Best EMM Software

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Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) software helps businesses remotely protect information on company-issued mobile devices. Business’s proprietary information and employee information are encrypted and protected using a suite of EMM applications. In this article, we’ll compare vendor EMM solutions to see which products meet your enterprise business requirements.

What Does EMM Software Do, and Why Is It Important?

EMM helps businesses by allowing organizations to remotely control all facets of the mobile device when used outside the office environment. EMM consists of application modules for device control and security, remote administration of the software, and ensuring sensitive data is encrypted. EMM is a comprehensive software solution that addresses all aspects of mobile devices during their lifecycle. Enterprise mobility management software helps companies in the following ways:
  • Protects business and employee information: The software prevents company and employee data from being compromised, and minimizes data being stolen by hackers.
  • Wipe and erase vital data: If a mobile device is lost or stolen, data can be easily erased.
  • Manages and services different kinds of mobile devices: EMM software can manage and provide services to the full spectrum of mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets.
  • Helps with compliance: EMM helps companies comply with privacy laws, such as HIPAA or GDPR.
Knowing employees are productive and the mobile device is securely protected is a significant advantage that goes toward increasing productivity when working remotely. Therefore, the importance of enterprise mobility management software’s ability to protect a device is a win-win for the business and the employee. Read more: Top Data Security Measures Every Project Manager Must Implement

Compare the Best Enterprise Mobility Management Software

Enterprise mobility management software needs to have at least three application modules to be a capable EMM solution:
  1. Mobile Device Management (MDM) is for device control and security.
  2. Mobile Application Management (MAM) allows IT administrators to manage the device remotely.
  3. Mobile Identity Management (MIM) is a defined set of practices, policies, and procedures regarding the proper use of mobile business devices to ensure organizational information is secured and protected.
Vendor
Notifications
Auto Patch Deployment
Compliance Management
Remote/Access control
Usage Tracking/ Analytics
Endpoint Management
Addigy
ConnectWise Automate
Esper
hexnode mdm
Jamf Pro
Kandjii
ManageEngine MDM
Scalefusion

Addigy

Addigy caters to Managed Service Providers (MSP) that support Apple devices. Addigy claims to be the only mobile device management specifically designed to support Apple devices, though other solutions can and do support Apple products. Addigy can be deployed as a cloud, SaaS, or web-based solution and installed on any Mac or iOS mobile device. Customer s: The ability to deploy updates, software scripts, and profiles within minutes received multiple compliments. Addigy tools allow a technician to monitor resource usage to see what applications are resource hogs. One technician praised Addigy for providing the same functionality as other enterprise mobility management solutions at a fraction of the cost. However, global deployment does not work consistently and must be deployed multiple times before all selected devices are updated. The user console is not intuitive, according to one review. And frustratingly, when working remotely on an Apple device, keyboard shortcuts affect the technician’s laptop, not the intended Apple device that is being remotely operated on.

ConnectWise Automate

ConnectWise advertises that a business can support more endpoint devices without increasing IT staff with its software. ConnectWise offers a detailed demo on its home page of how remote monitoring removes service delivery roadblocks. Vendor solutions can be deployed as a cloud, SaaS, or web-based solution. In addition, ConnectWise can be installed on Windows and Linux desktops. Customer s: A customer liked ConnectWise’s ability to remotely patch servers and endpoint devices. API connectivity to external applications is rated as a plus. The scripting is touted as powerful, and the large amounts of data it pulls are easily customizable. The ability to easily remote into an endpoint device was also complimented multiple times. That said, several customers commented that the application constantly crashes, and customer support does not help resolve the issue. Multiple customers complained about customer support, and one customer wrote that customer support is so bad, they would not recommend purchasing this product. In addition, customizing is noted as being cumbersome.

Esper

This vendor states their enterprise mobility management solution is a powerful platform for Android device deployment and application management. Esper claims to reduce support cost, minimize field failures, and seamlessly control and troubleshoot Android devices remotely. Esper is deployed on cloud, SaaS, or as a web-based solution in support of Android devices. Customer s: Based solely on Esper’s customer support, a company selected Esper to support their mobile devices. And the customer support has only gotten better, according to that customer. Another review confirms Esper’s ability to seamlessly provision and enroll Android devices with zero-touch provisioning. In addition, the product is easily customizable and user-friendly. Several customers stated they had no issues at all with Esper’s MDM solution. However, a few complained that this product is limited to Android devices, and one customer identified map location and devices going offline as a minor issue.

Hexnode UEM

Hexnode promises a unified digital workforce for a business using Android, Apple, and Windows devices. The vendor advertises it can manage these devices from a single console. Hexnode can also incorporate policies that allow employees to use their personal devices with its BYOD policies. Hexnode can be deployed on cloud, SaaS, and as a web-based solution. The product can be installed on Mac, Windows, and Linux computers. Hexnode can also work on popular mobile devices: Android, iPhone, and iPad. Customer s: A customer verified what Hexnode stated with the application’s ability to manage any device and integrate with different services to support authentication and device management. Customers commented on how easy Hexnode is to use, and the documentation is rated as excellent. Customers also raved about the 24-hour technical support. Some requested features are only available on high subscription versions; in particular, lower-tiered plans do not support Android devices. Hexnode works better on Macs than Windows devices, and one particularly unsatisfied customer recommends avoiding Hexnode altogether. Other negatives mentioned that the portal takes too long to load, but consider this a minor issue. Another customer complained about needing more roles other than admin and reporting.

