Unified endpoint management (UEM) solutions allow organizations and managed service providers (MSPs) to remotely supervise business data, licenses, applications, usage, and security on a multitude of devices, including PCs, laptops, mobile devices, and IoT devices. This single-platform approach replaces the need for multiple tools traditionally used to manage various device types, making UEM especially valuable for companies with diverse devices and operating systems. UEM is a unification of other endpoint-focused management solutions, such as endpoint management software, mobile application management (MAM) software, mobile device management (MDM) software, patch management software, and more. Modern unified endpoint management tools focus on a wide range of endpoints, including (but not limited to) desktops, mobile phones, tablets, wearables, and IoT devices.
UEM software vendors offer solutions that provide a unified view of every device on the network, regardless of device type or OS. Internal IT and security teams make the most use of UEM software. The best UEM software solutions offer a more comprehensive view of all devices—whether company-owned and BYOD (bring your own device)—used for business purposes at a company. UEM features allow businesses to ensure device licenses, applications, software, and accessible data are all properly secured. The usage data UEM software provides is also valuable in understanding how often and intensively employees use their devices. Many UEM solutions also incorporate built-in security features like user authentication and malware scanning and integrate with security and access management tools to enhance endpoint security.
To qualify for inclusion in the Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) category, a product must:
Manage several endpoint types beyond mobile-only, including desktop, IoT, and wearables
Configure devices for integration with business-required applications, WiFi, VPN, etc.
Ensure employee devices are compliant with business regulations and requirements
Protect employee, company, and data from potential vulnerabilities or malware
