesses of all sizes.
Splashtop AEM gives IT teams the tools and technology they need to monitor endpoints, proactively address issues, and reduce their workloads. This includes:
Automated patching for OS, third-party, and custom apps.
AI-powered CVE-based vulnerability insights.
Customizable policy frameworks that can be enforced throughout your network.
Inventory tracking and management across all endpoints
Alerts and remediation to automatically resolve issues.
Background actions to access tools like task managers and device managers without interrupting users.
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