8 Tips for Choosing the Right UEM Solution
With the continued increase in endpoints that connect to enterprise networks, IT teams are struggling to manage these endpoints and protect sensitive data moving across them. Also, keeping in mind the high dependency rate on mobile technologies and other end-user products, businesses have to manage them expertly to enable their workforce and support business operations. That’s why businesses are increasingly opting for Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) to manage the increasing number of endpoints. Notably, data from Statista estimates revenues from UEM to keep increasing every year from 2020, culminating at 6.9 billion dollars in 2024.
So what is UEM? Unified Endpoint Management is a comprehensive solution that provides management, configuration, security, and deployment services for devices and applications running on iOS, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, Chrome, the Internet of things, and wearables. This enables employees to use a preferred device from laptops, smartphones, tablets, and other devices to access corporate apps while also meeting important security and compliance requirements.
On the flip side, choosing a preferred UEM platform for your enterprise isn’t as straightforward as you may think. You will need to thoroughly evaluate all the available options before choosing a preferred one. Make sure you conduct a pilot test and a proof of concept before committing to a full rollout. Also, note that making a change in UEM vendors at a later stage is a costly and challenging process. Read on as we go through the criteria for choosing the best UEM solution.
Integration with Other IT Products
A UEM provider’s partnerships with other end users or other platforms used to support IT are an important consideration. Therefore, you need to get as many details a possible about how well the UEM platform integrates with your security detail, login platform, endpoint security product, and your ticketing system. Nowadays, most UEM large vendors have this solution alongside some of these products and have a strong integration.
Management Automation
Saving costs is something that every organization will always consider helping them maximize their profits as much as possible. This isn’t an exemption when it comes to deploying devices. The right capabilities will give you a fully automated deployment which allows employees to get devices faster, so administrators incur fewer expenses on deployment.
Pricing
Whether you are a large or small business, pricing will always be a key consideration when making a technology investment. You can get some UEM solutions at a relatively low price depending on the licensing model for specific software products or if you get them bundled with other products provided by the vendor. You need to pay attention to the per-user pricing model instead of the per-device pricing model. This is because most of the end-users in your organization will access multiple devices to perform different tasks, and you’ll need more than one device managed and secured.
Support for Remote Environments
Work from home has become a norm, and it doesn’t seem to stop anytime soon. A considerable number of your employees will continue working either full time or part-time for a considerable time remotely. Therefore, you need to ensure that you choose a UEM platform that supports a hybrid and remote workforce. This way, your IT teams will have an easy time troubleshooting traditional and mobile endpoints for employees working from home. As a result, there will be fewer instances of downtime for employees and significant improvement in user experience.
Respect for Your Users
A good UEM solution is all about boosting visibility and control across all your endpoint devices. However, you must ensure that the UEM platform you choose offers your users appropriate control over their personal data, apps, and devices and respects their privacy. When your employees have the freedom to use a preferred device at work, there will be increased satisfaction, productivity, and loyalty. Also, choosing a cross-platform solution that can support all devices gives your employees the flexibility they want without compromising their privacy.
Check on the Cybersecurity Mechanisms
The UEM vendor you choose should have proper cybersecurity mechanisms to detect new threats, remedy vulnerabilities, and enforce the right security policies for enterprise data and devices that reside and move across it. Therefore, always go for a UEM vendor with an excellent pedigree in cybersecurity that backs up their protection claims. A UEM platform should have the capability to prevent URL phishing attacks, block any malware infections, and also provide vital application integrity checking. This way, you can have peace of mind knowing that all your endpoints are under the proper protection from zero-day threats.
Make Mobile Protection Non-Negotiable
You have to consider the impact of tablets, smartphones, and other connected devices that have completely changed user expectations on connecting to a network. You, therefore, need to opt for a UEM solution that can encrypt data on all these devices, protect the device, control how the devices connect to a network and manage applications they install.
Support for Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Programs
BYOD capability provides an indication that the UEM provider has worked in Android Enterprise or iOS User Enrollment. The native enrollment solutions for BYOD from Google and Apple provide a security baseline, making it easier for businesses to get devices for their employees.
Conclusion
Unified Endpoint Management will give your IT team the ability to streamline their approach to device management, application management, data security, device security, and compliance from one platform. You will see a tremendous improvement in productivity levels from all end-users and IT teams due to the enhanced visibility into network devices. Moreover, all device updates can be automatically done, which helps secure your devices.
Make sure you work with an experienced and highly knowledgeable IT service provider to help you implement an effective UEM solution in your organization. Essential Solutions has an excellent reputation for providing high-level IT services and customer satisfaction in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. If you’ve enterprise in these locations and the surrounding areas, go ahead and contact Essential Solutions to speak with a cybersecurity specialist who will help you select the right UEM solution for your needs. Let us take care of your IT because it’s key to your success.
