Mobile device management -- Practical techniques

As well it should. In my experience, a well-thought-out mobile device management strategy is often the key to the success or failure not just of a given mobile deployment but of an IT department overall. Think about it: Much (if not most) of an organization's IT capabilities – computing, networks and information – are mobile today, meaning they're out beyond the traditional four walls of the enterprise and subject to loss, theft, misuse, compromise and all manner of challenges from support to damage

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control when something really goes wrong.

I'm not going to suggest a specific mobile device management solution in this column, mostly because there are so many on the market, and one size most certainly does not fit all. Rather, let me present a checklist of the key elements of a mobile device management strategy, something that can at a minimum get your thoughts moving in the direction that's right for you. The key capabilities are as follows:

As I noted above, the exact combination of products and services required in any given case can be determined only by an analysis of the specific IT objectives of a given organization, and related policies. And, oh yes, costs need to be carefully considered as well – and not just the costs of products and services. It's important to keep in mind that what we're really doing here is optimizing the costs related to the users of all of this functionality. As with anything related to IT, the bottom line is productivity, not technology.

[TABLE]About the author: Craig Mathias is a principal with Farpoint Group, an advisory firm based in Ashland, Mass., specializing in wireless networking and mobile computing. The firm works with manufacturers, enterprises, carriers, government, and the financial community on all aspects of wireless and mobile. He can be reached at craig@farpointgroup.com.

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