Although mobile devices have been available in some form or another for a long time, they have only recently garnered widespread acceptability in corporate situations. It’s critical to comprehend the distinct difficulties that come with managing these devices.
1: Keep in mind the significance of device uniformity.
It is nearly difficult to provide each user with the exact identical mobile device. Even if every user starts with the same device, manufacturers swiftly phase out device models, and you may find that the devices you bought originally are no longer available when you need a few more.
Despite this, you should attempt to keep the number of models in your company to a minimum. The more devices that are being utilized, the more difficult it will be for your helpdesk to provide effective assistance for them.
2: Make use of devices that can be fully provisioned.
A few server products are available on the market that can apply various security policies to mobile devices. However, because there is no global mobile device standard, those server products can only manage a limited number of mobile operating systems. Because only fully provisionable devices can be managed completely, I recommend that you use only those.
3: Ensure that users are informed of the policies governing mobile devices.
When it comes to mobile devices, there is a lot of room for misuse. You must set an acceptable use policy for company-issued mobile devices unless you want to risk skyrocketing cellular expenses.
4: Security is important.
Many IT experts have overlooked mobile device security vulnerabilities since they were first introduced. Mobile devices lacked the software and processing capability to represent a serious threat until recently. Mobile devices, on the other hand, can now run a wide range of programs and store several terabytes of data on their own. As a result, it’s critical that you prioritize mobile device security.
5: Make a decision about whether or not to accept personal devices.
It’s only a matter of time before an employee asks you to set up his or her iPhone to get company email, if it hasn’t already. Make sure you have a policy in place that states whether or not personal mobile devices are allowed to interact with business resources. My recommendation is that you only allow employees to use business-issued devices because your company lacks the authority to effectively protect and manage non-owned devices.
6: Make a decision on wandering ahead of time.
Some users’ work functions may be vital enough to justify data consumption even if they are not roaming. However, for some users, it may be preferable to avoid using data while roaming. Roaming charges, in any event, are not something you should take chances with.
7: Make a strategy for dealing with misplaced gadgets.
Many businesses overlook contingency plans for lost or stolen equipment. Granted, both Exchange Server and System Center Mobile Device Manager feature a built-in self-destruct sequence that you may use to delete a lost or stolen device and restore it to factory defaults remotely.
8: Be aware of malware dangers.
Malware hasn’t been a huge issue for mobile devices in the past. Malware attacks have been reported on numerous mobile platforms in recent months. Make sure to research into the anti-malware solutions available for your mobile platform of choice. Malware may not be a huge problem today, but it will most likely be in a year’s time.
9: Measure the impact of mobile devices on your network on a regular basis.
Because mobile devices aren’t physically connected to your network, it’s easy to overlook how much bandwidth and other network resources they consume. As more people utilize mobile devices, it’s becoming more necessary to check in on how much of an impact they’re having on your Internet bandwidth and network server resources on a regular basis.
10: Ensure that your employees are well-versed in the use of mobile devices.
Managers may think that the helpdesk staff understands how to service mobile devices because they are so common. This is a risky assumption to make. You must guarantee that the helpdesk staff is appropriately trained in mobile device support, just as they would be for any other type of assistance.
