However, these working structures do present challenges, as well as opportunities, especially when it comes to technology. Remote working means accessing company networks and resources from desktops and devices in multiple locations. This can compromise security and make collaboration difficult.
Remote Device Management (RDM) solutions eliminate many of these problems. With RealVNC® software, for example, you can manage and monitor remote devices with ease through a single, intuitive application.
Let’s take a closer look at remote device management and how a good RDM platform can benefit your business:
What is remote device management?
Remote device management is an umbrella term covering a multitude of practices around controlling and maintaining devices (i.e., smartphones, tablets, desktop computers, etc.) from afar. RDM platforms come with things like remote desktop software, remote security measures, and more.
Remote management device policies and platforms are extremely useful from both a business and a personal perspective. For example, a business’s IT department can use RDM software to quickly and easily set up an employee’s devices, troubleshoot problems, and update security protocols without ever having to see the device in person.
Main purposes of remote device management systems
Remote device management is used for a wide variety of purposes, but the main ones are as follows:
- Visibility. With remote work becoming increasingly popular, teams need new methods of ensuring visibility over employee networks. RDM software helps to provide this.
- Performance monitoring. RDM software gives IT engineers easy access to device metrics, enabling businesses to stay on top of potentially disruptive performance issues.
- System management. The most obvious application for RDM systems is managing networks and systems remotely. RDM software gives engineers access to remote devices, enabling them to update, automate, fix, and generally manage the network on a granular level.
- Automation. RDM software allows network engineers to automate important tasks across the entire network. This saves a lot of time and frustration for employees and even customers, who would otherwise have to perform these tasks manually.
Benefits of remote device management
We’ve mentioned the main uses of RDM above. Now let’s talk about how it benefits businesses.
Scalable device management
The modern workplace is very device-heavy. Whether you operate on a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) model or provide employees with them yourself, you are likely to end up with a large number of devices in your business’ tech fleet.
Managing all of these can be a nightmare. From system incompatibilities and performance issues to devices becoming obsolete at irregular intervals, there’s always one hurdle or another to overcome with employee devices.
Remote monitoring and management makes it so much easier to handle this at scale. You can add more and more devices to your fleet without having to worry about the burden of managing them becoming too much.
This is a great help when your company is scaling and adding extra employees and devices.
Usage monitoring
Remote usage monitoring is a great benefit to your business. For example, by keeping an eye on usage, your network engineers can easily detect things like performance issues, overuse of resources, and so on.
Remote usage monitoring highlights when and how things can be streamlined in a quick, easy, non-labor-intensive way. This is especially true when you are using a good remote device management application, platform, or console.
Secure usage
Remote device management enhances network security. By using good RDM software, your business can protect itself against data loss, data theft, and even (to a certain extent) device theft.
Through remote device management, your organization can quickly locate a misplaced (or stolen) device, secure sensitive company data, install important security measures, wipe data from lost devices, update obsolete security features, and more.
Security is a major challenge for any business. Cybercrime is a huge concern for modern businesses, and data breaches represent a serious risk. Being able to monitor, update, and intervene in security breaches remotely is a game changer for security-conscious companies.
Challenges of remote device management
Remote device management can be hugely beneficial for businesses, but it is not without its challenges. Let’s take a look at some of the difficulties associated with an RDM system.
Managing diverse environments
Modern employees expect to be able to conduct their work from a variety of devices. If they can’t access their work computer, they may do their work via a personal computer, smartphone, or tablet. For employees, this is both convenient and efficient.
However, convenience is the hacker’s friend. The loopholes and fixes we use to make our digital lives easier can be gateways for hackers. And it’s hard for company cybersecurity departments to personally vet every single device that employees will use on a daily basis.
With remote device management software, companies can manage a diverse range of devices and environments more easily. However, this aspect can still be challenging if there are no controls put on the systems and devices that employees can use.
The right RDM solution will enable IT departments to control and secure remote networks so that employees can enjoy all the convenience of remote work without compromising company security.
Remote troubleshooting and end-user support
Remote device management necessitates remote troubleshooting and end-user support, which can present its own challenges.
