Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) Software

Unified endpoint management (UEM) software helps businesses manage and control internet-enabled devices from a single interface.

Many businesses use a large number of internet-enabled devices, ranging from desktop computers to barcode scanners. Each of these endpoints must be discovered by the business network, maintained with software updates and security applications, and retired from the network at end-of-life. As a business adds endpoints to their network, the time required to manage them increases. The number of endpoints has proliferated massively with the growth of IoT applications and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies.

UEM software aims to help businesses streamline the management of their endpoints. Vendors of UEM software offer a single application or platform from which all of a business’s devices can be secured and managed. Administrators can use UEM software to push updates, applications, and security policies to connected devices. Most UEM software also has the capability to remotely secure or wipe a lost or stolen device to protect sensitive information. This is most significant when securing personal devices used for business and for remotely managing IoT devices that are not usually managed or interacted with in-person.

Many UEM software products allow employees to add their own mobile devices to the platform, enabling secure Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies. This allows employees to securely access business applications and information without needing a company-issued device. The centralized device configuration and setup processes also speed up employee onboarding and allow IT departments to more directly configure devices for business application integration.

What is Unified Endpoint Management Software?

Unified endpoint management (UEM) software helps businesses manage and control internet-enabled devices from a single interface.

Many businesses use a large number of internet-enabled devices, ranging from desktop computers to barcode scanners. Each of these endpoints must be discovered by the business network, maintained with software updates and security applications, and retired from the network at end-of-life. As a business adds endpoints to their network, the time required to manage them increases. The number of endpoints has proliferated massively with the growth of IoT applications and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies.

UEM software aims to help businesses streamline the management of their endpoints. Vendors of UEM software offer a single application or platform from which all of a business’s devices can be secured and managed. Administrators can use UEM software to push updates, applications, and security policies to connected devices. Most UEM software also has the capability to remotely secure or wipe a lost or stolen device to protect sensitive information. This is most significant when securing personal devices used for business and for remotely managing IoT devices that are not usually managed or interacted with in-person.

Many UEM software products allow employees to add their own mobile devices to the platform, enabling secure Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies. This allows employees to securely access business applications and information without needing a company-issued device. The centralized device configuration and setup processes also speed up employee onboarding and allow IT departments to more directly configure devices for business application integration.

UEM Features & Capabilities

Most UEM software vendors include the following features:

• Management of all business endpoints from a single platform

• Remote manual or automatic pushing of updates and applications to multiple devices

• Configuration and updates for on-device security policies

• Configurable per-app VPN to secure business apps

• Onboarding of employee-owned devices

• Remote wiping of lost or stolen devices

• Information collection to track device usage

• Threat detection and mitigation

• API framework for custom applications

UEM vs. MDM

Unified endpoint management and mobile device management (MDM) overlap in many goals and capabilities, but have different intended scopes. Mobile device management focuses exclusively on mobile devices, the largest use case being smartphones that run on iOS and Android. This technology became a necessity as smartphones became ubiquitous in the late 2000’s.

UEM is much more comprehensive than MDM in terms of devices it covers. Unified endpoint management software is designed to encompass all endpoints. This includes mobile devices, but also desktops, IoT devices, laptops, and specialized devices used in the field for certain industries. Unified endpoint management tends to cover far more devices and be much more customizable and configurable than traditional MDM platforms, although they both espouse many of the same objectives.

UEM Software Comparison

When comparing different unified endpoint management software, consider these factors:

• Security vs. Broader Device Management: Many UEM products have grown out of a cybersecurity background, leading to a common emphasis on securing endpoints. However, some products offer more robust capabilities for managing patches, updates, and configurations to improve productivity, performance, and other quality of life changes to endpoints. Consider whether the desired scope for a UEM product is primarily or purely security, or if broader management functions would also be beneficial, especially if many endpoints are company-owned.
• IoT Support: How well does each platform support IoT devices? The range of potential IoT devices is enormous, so buyers should look for use-case specific demos or examples from vendors to ensure that each product fits their specific IoT needs, if they have any.
• Integrations: How well does each UEM product integrate with the rest of the organization’s security tech stack? Consider any preexisting endpoint security, firewall, monitoring, or SIEM platforms that the organization uses.

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Pricing Information

Pricing for UEM software varies based on the number of users or the number of devices to be managed. Most vendors use a tiered monthly subscription pricing model. Many vendors also offer free trials.