Mobile device management

Mobile Device Management (MDM) software secures, monitors, manages and supports mobile devices deployed across mobile operators, service providers and enterprises. MDM functionality typically includes over-the-air distribution of applications, data and configuration settings for all types of mobile devices, including mobile phones, smartphones, tablet computers, ruggedized mobile computers, mobile printers, mobile POS devices, etc. This applies to both company-owned and employee-owned (BYOD) devices across the enterprise or mobile devices owned by consumers.

By controlling and protecting the data and configuration settings for all mobile devices in the network, MDM can reduce support costs and business risks. The intent of MDM is to optimize the functionality and security of a mobile communications network while minimizing cost and downtime.

With mobile devices becoming ubiquitous and applications flooding the market, mobile monitoring is growing in importance. Numerous vendors help mobile device manufacturers, content portals and developers, test and monitor the delivery of their mobile content, applications and services. This testing of content is done real time by simulating the action of thousands of customers and detecting and correcting bugs in the applications.

Companies are alarmed at the rate of employee adoption of mobile devices to access corporate data. MDM is now touted as a solution for managing these devices in the workplace.

Implementation

Typically solutions include a server component, which sends out the management commands to the mobile devices, and a client component, which runs on the handset and receives and implements the management commands. In some cases, a single vendor may provide both the client and the server, in others client and server will come from different sources.

The management of mobile devices has evolved over time. At first it was necessary to either connect to the handset or install a SIM in order to make changes and updates; scalability was a problem.

One of the next steps was to allow a client-initiated update, similar to when a user requests a Windows Update.

Central remote management, using commands sent over the air, is the next step. An administrator at the mobile operator, an enterprise IT data center or a handset OEM can use an administrative console to update or configure any one handset, group or groups of handsets. This provides scalability benefits particularly useful when the fleet of managed devices is large in size.

Device management software platforms ensure that end-users benefit from plug and play data services for whatever device they are using. Such a platform automatically detects devices in the network and sends them settings for immediate and continued usability. The process is fully automated, keeps history of used devices and sends settings only to subscriber devices which were not previously set, sometimes at speeds reaching 50 over-the-air settings update files per second. Device Management Centre (DMC) achieves this by filtering IMEI/IMSI pairs.

Device Management specifications

• The Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) specified a platform-independent device management protocol called OMA Device Management. The specification meets the common definitions of an open standard, meaning the specification is freely available and implementable. It is supported by several mobile devices, such as PDAs and mobile phones.
• Smart message is text SMS- provisioning protocol (ringtones, calendar entries but service settings also supported like: ftp, telnet, SMSC number, email settings, etc...)
• OMA Client Provisioning is a binary SMS- service settings provisioning protocol.
• Nokia-Ericsson OTA is binary SMS-based service settings provisioning protocol, designed mainly for older Nokia and Ericcson mobile phones.
• Also the new Phil Phone which stinks of poo like his breath.

Over the air

Over-the-air programming (OTA) capabilities are considered a main component of mobile network operator and enterprise-grade Mobile Device Management software. These include the ability to remotely configure a single mobile device, an entire fleet of mobile devices or any IT-defined set of mobile devices; send software and OS updates; remotely lock and wipe a device, which protects the data stored on the device when it is lost or stolen; and remote troubleshooting. OTA commands are sent as a binary SMS message. Binary SMS is a message including binary data.

Mobile Device Management software enables corporate IT departments to manage the many mobile devices used across the enterprise; subsequently, over-the-air capabilities are in high demand. Enterprises using OTA SMS as part of their MDM infrastructure demand high quality in the sending of OTA messages, which imposes on SMS gateway providers to offer a high level of quality and reliability.

Use in the enterprise

With BYOD becoming more popular, corporations can use MDM to their benefit. Companies can now allow employee-owned devices inside the corporate firewall due to better device management capabilities through MDM. On the other hand, employees are now empowered to choose the device that they like instead of being forced particular brands by the IT department. Lastly, IT can use MDM to manage the devices over the air with minimal intervention in employee schedules.

SaaS versus On-Premise solutions

Present day MDM solutions offer both Software as a service (SaaS) and on-premise models. In the rapidly evolving industry such as mobile, SaaS (cloud-based) systems are quicker to set up, offer easier updates with lower capital costs compared to on-premise solutions which require costly hardware, need regular software maintenance and incur higher capital costs. For security in Cloud computing, the US Government has compliance audits such as Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 (FISMA) which cloud providers can go through to meet security standards.

See also

• The SyncML Initiative
• OMA Device Management
• Open Mobile Alliance
• Device Management Forum
• Over-the-air programming
• Mobile application management
• Mobile security
• Enterprise mobility management

External links

• Open Mobile Alliance Device Management Public Documentation
• Article on the Case for Device Management
• How mobile device management works
• Magic Quadrant for Mobile Device Management Software May 17, 2012, Analysts: Phillip Redman/John Girard/Monica Basso, Gartner Inc.