The physical distance between the IT team and the end user can make troubleshooting more complex and time-consuming. A lack of visual cues or the inability to physically interact with a device can also make accurately diagnosing and resolving issues difficult. Furthermore, having multiple different devices and operating systems, which is often the case with remote device management, can also complicate troubleshooting.
Remote device management solutions that make use of remote access tools can help make remote troubleshooting easier for IT teams and more enjoyable for end users.
Security risks
Remote device management introduces a range of security challenges that organizations need to be aware of to protect their systems and data.
These challenges include unauthorized users attempting to gain access to your system as well as risks involved with transmitting data between devices. Businesses should consider implementing security features such as multi-factor authentication, secure communication protocols, VPNs (Virtual Private Networks), and encryption, to make sure their remote access needs are met securely.
VNC Connect® is designed with security in mind and provides regular security updates to help clients stay safe and connected.
Scalability
Managing a large fleet of devices remotely requires a scalable infrastructure that will allow any increases in user, device, or data volume to be handled easily.
Transferring large amounts of data between remote devices can impact efficiency and responsiveness. Resources like the availability of computing power as well as storage and network capacity, need to be considered in order to scale remote device management successfully. Implementing robust management tools and leveraging cloud-based solutions can help reduce scalability challenges and ensure efficient management of any number of remote devices.
What are remote device management platforms?
A remote device management platform enables you and/or your IT department to manage remote devices easier.
A good remote device management platform is essential for any business with a lot of remote workers. Remote work has a lot of benefits for businesses, but it also presents some challenges, including:
- Training staff in IT functions and processes is not easy when staff are not physically present.
- Device setup is challenging when devices are geographically scattered. This is especially the case in BYOD situations.
- It is harder to maintain cybersecurity when workers are remote.
Remote device management technology allows IT engineers, team managers, and business leaders to overcome these challenges by accessing and even controlling devices remotely. However, managing a large number and variety of remote devices can be complicated.
This is where an RDM platform comes in.
A good remote device management platform, such as RealVNC’s VNC Connect, combined with the RPort solution, enhances remote access business benefits by making it easy to manage multiple remote devices simultaneously. Through a good RDM platform, you can:
- Troubleshoot device problems quickly and effectively, no matter where the device is located;
- Take control of devices as and when needed;
- Boost and maintain security for your business networks, no matter how geographically scattered your employees are;
- Provide effective and streamlined training remotely;
- Set up devices to your business’ specifications without having to physically interact with the devices in question;
- Enable collaboration through remote sharing tools;
- And manage devices easily from a single, intuitive platform.
All in all, such RDM platforms make remote device management easier and much more efficient.
Understand how remote device management can help your business with RealVNC
RealVNC provides secure remote access and management to companies all over the world. Using RealVNC products, you can boost productivity, secure your network, share resources, enable collaboration, monitor device performance, and more – no matter where in the world your employees are located.
RealVNC products are used and trusted by successful businesses everywhere. If you feel you could benefit from our RDM platform and solutions, why not try us out with our 14-day free trial?
FAQs about remote device management
What types of devices can be managed remotely?
A wide range of devices can be managed remotely, including computers, mobile devices, network devices, and IoT devices, among others. With remote management, devices can be controlled and administrated from one, centralized location.
What features should I look for in a remote device management solution?
Remote device management solutions need to meet the aims of your business. Some features that is is useful to consider include remote access and control options, security, scalability, and ease of use.
Can remote device management help with troubleshooting and resolving issues?
The short answer is Yes! Remote device management allows IT teams to diagnose issues and complete fixes without needing to be in the same physical location as a device. With remote working becoming the new norm, this decreases cost as well as downtime due to technical issues.
What are some best practices for effective remote device management?
To establish an effective remote device management strategy, businesses should focus on implementing robust security measures, clear communication and documentation, regular backup and recovery processes, and training for all staff to increase user satisfaction.
Is remote device management secure?
Remote device management is as secure as the solution you choose. Make sure to investigate a provider’s security features, as well as how they prove their security. Last year, RealVNC had a complete security audit performed by Berlin-based Cure53 to test and confirm our commitment to providing the most secure remote access solution on the market.
