EMM solutions emerged as a result of the bring your own device (BYOD) movement. Rather than restricting mobile devices in the workplace, many organizations choose to implement EMM solutions to allow device flexibility for users while retaining control for IT.
EMM stemmed from—and now includes—mobile device management, which gives IT full control over the user’s device. MDM protects data by leveraging device-level policies provided by the device manufacturer or platform provider. With the help of these policies, IT can configure, secure, and support mobile users. For example, IT can enable device-wide encryption and automatically lock or wipe a device.
Mobile application management (MAM) is another key component of an EMM solution. MAM allows IT to manage only applications, not the whole device. IT can apply security policies to certain apps, limit the sharing of corporate data among apps, and selectively remove apps and any associated data without having to wipe an entire device. MAM does not allow IT to manage personal apps.