At a basic level, mobile device management (MDM) facilitates the distribution of applications, data, and configuration settings for devices like tablets, smartphones, phablets, and other mobile computing devices.
The objective of MDM is to provide security for data on both company-owned and employee-owned devices in an enterprise. It allows network operators to transfer data and synchronize mobile devices and computers, regardless of the operating system, within the right time and to the right people.
The many benefits offered through mobile device management are contributing to solid market growth, with the global MDM market expected to grow at a CAGR of 25.40% from 2014-2019.
Key market growth drivers in the global MDM market
Adoption of BYOD policies
BYOD allows employees to access organizational data and resources without being tied to a single location.
Because of this, more employees are using their own devices to carry out work-related tasks. This promotes flexibility, mobility and the timely exchange of business information, and also helps remove location constraints. It also saves the organization from bearing the cost of equipment purchases.
More mobile platforms
As more people bring their own devices into the workplace, it has become challenging for organizations to implement security measures across different operating systems. iOS, BlackBerry and Android all come with different functionalities and security, and implementing a system that works across devices, irrespective of OS has become imperative. MDM enables synchronization of every registered portable device in an organization, allowing for optimal data exchange, and making this a major driver contributing to the growth of the market.
Better management of enterprise applications
Virtual infrastructure provides a common platform that allows applications to be deployed independently of the underlying hardware configuration. Since applications are hosted from a centralized location, enterprises find it easier to manage these applications from a remote location. Dashboards and similar solutions are used to provide insights into the performance of infrastructure and applications.
Increased computing capabilities
With advances in computing capabilities, enterprises are able to access numerous applications through handheld devices. The portability of these devices is a major advantage over laptops and desktops, as is their ability to be customized to support high-performance enterprise applications. Also, vendors are developing platforms that can execute enterprise applications regardless of the hardware configuration. But all this computing power still needs to be managed, especially when enterprise information is on the line, which will be a key contributor to market growth in the coming years.
