Work happens everywhere in today’s IT landscape, so every business must come to terms with the obstacle of enabling access to company data and internal applications from anywhere.
Such a high degree of freedom of access can, however, open the doors to cybercriminals and other sources of security threats. Proper remote device management mitigates the risks that the company exposes itself to when work devices leave the premises.
Key Takeaways:
- Device management setup entails centralizing control of all mobile devices and enforcing the use of security tools and safe common-sense habits.
- A device management plan should also include processes to follow after a disaster occurs.
- The use of remote devices implies a reliance on the cloud, so it is crucial to use a platform that ensures simplicity and accessible centralization.
Building a device management strategy for remote work from the ground up can be an overwhelming project, but IT decision-makers can get a strong start by gaining a complete understanding of what must go into a mobile device management plan.
What Is Remote Device Management?
Remote device management is the practice of monitoring devices such as laptops, smartphones, and tablets used for enterprise purposes from a central location. Devices used from home, a company branch office, or any other edge location should be under the authority of a wide-sweeping device management and monitoring strategy.
The purpose of this monitoring is to ensure that remote workers are upholding necessary security practices and to mitigate the installation of harmful or malicious applications on devices that might access sensitive enterprise networks.
This is a process central to the concept of “zero trust” security and the philosophy of always authenticating every user. Failing to properly manage remote devices and take measures to authenticate access requests from remote users can quickly result in security breaches.
Remote device management also makes it possible to easily set up devices from afar and troubleshoot issues with minimal on-site involvement. These factors can result in greater efficiency and cost-savings in addition to the productivity benefits inherent in facilitating remote or branch office work.
Setting Up Remote Device Management
Setting up device management practices starts with ensuring that the central location is capable of managing connected devices remotely. It also requires setting up each individual device in such a way that the end user cannot modify or bypass crucial security measures.
Mobile device security setup should include enforcing protocols such as password protection, biometrics, and encryption for each and every remote device in the company’s network. The installation of virtual private network software, email security, and endpoint protection on each individual device is also a crucial step in remote device setup.
The Nutanix Cloud Platform (NCP) comes equipped with the features and versatility necessary for maintaining a remote device management strategy. With Nutanix Remote and Branch Office (ROBO) services, it is possible to deliver and manage apps at the edge as well as at remote or branch locations of any size.
With NCP, enterprise leaders can expect to set up remote device strategies at an industry-leading pace through the remote deployment of infrastructure and apps in a matter of hours rather than weeks. Nutanix provides this as a sustainable full-stack solution due largely to the platform’s self-healing capabilities and controllability from a single centralized control plane.
Responding to Disasters Through Remote Device Management
Remote device management as a framework for overseeing branch offices and mobile device usage does not just entail setting up and monitoring those devices. It should also include disaster recovery measures that ensure business continuity when a breach or outage occurs.
Features of a full device management plan that prevent disasters or facilitate recovery include:
- Data wipe: When there is a compromise in data or security on a remote device, or if the device falls into the wrong hands, it is important to have the capability to remotely wipe the device entirely before it further exposes the network.
- Device lock: Device lock is a common but powerful tool that prevents access to the device after multiple failed authentications. It is also prudent to allow for remote device locking as a method of proactively reacting to potential threats.
- Device scan: Enabling remote scanning of devices is a necessary monitoring measure to regularly ensure that all enterprise devices remain healthy and secure. These scans can be on demand or set at regularly scheduled intervals.
- Password clear/reset: Enforcing password resets helps provide peace of mind that external parties will not have an easy time breaching remote devices. Allowing for remote password clears is also a convenient tool for remote device management.
- Remote reset/power off: Another efficient remote management capability is the authority to reset or power off remote devices from the central location, either for security or troubleshooting purposes.
The ability to mitigate disaster is strengthened in the Nutanix environment via freedom of workload deployment, elimination of complexity, and protection through VMs, containers, and integrated data.
Nutanix Makes Remote Device Management Simple
Gartner forecasts that 39% of knowledge workers around the globe will work under a hybrid part-remote, part-on-premises model by the end of 2023. Each worker contributing to this staggering figure will likely use remote devices connected to the enterprise cloud to accomplish tasks, necessitating the presence of competent device management procedures.
Implementing a device management plan thoroughly and seamlessly requires an underlying infrastructure that accommodates any cloud strategy serving as the basis of a remote work paradigm. The Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure (NCI) provides automation, secure virtual networking, and microsegmentation, all controlled from a centralized network management interface that simplifies the process of setting up and securing remote devices through the cloud.
There is a need for modern businesses to ensure that data and apps are accessible from anywhere and by any device with the right authorization. Complexity can arise from the necessity to maintain security under such circumstances, but Nutanix offers simplicity in remote device management through a centralized and accessible platform.
Learn more about risk management in the datacenter and beyond, as well as enterprise data protection as it pertains to both mobile and on-premises devices.
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