Tips To Choose the Best MAM Solution for Your Business

For deploying a successful mobility culture in the enterprise, business owners have to consider a number of elements like the mobile devices, applications, expenses, management, policies and terms of usage. Amidst all, Mobile Access Management (MAM) plays a very interesting and crucial role because managing mobile applications is the key to secured, manageable and cost-effective mobile operations. Because MAM is a rapidly evolving technology, I have seen many business owners having a tough time in selecting the appropriate MAM system for their business. I advise them that they should first understand the entire concept and scope of MAM and more importantly, the factors that make it better than the old-fashioned Mobile Device Management (MDM) system.

In MDM, the entire focus is towards device configuration and basic security like local encryption, anti-malware, antivirus, firewalls and others. However, in MAM concept, the IT admin has to ensure that only authorized apps are running on the smart devices or the cloud. It also lays stress towards checking whether the sensitive data accessed through these mobile apps are safe and protected. There is no doubt about the potential benefits of the MAM approach over MDM approach and a business owner should follow these steps to get the most from MAM system.

Set the objectives before picking a MAM solution – Before settling in with an approach, a business owner should define operational objectives, policies and user agreement regarding security, budgets, expense management support to BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) concept. This will help them to determine the kind of services they should anticipate from MAM system.

Mull on the overall MAM technical strategy – Application-wrapping technique is used very frequently in most MAM solutions as it allows IT admin to restrict functioning of an app in certain conditions. This technology requires no additional coding but yes, it may ask for few software development resources for effective implementation. Virtualization also has a role to play especially on the device side with apps running on the cloud. The benefit of this is that it eases overall implementation but has a drawback as well as it puts a significant amount of burden on the network. Finally, there are dual persona solutions that can isolate personal and professional apps from each other keeping the data absolutely protected in its area. 

Matching functional capabilities to requirements – Modern day MAM system provides numerous opportunities and the ability to distribute only the authorized application and that is the core benefit. Another strategic benefit of MAM is to grant or reject the execution of a particular app. Few MAM solutions also preserve the data from unauthorized copy or distribution and they enable the selective formatting of the sensitive corporate data on the device that has been compromised.

Checking the over-lapping, conflicts and other integration issues – There are chances that your MAM solution will overlap over other enterprises MAM system however; this will depend entirely upon its implementation. I would recommend staged roll-out and would advise IT admin to evaluate MAM solutions on the base of how much compatible, it would be with the management strategies and systems already used by the company. Management visibility is important by monitoring alerts and activities in real time and reviewing management reports. This plays a very important role in auditing and determining the potential problems.

CONCLUSION

MAM is acknowledged as one of the most interesting and productive methods of managing mobile devices and apps running on them. However, this is equally true that enterprises will have to look for MAM solution that matches the business requirements and the one that is most effective as well.