It’s really no secret in 2020 that remote work, for lack of a better term, works. According to International Workplace Group, “working from home”—something previously seen as an indulgence to accommodate those darn Millennials—increased productivity in 85% of US businesses.
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Employees want access to corporate resources anytime, anywhere, whether on a company-owned device or BYOD. Enterprises aim to build borderless offices worldwide to improve productivity and responsiveness. Thus, data has begun to live life on the edge—residing in the cloud and increasing risk of data leakage, compromise and theft.
The key to unlocking the potential of this globalized approach to business rests on the relationship between an end user and their devices
Not convinced? Reflect on these questions: How are you reading this right now? How did you complete that last big project while traveling? How did you build that application while sitting in a café? Chances are you used a smartphone or tablet or laptop or, if you’re adventurous, maybe a VR headset.
The point is that you relied upon, regardless of type, a mobile device. Combine the proliferation of cloud apps with operating systems such as Windows 10, macOS, and Google Chrome OS that are now acting similarly to their cousins more commonly associated with “mobile”, and you quickly realize that the way work gets done is forever changing.
As such, the way devices are managed and secured must continue to evolve in lock-step—i.e., it can’t lag, or the benefits will be squandered.
Thoroughly Modern Management
As most good and credible things do, this section begins with an analyst quote that you may have seen before (courtesy of Gartner): “adoption of Windows 10, Google Chrome OS and Apple macOS will drive the need for a combined endpoint management console in greater than 70 percent of organizations by 2024.”
This combined console is the basis for a concept known in unified endpoint management (UEM) circles as “modern management.” The idea is that a UEM solution should be able to support the tasks a traditional client management tool (CMT) would be expected to accomplish—such as patching, auditing, and the distribution of legacy apps, scripts, and files—while also delivering API-based mobile device management (MDM) controls and policy, all from one platform.
This, in turn, bolsters visibility across the vast array of endpoints an organization may be managing, as well as increases accountability across what, in many enterprises, are siloed MDM and PC and laptop management (PCLM) teams.
However, in my own conversations with IT and Security leaders, the general consensus is that having a UEM configured to support all necessary endpoint functions for all devices is a future state.
Hopefully, I haven’t suddenly left you agreeing with everyone’s favorite regional manager: ““I knew exactly what to do. But in a much more real sense, I had no idea what to do.” – Michael Gary Scott”
Preparing Today for the World of Tomorrow
It should come as no surprise that while leading customer voices have made clear that full modern management is not a 2020 goal, device management vendors (such as IBM, my employer) have still worked tirelessly to build out support for this eventual configuration.
And, frankly, that’s our job. Every old technology was once new; neglecting to support the future needs of the enterprise is a great way to no longer be needed by the enterprise altogether.
Still, it may appear premature when viewed in a vacuum.
However, some of these UEM leaders have created pathways to the modern management goal, aligning with analyst recommendations for a period of “co-management”—essentially, enrolling a given device in both CMT and UEM platforms.
This will give the expected boost to visibility and cross-functionality, managing all aspects of the modern PC and laptop operating system—accomplished without sacrificing existing pieces of IT infrastructure or too quickly forcing a convergence of disparate teams.
As organizations become more comfortable with a UEM console as the primary hub to support any endpoint, and as UEM technology incorporates endpoint detection and response (EDR) and other critical capabilities, the tie to the CMT can be severed. And because devices were already enrolled in UEM, users should not expect an interruption in service or hiccup in UX.
Granted, this is something of an oversimplification, as all IT infrastructure is not created equal. Many configurations are needed, and many questions must be answered.
What is to be done about servers? Do we simply scrap our CMT? How do we know when UEM is enough?
IBM Security continues to answer those questions and more with IBM Security MaaS360, a leading UEM platform built with modern management in mind. Industry commentators have pointed out that IBM is one of the only UEM providers to deliver a pathway to modern management and co-management support for two or more CMTs—ensuring the vast majority of organizations can put their endpoint strategies to work.
Learn more about how IBM tackles modern management here.
