Unified Endpoint Management, or UEM, is the newest management approach to enterprise devices. But is it right for the future of work?
In a new article for ComputerWorld, senior reporter Matthew Finnegan explores UEM. As Finnegan notes, “UEM tools incorporate several existing enterprise mobility management technologies,” including MDM and our very own MAM, with other tools used to secure traditional PCs and laptops.
As Finnegan explains, UEM has taken off in the last year or so due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced companies to figure out ways to let their employees work without coming into the office. As mobile work has become more prevalent and employees have demanded more from their devices, UEM has emerged as a way to get a comprehensive look across the organization. It provides similar features to MAM or EMM, like remote device wiping, user access controls, and automatic software updates, except instead of doing it for only mobile devices, it works across all devices in the enterprise.
Of course, even as the pandemic has accelerated growth in the UEM space, UEM still remains a relatively nascent technology, with few vendors and no clear standard approach to management across the board. It reminds to be seen how, or if, UEM will continue to grow in the coming months and years.
When we first talked about UEM last fall in the midst of the pandemic, we pondered whether it might be the next frontier in enterprise mobility. Now, even though the worst days of the pandemic are–we hope–behind us, companies continue to evaluate hybrid work models that see employees regularly working outside the office.
In that type of environment, we certainly see the value of a “single pane of glass” solution that gives IT admins visibility into every device being used out of the office, whether it’s a mobile phone, traditional laptop, or IoT device. In that way, we think that the future of UEM likely depends on the future of mobile work. While more traditional companies may not need the capabilities of a comprehensive UEM solution, those with more flexible attendance policies will need to continue to assess how best to manage their employees’ technology.
So, what do you think? Is the rise of UEM inevitable? How is your organization addressing its enterprise mobility needs? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.
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Photo by Israel Andrade on Unsplash
