What is an MDM (Mobile Device Management) system – everything you should know

Mobile device management is indispensable to any modern organization’s IT strategy. Progressive digitization, growing employee mobility, and increased security incidents make this process even more difficult.

The Mobile Device Management (MDM) system helps to quickly get a grip on the situation by providing complete control over business data on company and private devices used for work. MDM is a comprehensive solution that enhances data security, increases employee productivity, and supports compliance with regulations such as GDPR and NIS2.

What is Mobile Device Management (MDM)?

Today’s organizations use mobile devices as an integral part of IT infrastructure. Laptops, tablets, smartphones, and specialized rugged devices are used in the office, in the field, or for remote work. However, the greater the number of equipment, the more difficult it becomes to secure, configure and control them. Each of these devices contains company data. What happens if one of them goes missing? Or if someone accidentally installs a malicious application?

The MDM (Mobile Device Management) system answers these challenges. It enables remote management of all mobile devices, increasing the level of protection of corporate data, standardizing the working environment, and making the work of IT departments easier. By using state-of-the-art device management features, companies can quickly respond to incidents, implement proper and consistent security policies, automate fleet processes, and optimize costs incurred in the lifecycle of end devices.

Definition and purpose of mobile device management

Mobile Device Management what is it? It is a mobile device management system that enables companies and organizations to remotely control, secure, and monitor not only smartphones but also tablets, laptops, and other mobile devices used by employees.

MDM software simplifies the process of registering devices, configuring them remotely and collectively, enforcing security settings, and securely distributing applications. A good MDM supports all the most popular mobile operating systems – Android, Apple (iOS, iPadOS, and macOS), and Windows – enabling centralized management of a diverse fleet regarding device types and their OS. This eliminates the need for the administrator to use separate management tools: a single, unified MDM environment is all that is needed.

Role of MDM systems in organizations

Regardless of their work model, modern enterprises need tools to centralize the device management process. This is because of the growing number of technologies in use and the need to ensure consistent security standards for all employees, no matter their position, workplace, or device used.

Accordingly, MDM Mobile Device Management plays a vital role in securing data and ensuring business continuity. Implementing MDM enables securing mobile devices, improving productivity, standardizing IT operations, and effectively managing endpoints, regardless of location. MDM supports all organizations in meeting the requirements of GDPR. MDM system becomes the foundation of a resilient and efficient IT environment in the public sector and regulated industries, where compliance with NIS2 and sector regulations is essential.

Why is it worth to implement an MDM system in a company?

Companies that choose to implement MDM gain control over their mobile fleet. MDM provides them with absolute security, compliance, and process automation support. It also allows them to increase operational efficiency and optimize costs. Here’s a look at the benefits of implementing Mobile Device Management MDM from Proget.

Enhanced data security

Current cyber threats, such as phishing, malware, and accidental and unauthorized access, are forcing the use of security in the form of IT solutions. MDM Mobile Device Management provides multi-level protection with features such as device encryption, remote phone locking, and data wiping in emergency situations.

The MDM mobile system offers control over configuration and data access as well as prevention and incident response functions. This gives organizations real control over the circulation of corporate data, and effectively mitigates of the risk of leaks, attacks, or regulatory compliance violations.

Increased employee productivity and efficiency

A modern device management system increases the efficiency of IT administrators and all employees using company equipment. For IT teams, this means centralized management, automation of tasks, remote and bulk device configuration, controlled software updates, and rapid response to incidents without the need for time-consuming manual interventions.

In turn, MDM gives end users stable devices that comply with the company’s security policy, resulting in business continuity and reduced downtime. MDM also ensures greater availability of tools necessary for daily tasks and faster IT response to potential technical problems – especially in remote work environments, logistics, or field sales, where device reliability directly affects productivity and comfort.

Optimized costs and reduced losses

The MDM system reduces the expenses of maintaining a company’s fleet of devices. By automating repetitive tasks such as equipment inventory, configuration, and upgrades, it relieves the burden on the IT team and allows it to focus on more advanced activities. By providing remote technical support, MDM reduces the cost of device servicing and downtime. In addition, the solution allows you to control data transmission – including by limiting or blocking roaming in selected locations, which translates into real savings.

Mobile Device Management software also helps avoid financial and image losses from security incidents. Thanks to MDM, the company can remotely locate devices, block them, and delete data, protecting it from the consequences of equipment loss and unauthorized access to sensitive information. Such measures minimize the risk of leaks, financial penalties for data protection violations, and customer loss of trust.

