Mobile device management (MDM) and personal device management (PDM) are two concepts that have become increasingly important in the modern workplace. These solutions approach endpoint security from two different perspectives, working to achieve the same outcome – organizational data security and minimizing the attack surface criminals can target. With Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies becoming more popular, organizations need to consider which type of system best fits their needs for security, privacy, and compliance. This blog post explores the meaning of mobile device management and personal device management, their differences from one another, and how each can help businesses protect both their data as well as each employees’ devices.

Mobile Device Management (MDM) has become an increasingly important tool for organizations seeking to protect their data and networks from potential security breaches. By providing IT administrators with the ability to control and enforce policies on smartphones, tablets, and other mobile endpoints, MDM ensures  the sensitive information on these devices remains secure. However, MDM can also present challenges for organizations and their employees.

One of the most significant challenges is the risk of losing personal data, such as photos and contacts, if a device is wiped after an employee leaves the organization or the device is compromised. This can be a particularly challenging issue for employees who use their personal devices for work-related purposes. Another challenge is the potential for conflicts between employee privacy and corporate security. Organizations must find a balance that protects sensitive company information while also respecting the privacy rights of their employees. Moreover, MDM integration can be time-consuming and expensive, with software licenses, training, and hardware requirements all increasing costs. Overall, MDM remains a valuable tool to keep devices secure, but organizations must balance this need with employees’ privacy concerns and the cost of implementation.

Personal Device Management approaches device security differently than an MDM. Within a PDM deployment, IT leaders can establish foundational security features that every device connecting to business-critical applications must meet – If a device does not meet this security parameter, then it cannot access these business-critical applications. In addition, PDMs include a list of applications, vetted and approved by the organization, available for employees to download, which are managed by the organization’s IT Team. This allows IT teams to manage only a specific set of applications, and if a device is compromised, remove only these applications without impacting any personal apps that are also on the device.

However, like MDMs, there are challenges associated with Personal Device Management. One of the main challenges is striking a balance between security and usability is challenging, as overly restrictive policies can make it difficult for employees to work efficiently. PDM’s require an in-depth understanding of the latest security threats, technologies, and best practices to effectively protect enterprise data while minimizing impact on employee productivity all of which Quokka’s Q-Scout helps to remediate.

Personal Device Management and Mobile Device Management are two distinct approaches to managing mobile devices in enterprise settings. PDM offers application and device control over an employee’s personal device while still respecting their privacy, such as providing the employee with the ability to manage their own data from the company’s apps and systems. MDM, on the other hand, offers oversight and control over a device, including the ability to wipe its contents and content on multiple devices.

Choosing PDM over MDM is a wise choice for organizations that prioritize employee privacy and data security. Since PDM only manages data associated with the company, it offers a less intrusive approach to device management, ensuring employees stay engaged and productive. With PDM, the employee and the company have clear definitions of what data is being managed, which ensures a more transparent approach to device management. Furthermore, PDM can help reduce the workload of IT departments as employees are responsible for troubleshooting their own devices, which reduces downtime and cost. Ultimately, PDM offers a more employee-friendly approach to device management, providing a better balance between corporate security and personal privacy.

Organizations today face an increased backlash in implementing security policies on personal devices. In the past, MDM solutions would either take control of the users device and have access to all their private information or control only the applications on BYOD, and then not be able to secure users from malicious apps and activities on the device. Q-Scout brings the best of both worlds to BYOD, where PDM allows the enterprise to provide the enterprise applications the user needs for their job and at the same time securing the user (and the enterprise) from malicious exfiltration of enterprise or user private data. The Q-Scout experience allows end-users to be in control and truly trust the enterprise, and preserve their privacy.

In an Oxford Economics Survey, “57% of employees would prefer to have separate spaces on their phone for work and personal use.” This gap in employee adoption weakens the overall security posture of an organization, causing leadership to search for a solution that provides the flexibility employees want with the security an organization needs.

Quokka’s Personal Device Management feature bridges this gap. Within a PDM structure, organizations vet and manage only applications that have a business-use to personal devices. These apps, and the security policies around them, are managed by the IT administrator without impacting other apps dedicated to personal use. Employees are able to download these apps with the understanding that their personal apps are not impacted or if they leave the company, the data associated with them will not be deleted by the organization. Q-Scout allows employees to actively manage their device in partnership with an organization.