What is Mobile Application Management (MAM)?

Mobile application management (MAM) solutions allow IT admins to control and secure access to corporate applications on mobile devices. Depending on the specific solution, it may prioritize application-level security, data protection, and/or policy enforcement within those apps. MAM solutions do not provide full device management.

MAM is of particular interest to IT teams dealing with Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) scenarios, when employees utilize personal devices for work purposes, and IT wants to ensure that the apps on those devices conform to the organization’s security and compliance requirements.

MAM solutions typically provide the following functionality:

• App Distribution and Deployment: MAM facilitates secure distribution of corporate apps to employee devices. This eliminates the need for employees to download apps from public app stores.
• App Data Security: MAM solutions can typically enforce data encryption within corporate apps. This protects sensitive information, even if the device itself is compromised.
• Application Access Control: IT admins can define access rules for corporate applications, so only those users who should be using a given app can. These access rules might encompass multi-factor authentication, PIN requirements, or remote data wipe capabilities in case of lost or stolen devices.
• App Containerization: Depending on the device, a MAM solution may be able to create secure containers within applications, segregating corporate data from personal information.
• App Compliance Checks: MAM can enforce app-specific security policies. This could include restrictions on how data is shared between apps, ensuring that corporate data remains within the secure container.

Benefits of MAM for Apple IT Admins

Implementing MAM can have several benefits for Apple IT admins:

• Enhanced Data Security: MAM prioritizes data security within corporate applications. This mitigates the risk of data breaches by encrypting sensitive information and offering remote wipe capabilities.
• Improved User Experience: BYOD scenarios require a balance between security and user convenience. MAM allows employees to utilize their personal devices for work while ensuring corporate data remains protected.
• Simplified Management of Corporate Apps: MAM can streamline the process of distributing, updating, and managing corporate apps. IT admins can centrally control the application lifecycle, minimizing administrative overhead.
• Reduced Device Management Costs: In BYOD scenarios, MAM eliminates the need for full device enrollment and management. This reduces the costs associated with MDM solutions.
• Increased Compliance: MAM helps enforce data security policies and access controls. This aligns with industry regulations and internal security frameworks.

Differences Between MAM and MDM

While both MAM and MDM aim to secure mobile devices in the enterprise environment, they differ fundamentally in scope and approach:

• MDM solutions focus on the entire device, not just specific corporate applications.
• MDM requires devices to be enrolled into a particular solution before it can be effective; MAM solutions require access just to particular applications.
• Finally, MDM solutions can provide device-wide encryption, while MAM enforces encryption at the application level only