Enterprise Mobility Management Myth Busters: Users vs. IT Reality

Enterprise mobility is not a new concept. IT has delivered email and other information to mobile devices for a while now. That said, the devices that make up today’s enterprises are no longer fully known and controlled.With BYOD, mobility has introduced both risks and opportunities within the enterprise, driving IT to adopt mobility strategies and solutions that can keep pace with these vulnerabilities.

Device security and trust are not only main concerns for IT, but for users as well (albeit in different ways). Enterprise mobility management (EMM) solutions help IT ensure that data is delivered safely across devices and that consumers are offered the privacy and personalization of features that they crave.Yet, as we see time and time again with things like shadow IT, users don’t always have the same level of appreciation for, or understanding of, why we need (and should love!) device management tools.

In this slideshow, Manoj Raisinghani, vice president, global product marketing, mobile platforms group at Citrix, has distilled consumer perceptions vs. the reality of enterprise mobility.

EMM: Perception vs. Reality

Click through for more on the differences between consumer perceptions vs. the reality of enterprise mobility management (EMM).

Passwords

Myth #1: Passwords are enough to protect data living on mobile devices.

Reality: Mobile devices are now more vulnerable than ever. Depending upon the operating system and device, data on the device may not be encrypted. To prevent data loss, IT can leverage EMM to encrypt data and take advantage of mobile content management (MCM) or enterprise file sync and share (EFSS) solutions to secure data as it is received and stored on the device.

Control

Myth #2: With EMM, IT has complete control over your device and personal information.

Reality: Depending on the solution your company goes with, many EMM providers offer mobile application management (MAM) capabilities, which separate business and personal apps and data in a mobile container. Here they can be secured with encryption and other mobile DLP technologies and can be remotely locked and wiped by IT.

MAM operates at the higher app layer so IT can focus on protecting what matters – securing business apps and data, not the personal contents of the device.

Remote Access

Myth #3: Accessing desktop files remotely on a mobile device is impossible.

Reality: Remote access solutions empower users to quickly and securely access their office apps and desktops from any device, including their smartphones. They also allow users to gain access to company folders and documents on any device, or operating system, when needed.

Attachments

Myth #4: You can’t add and send attachments from your smartphone.

Reality: EFSS solutions can easily integrate with EMM to allow users to access, sync and securely share files – making collaboration possible from any location. Users can even opt to receive notifications whenever their files are downloaded, giving them the ability to control workflows.

EFSS solutions also provide robust reporting functionality that enables IT to perform comprehensive logging of user activity, downloads and usage notifications, as well as granular folder permissions to control and monitor how data is accessed and shared.

Customization

Myth #5: EMM doesn’t allow for consumer-like customization options.

Reality: Just because a device is enrolled with IT does not mean it has to be boring. Some EMM solutions offer a “VIP” feature, which allows the user to work more efficiently when away from the office by helping to identify specific contacts with customized ringtones.

Conclusion

Implementing a BYOD policy that satisfies both employees and the organization is not an easy task, but it is a worthy investment. In 2015, 38 percent of companies using EMM solutions reported improved user productivity.

And as we unraveled the truth behind everyday EMM myths, users will find that device management capabilities are not only necessary, but beneficial as well.