Unleashing Cloud-Smart UEM: The Future of Efficient Endpoint Management

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, the management and security of endpoints – a term encompassing everything from your laptop to your smartphone – are paramount. Traditional methods have served their purpose, but in an era where remote work and diverse device ecosystems are prominent, a smarter, more agile approach is needed. Cloud-Smart Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) is a game-changing strategy that’s transforming the way businesses operate and secure their devices.

Demystifying Cloud-Smart UEM

To truly understand this paradigm shift, let’s break it down. Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) is all about streamlining the management and security of various devices within an organisation. It’s the one-stop shop for overseeing everything from software updates to device compliance checks.

So, what sets Cloud-Smart UEM apart? It’s about leveraging the cloud, to make endpoint management more efficient and adaptable. It’s about optimising your strategy to better align with your business’s unique needs.

According to Gartner, by 2023, 70% of organisations will implement a “cloud-first but not cloud-only” strategy, recognising the need for flexibility.

Cloud-Smart UEM vs. Traditional UEM

So, how does Cloud-Smart UEM compare to traditional methods?

Traditional UEM

These solutions often rely on on-premises infrastructure and manual processes. They struggle to keep up with the demands of modern device ecosystems and remote work scenarios. They can be rigid and time-consuming, lacking automation and adaptability.

Cloud-Smart UEM

This approach leverages cloud technology, making it more scalable, adaptable, and user-centric. It automates routine tasks, integrates seamlessly with other systems, and offers robust security measures. The emphasis is on agility, flexibility, and efficiency.

Why Cloud-Smart UEM Is on the Rise

Cloud-Smart UEM isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a necessity in our modern business landscape:

1. Flexibility

With Cloud-Smart UEM, you have the flexibility to manage a wide array of devices, regardless of operating system or form factor. It’s not about being bound to a single platform; it’s about adaptability.

2. Cloud-Centric Approach

 The cloud is at the heart of this strategy. It’s all about harnessing the power of cloud-based services, allowing you to scale resources up or down to meet changing device requirements.

3. Automation and AI

Automation and artificial intelligence streamline the management process. Routine tasks like patch management and threat detection become more efficient.

4. User-Centric

It’s all about the user experience. With self-service options, your employees gain more control over their devices, reducing the IT support burden.

5. Remote Work Readiness

A survey by Forbes found that 65% of workers desire to work remotely all the time, and 32% prefer a hybrid schedule. Currently, 12.7% of full-time employees work from home and 28.2% have adapted to a hybrid work model, illustrating the rapid normalisation of remote work and proving the necessity of remote work readiness. Cloud-Smart UEM empowers businesses to manage and secure devices, no matter where they are.

“As of 2023, 12.7% of full-time employees work from home, while 28.2% work a hybrid model” Forbes

Impact on Business Operations

The adoption of Cloud-Smart UEM has far-reaching implications for business operations.

• Efficiency: Streamlining management processes leads to increased operational efficiency, reducing downtime and IT support workload.
• Security: A proactive, cloud-smart security approach ensures the organisation remains resilient against evolving threats.
• User Satisfaction: With self-service options and a more seamless user experience, employee satisfaction increases.

Impact on Business Strategy

Cloud-Smart UEM doesn’t just change how businesses operate; it impacts their overall strategy.

• Scalability: Businesses can scale their endpoint management with ease, adapting to changing device landscapes and business needs.
• Competitive Advantage: An agile UEM strategy can give businesses a competitive edge, ensuring they stay at the forefront of innovation.

 Where to Start? Understand Your Goals

The goals of UEM typically revolve around enhancing security, efficiency, and user experience in the management of these devices. It’s important for organisations to define their specific UEM goals based on their unique needs, industry, regulatory requirements, and technology landscape. Setting clear and measurable objectives is crucial for the successful implementation of a UEM strategy.

We recently hosted a Discussion Room at our Client Summit focused on uncovering the maturity of cloud-first UEM strategies among popular UK high street retailers. Here’s what they’re aiming for:

• ‘We’re looking to deploy Microsoft InTune which will allow us to image devices and user profiles remotely, which will make the process more secure, reliable, and efficient. Our current process for managing user profiles causes headaches when it comes to password management. If a user has forgotten their login credentials, the only way they can be reset is by being connected to head offices local network. If you’re a remote worker, nowhere near head office, this can cause a big disruption to the working day. The addition of a cloud-based endpoint management platform like InTune will create a huge improvement in this process.’
• ‘We’re planning on moving to an entire zero trust network setup which will streamline the endpoint management process. The zero-trust network will allow us to have ultimate network security, whilst not sacrificing user experience.’
• ‘Over the next 12 months, we want to streamline the cloud environment and improve the current single sign on procedure. By doing so, we will create a more secure environment across the entire estate. The single sign on project is not just aimed at head office users, it’s aimed at everyone within the business.’

A report by Statista states that in 2021, the global cloud infrastructure services market was valued at over $150 billion, a figure expected to increase significantly in the coming years.

Cloud-Smart UEM is more than just a trend; it’s a strategic shift that addresses the modern complexities of device management and security. It’s about staying adaptable, efficient, and user-centric. By embracing this approach, businesses can not only optimise their operations but also gain a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.