How to complete mobile device management solutions

As they now stand, many mobile device management solutions are not equipped to handle all that companies require of the out of the box, according to industry expert Craig Mathias. In his latest column for InformationWeek, Mathias claimed that more robust tools are needed for companies to truly manage the smartphones and tablets in use by employees.

"MDM ... is ill-defined, amorphous, and incomplete with respect to the totality of a solution required by a successful mobile enterprise today," Mathias wrote.

He highlighted several areas that need to be addressed before MDM solutions can serve as a one-size-fits-all tool to help companies utilize devices effectively, securely and at the lowest possible cost.

Mobile application management

Within nearly all mobility programs today, the mobile applications downloaded and installed on employees' smartphones and tablets are nearly as important as the devices themselves. If the devices are the car, apps are the engine that make the whole process possible.

That's why every company's MDM program must also address mobile application management. Through apps, employees access and use enterprise data for any number of tasks. While security is high on the to-do list, companies should also be looking into the effectiveness of apps to ensure that procurement investments aren't wasted.

Wireless expense management

Cost and security are most likely neck-and-neck among a company's top priorities when it comes to mobility. As much as an IT department would like to ensure data is protected, they also want to spend as little as possible while still getting the most out of the entire program.

Mathias said that all expenses associated with mobility should be tracked - no matter if paid for by the company or employee. Looking at all investment will identify areas where resources are both wasted and maximized.

Mobility policy

Before unleashing employees and their devices, Mathias said that all companies should draft and push out a mobility policy. Every professional can use a little guidance now and again, and a company's policy should cover everything from appropriate use and data access protocols to how much, if any, a company will pay for a personally owned device.

Consumerization is a growing trend that all companies now seem to be dealing with. In addition to areas Mathias highlighted, a recent Dark Reading report noted that companies should also address personally owned devices by creating an inventory and tracking which access the enterprise network.