Compliance with laws and regulations

Organizations and companies operating in the European Union must comply with several regulations, such as GDPR and the NIS2 directive. Increasingly, the implementation of an information security management standard – ISO 27001 – is also becoming a required part of a company’s strategy. While Mobile Device Management system by itself does not ensure compliance with these regulations, it can support organizations in their implementation.

The Proget MDM system enables, among other things, the implementation of security policies at the device and user level, remotely blocking access to data on a lost device, controls applications, or enforcing security settings. This is particularly important in the context of GDPR, which applies to any organization that processes personal data, and NIS2, which is applicable to selected sectors (deemed essential or important to the economy and the state).

Proget, as an MDM system vendor, is ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 certified, which confirms the high level of information security and quality of services offered.

Support for the execution of a secure BYOD policy

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is a strategy that allows employees to use their own devices (like smartphones and tablets) for business purposes. While this approach increases flexibility and convenience, it carries serious security and corporate IT management risks.

The MDM system on the phone allows you to implement an actual BYOD policy without compromising employee privacy. By using separate workspaces, private and business data remain independent of each other. How it works? The organization manages the work profile created on the mobile device. On the other hand, the entire device is fully managed by its owner – in this case, the employee. No MDM system should violate this separation, and the device owner can remove the work profile anytime. This is guaranteed by rules imposed by operating system manufacturers, which MDM software – such as Proget – must unconditionally follow.

Proget is an official Android Enterprise Partner program member, confirming the MDM solution’s compliance with the latest Android security standards from Google. The tool undergoes regular pentesting and is updated following the guidelines of all mobile operating system vendors, ensuring its ongoing compliance with technological and legal requirements.

Proget mobile device manager supports BYOD policies, ensuring that access to corporate information is managed without interfering with user privacy. It enables secure use of company applications on private hardware based on regulations and company policies.

Key features of MDM systems

MDM-class systems offer various tools to manage a company’s mobile equipment, both for corporate devices and in a BYOD model.

Proget, a proprietary and professional Mobile Device Management program, provides full support to IT administrators, automating processes and increasing the security level of an organization’s mobile infrastructure. As a flexible and scalable device management system, it boasts many configuration options, successfully meeting the needs of large corporations and SME companies.

Remote configuration and mobile device management

Remote configuration (auto-enrollment) is a mandatory functionality of modern device management systems. With such an option, administrators can enroll new devices en masse (zero-touch deployment), assign them the appropriate settings, and install the required applications – regardless of the user’s location. This seemingly insignificant automation brings the IT department into the 21st century. It reduces hardware deployment time, minimizes manual configuration errors, and optimizes costs and labor time. By remotely managing mobile devices through MDM, policies and configurations can be assigned quickly and in bulk.

How does it work? Here’s an example: an admin in Paris can remotely prepare phones on a pallet in a warehouse in Berlin for work. Such equipment can then, without admin contact, go directly to new employees in Amsterdam or any other location. After unboxing, the employee just needs to turn on the phone, log in with their company credentials, and voilà – the device is ready to work, with no downtime or physical interference from the IT department.

Monitoring and inventorization of mobile devices

The MDM system enables advanced monitoring of mobile devices, providing administrators with access to detailed reports on, among other things, equipment parameters, inventory data, or compliance with the company’s configuration. This makes mobile device management more informed and efficient – IT can quickly detect anomalies, optimize resources, and respond to potential threats.

MDM is a solution that provides detailed information about an entire fleet of devices, from hardware model to operating system version to installed applications and security status. It also allows you to assign devices to specific users or groups of users. This inventory of devices makes it possible not only to provide an up-to-date list of their users but also to have real control over the resources and devices wear status.

Remote data wiping and locking

Losing a device, experiencing theft, or the sudden resignation of an employee does not necessarily pose a security risk for the organization. A professional MDM system enables you to remotely wipe business data selectively or completely reset the device to factory settings. With established security policies in place, you can instantly lock the phone, even if there is no Internet connection.

Device encryption and password forcing

Securing information on mobile equipment requires effective security measures. One of the primary protection mechanisms is encryption. With it, data stored on a device is protected, even if hardware is lost or stolen. The MDM system allows you to enforce device encryption in accordance with your security policy, increasing control over the protection of corporate resources.

MDM enables the enforcement of complex password policies, including PINs, alphanumeric codes of a certain complexity, biometric methods, and regular password changes. Additionally, administrators can define password policies in the MDM console, differentiating them according to device type, operating system (Android, Apple, Windows), or user group, making endpoint management more flexible and tailored to the organization’s realities.

Remote application distribution and update

Remote application distribution is an important part of streamlining an administrator’s workflow. MDM Proget enables IT administrators to manage applications on multiple devices effectively through a central console.