Jamf Pro

Jamf Pro is an Apple device management MDM solution. The vendor says this product focuses on deployment, device management, application management, and security. Jamf Pro claims to have over 60,000 satisfied customers, and it can be deployed on the cloud, SaaS, and web to support Apple devices. Customer s: Jamf Pro allows a technician to manage multiple devices in different locations with its user-friendly interface. One reviewer commented that Jamf Pro could set up a new Apple device without IT technicians touching it. In addition, the software can easily install software remotely, which takes a considerable burden off the IT staff. Several reviews say it is an especially excellent product for small businesses. Jamf Now is free for three devices, but you can add more devices at $2 per month. The reporting functionality is noted as a con. For first-time users, the application is reported as difficult to learn. Lack of a customizable GUI was mentioned, and the dashboard is not dynamically designed to move items around. Customer support is noted as not consistent when help is required.

Kandji

Kandji is an EMM solution that focuses on Apple products. Kandji features compliance templates, continuous remediation, and a streamlined user interface. This product supports iOS and Mac devices and can be installed on a cloud, SaaS, or as a web-based solution. Customer s: The user interface is intuitive and easy to deploy to Mac devices. Several reviews rated customer support as excellent. Besides being affordable, customer reviews repeatedly touched on how easy the application is to use. One user commented that Kandji could integrate more with other products. Other semi-negative comments stated Kandji lacks some of the features of other MDM solutions, but for the initial cost of the product, the customer is content. Another comment that falls into the semi-negative category is that Kandji is constantly adding new management capabilities and security features every time the operating system is upgraded. Overall, there were no glaring negative reviews for Kandji.

ManageEngine MDM

ManageEngine MDM states its enterprise mobility management solution can manage and secure devices from a unified console. This EMM solution supports Apple, Android, Windows, Linux, and Chrome OS. This product can be deployed on a cloud, SaaS, or web-based solution. Customer s: One customer complimented the product in multiple ways, stating it had better features than other EMM solutions, such as excellent web-based consoles and customer support. Customers repeatedly raved about the ease of setting up the application and its user-friendliness. That said, logging into the cloud portal is not easy, and it’s mentioned as a negative. Operating system updates for Android devices are not always available. When enrolling a device fails, the device is stuck in the enrolling status with no way to reset to start over. Other users say customer support could be more responsive.

Scalefusion

Scalefusion provides IT teams the ability to manage and secure all corporate-owned or employee-owned devices that connect to its corporate network. This product can manage Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows 10 devices. Additionally, Scalefusion can be deployed in a cloud, SaaS, or web-based environment. Customer s: Many customers posted positive comments on Scalefusion’s Mobilock feature, allowing technicians to manage multiple devices from the Mobilock dashboard. Other positive reviews mentioned easy deployment, configuring devices assigned to a group, and the Geo-Fencing to track devices. In addition, users liked the customer support chat line because of the quick responses. Several customers liked the entire EMM solution and had nothing negative to say about Scalefusion. However, the remote desktop option is expensive, and some reviews mentioned the inability to push software updates to devices remotely. Some of the best features do not come with the original version, and it’s an additional cost to add those features. Read more: How to Select the Best Cybersecurity Software

Must-Have Features in an EMM Solution

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) allows an employee to have one device for personal and professional use, so enterprise mobility management solutions need to be compatible with a variety of mobile devices and operating systems. Other key features are:
  • Access control
  • Over-the-air (OTA) distribution
  • Remote wiping
  • Device location tracking
Enterprise mobility management solutions offer many additional features to help businesses to manage their mobile devices. The features summarized here are just a subset; the key is knowing what is essential for your business and ensuring those features are included in the EMM solution you choose.
  • Alerts and Notifications: EMM software can set up alerts to notify IT administrators when a patch has not successfully loaded onto a mobile device, or when a mobile device has reached a specific number of unsuccessful login attempts. Alerts and notifications can be set up for a bevy of different scenarios.
  • Auto Patch Deployment: Any released patch can automatically be distributed to mobile devices with minimal human intervention.
  • Compliance Management: Any business dealing with health records or U.S. government information needs to ensure their mobile devices are HIPAA or FISMA compliant.
  • Remote Access and Control: Remote access and control are mandatory for any EMM solution. This functionality allows IT administrators to manage mobile devices remotely.
  • Usage Tracking and Analytics: Allows the business to see how mobile devices are used and optimize them by ensuring highly utilized applications are installed. Removing any unused applications can save on software costs. Usage tracking can also track any abnormal usage of a device and prevent the theft of corporate information.
  • Endpoint Management: Because MDM is a subset of EMM that manages device features, this ensures devices are secured, monitored, and managed. In addition, endpoint management tools authenticate, supervise, and apply security policies to prevent any threats posed by accessing the device.

When to Consider Purchasing EMM Software for Your Company’s Mobile Devices

When it comes to deciding when to purchase an EMM solution, the decision needs to be based on what kind of corporate information will be stored on mobile devices. Whether it is two devices or 200, the driving factor needs to be based on how valuable the information is on the device. Highly sensitive proprietary or semi-proprietary corporate data needs to be protected, and that determines if an EMM solution needs to be purchased. Read next: What’s the Difference Between an IT Project Manager & Project Manager?

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