IoT and MDM: One of These Things is Not Like the Other

October 8, 2018:  As wireless devices have expanded throughout the enterprise, growing in capability intuitiveness and power, businesses have embraced new ways to employ the variety of handheld devices that make business mobile.  In the age of the Internet of Things our wireless devices can help us control simple appliances and other electronics with a wide range of technologies among IoT inhibitors such as cars, trucks, and airplanes.  Controlling IoT is far more complex than just using an MDM tool.

Industries including manufacturing, services, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, automotive,  distribution, and many others rely on Mobile Device Management (MDM) to protect their enterprise and keep track of the devices.  MDM is a key function of wireless telecom expense management.  By controlling and protecting the data and configuration settings of all mobile devices in a network, MDM reduces 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 IoT it’s about variety and complexity, mission critical nature of devices, unlimited potential of scale, frequency and function of interaction, and a focus on capability rather than device. These all lead to greater risk when managing IoT.

In IoT, the risks can become as simple as not telling your freezer to defrost or as critical as powering up a well-site pump.  The article 5 ways IoT device management differs from MDM by Dave McCarthy, Contributor, Network World | SEP 13, 2018,  offers some great advise about the key differences between IoT and MDM.

Of course, mindWireless is ready to be a resource in managing wireless across the enterprise.