Regardless of the type of applications – whether they are available in official stores (e.g., Google Play or App Store), Enterprise tools, installation files (.apk), or applications from external resources – Proget provides the proper mechanisms for their remote distribution and ongoing updating. This gives administrators full control over the environment, regardless of the program’s source. End users get quick and seamless access to the necessary tools.

Data security in MDM systems

In the era of remote and hybrid working and the rapid growth of mobile devices in corporate environments, ensuring data security is becoming one of the most important IT challenges. MDMs are designed to counter the broad spectrum of threats posed by enterprise mobility.

Threat protection and malware detection

Mobile Device Management software automatically analyzes device activity, allowing you to detect anomalies – such as attempts to install unauthorized software, connect to untrusted networks, or perform activities typical of malware.

Thanks to its built-in MTP (Mobile Threat Prevention) function, the Proget MDM system continuously monitors the status of devices, applications, and networks and identifies detected anomalies in real-time. It allows IT administrators to set up automatic responses to detected events, protecting against internal and external threats.

IT administrators have full control over which applications are sent to end users, reducing exposure to potential threats such as malware. In the event of an anomaly, MDM allows for quick location of the source of the problem and corrective action. The solution supports device security regardless of the operating system – Android, Apple, or Windows.

Containerization and access management

Containerization is one of the most effective tools for allowing private and business data to coexist securely on a single device. As part of a BYOD policy, the MDM system enables the creation of a separate working environment – the so-called work profile – in which data can be encrypted, password-protected, and deleted remotely without interfering with the user’s private space.

An extensive access management (IAM) mechanism allows for defining permissions at the level of applications, user groups, geographic locations, or networks to which the device is connected. As a result, risks can be managed precisely without sacrificing user comfort. This approach increases the security of applications that can only be used in a controlled environment.

Security audit and reporting

Compliance with specific regulations (GDPR, NIS2 directive) requires systematic auditing and documentation of data processing activities, including on mobile devices. In this regard, MDM must offer the ability to view audit logs from server events and pull reports that include, among other things, a complete list of company devices, their security status, and policies applied. IT administrators can generate reports at any time, archive the logs for audit purposes, or provide evidentiary data in the event of an incident. This function supports the process of preparing for external audits or certification.

Choosing the right MDM software

Choosing the right MDM solution is a strategic decision that should consider not only the price but also the organization’s technical requirements, work model, IT structure, security policy, and development plan.

Thus, when selecting MDM, it is worth betting on a comprehensive All-in-One solution (everything in one license) – one that will not constrain the company’s growth or force software changes due to rising license costs, resulting from the need for more functions that are often absent from the basic, cheapest-price packages.

Local server or cloud-based location?

The choice between on-premise and cloud platform deployment should be based on analyzing the organization’s needs and regulatory requirements.

The on-premise version, i.e., local system installation on the company’s servers, is recommended for organizations with high information protection – such as the financial sector, medical sector, or public institutions. Such a model guarantees greater control over data, compliance with strict security policies, and the ability to integrate with a closed IT infrastructure.

On the other hand, MDM in the cloud model is an ideal proposition for companies focusing on flexibility, rapid deployment, and minimizing operating costs. Cloud-based software enables easy scaling without the need to manage your server infrastructure, which can incur additional costs and require investment.

Supported devices and operating systems

Suppose an organization has a fleet of devices running on different operating systems. In that case, it must bet on a solution to manage them all in one workspace. Here, the MDM Proget system meets expectations, supporting the most popular operating systems used in corporate environments: Android, Apple, and Windows. The software allows extensive management of corporate and private mobile devices (in the BYOD model), regardless of their type – including laptops, tablets, smartphones, and rugged devices widely used in logistics, production industry, or anywhere you need indestructible equipment for special tasks.

User experience and client interface

A clear and easy-to-use interface is essential to effective mobile device management. MDM, designed for IT administrators’ daily work, offers a logical panel layout and convenient access to the most critical functions, such as monitoring the fleet’s current status and device registration.

The system’s high ergonomics and mobile efficiency translate into reduced training time for new IT staff and improved end-user experience, which is especially important in dynamic work environments.

Testing the MDM solution before purchasing

Testing an MDM (Master Data Management) solution for free before making a purchase is a crucial part of selecting the right system. It allows you to thoroughly evaluate its functionality, ease of implementation, and how well it meets your organization’s specific needs. The free trial period not only helps you become familiar with the tool in practice but also enables key users to assess its usefulness. This valuable opportunity reduces investment risk and supports informed, personalized decision-making.

Access to technical support provided by the manufacturer

The successful and efficient implementation of the MDM system heavily relies on having access to adequate technical support. It is essential to check whether the supplier’s offer includes technical support throughout the entire process – this includes not only regular daily use but also during testing, implementation, configuration, and any potential migration. Additionally, it is crucial that the scope of support is clearly defined, ideally covered under a license, and encompasses all system functions and products.

Imagine that a month after implementing a Mobile Device Management (MDM) system, an essential function stops working. You try to contact technical support but encounter assistance available only in a foreign language and a different time zone. Alternatively, you may find yourself stuck in a chat with a bot that repeatedly directs you to general documentation or refers you to a third-party company responsible for the service. Therefore, when choosing MDM software, it’s crucial to consider not only the range of functions but also the quality and availability of real, direct support. Even the most advanced solutions lose their value if users are left to deal with problems on their own.

Price vs. number of features

In a market where many solutions follow a tiered model – offering basic features at a lower price and charging for advanced functionalities – Proget MDM distinguishes itself with its All-in-One approach.

With a single license, customers gain access to a comprehensive suite of features, including remote configuration, access management, and the enforcement of security policies. The transparent structure, combined with the ability to utilize advanced functions within the MDM All-in-One platform, provides users with the freedom to manage devices from a single console. This solution is not only cost-effective but also offers long-term benefits, enabling companies to develop a coherent and stable strategy for managing their fleet of mobile devices in alignment with evolving business needs.

The future of Mobile Device Management

The development of technology and the growing number of mobile devices in the corporate environment mean that Mobile Device Management platforms are constantly evolving. Professional MDM products are no longer just a tool for controlling devices – they are becoming an integral part of the security strategy and digitalization of enterprises. Key directions of development include the expansion of security functions, greater automation and a comprehensive approach to IT infrastructure management.

Unified Endpoint Management (UEM)

Unified Endpoint Management integrates the management of mobile devices, desktops, laptops, printers, and wearables into a single platform. This provides comprehensive control over the entire ecosystem of endpoints, irrespective of the devices’ operating systems or locations. This approach enables companies to maintain greater consistency in managing security policies, distributing software, and configuring networks.

Automation of processes and updates

Process automation in MDM systems is no longer just about remote application installation – it is about intelligent management of mobile devices, which includes:

• identifying anomalies that violate security policies,
• updating systems and applications during non-working hours,
• assigning user profiles,
• alerting about potential failures and incidents.

Automatic software and application updates through MDM enhance mobile performance, minimize downtime, and ensure every device operates on the latest, reliable software version without requiring manual administrator intervention.

Enterprise mobility and mobile efficiency

As hybrid and mobile work become increasingly important, MDM is playing a vital role as the foundation of mobility within enterprises. It enables a secure work environment from any location, whether employees are using a company laptop, a personal smartphone, or a tablet that is remotely connected to the company network.

The future of Mobile Device Management (MDM) will involve not only support for individual devices but also for the entire end-user experience. This encompasses every phase, from implementation and maintenance to the eventual decommissioning of equipment, all while ensuring compliance with corporate systems and relevant data protection standards.

Summary

The Mobile Device Management (MDM) system is a comprehensive solution for managing company devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and rugged equipment. Its primary purpose is to remotely administer, monitor, and secure resources, regardless of their location or operating system.

Thanks to features such as remote data wiping, blocking phone functions, encryption, password enforcement, or identification and access management (IAM), MDM ensures a high level of data and application security. It supports process automation and reporting, which facilitates audits and compliance with regulations – including GDPR and NIS2.

The ability to remotely block phones and locate devices protects the organization from information loss in cases of theft, lost equipment, or employee termination. Furthermore, MDM systems provide automatic responses to non-compliance issues, helping safeguard against unintentional employee errors.

MDM solutions enhance phone management and improve employee productivity. With features like automatic updates, remote configuration, and the quick deployment of new devices from a single console, MDM optimizes time and reduces costs associated with equipment maintenance throughout its lifecycle.

Modern MDM systems are crafted to simplify the daily tasks of IT administrators. With a user-friendly client interface and a logical panel structure, managing a fleet of devices – from registration to configuration and enforcing security policies – becomes quick and intuitive. This ease of use allows organizations to seamlessly integrate MDM with their network infrastructure and effectively manage their mobile environment.

The future of MDM development lies in unified endpoint management (UEM), which enables the control of all devices with an operating system from a single administration panel. This approach merges enterprise mobility with device monitoring, threat protection, and precise access and security management. An MDM system is an essential tool for any organization committed to fostering a modern, secure, and efficient work environment.

FAQ about MDM system

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