Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) plays a pivotal role in enrolling, managing and securing devices (both corporate-owned and BYOD enabled) along with content and apps for corporate use. It not only empowers a modern workforce with more flexibility and enhanced productivity, but also enables company IT admins to effortlessly manage, control, and secure enterprise devices and corporate information on all devices.
The core requirement for a successful enterprise mobility system is to provide faultless security for the device, corporate data and enterprise apps, operating system updates, bulk deployment, and a 360-degree device management experience across all deployment and operating systems.
Google’s Android Enterprise launched Android Enterprise Recommended Program to facilitate enterprises to confidently choose, deploy, and manage Google validated Android devices and services, best suited to their business needs.
How Android Enterprise Recommended Program Works?
Device Selection
You can choose from a range of approved devices by comparing their features or by selecting EMMs according to their management functions. These verified devices and services from various vendors are partnered and trained by Google to meet complex enterprise requirements.
Consistent Deployment
Zero-touch enrollment helps you consistently deploy, support, and manage a bulk of Android devices at scale saving you time and human effort.
Regular Updates
This program ensures devices are updated regularly with security patches and latest Android features.
Rugged Device Management
Android Enterprise Recommended also supports rugged device management.
EMM Solutions
The recommended EMM solutions provide a rich set of advanced features to address diverse devices.
Why is Android Enterprise Recommended Significant?
There’s a plethora of Android-based devices in the market, a wide range of custom Android MDM APIs for individual hardware OEMs, which made it difficult to identify the ones that best fit an enterprise’s needs.
To eliminate fragmentation, the listed EMM vendors would support Android Enterprise Management API’s and have guaranteed levels of support for device and application management. To be in Android Enterprise Recommended Program EMM vendors should:
- Deliver all management and advanced security features.
- Simplified set-up and consistent deployment of Android Enterprise and support for multiple deployment models like work profiles, full device management, and dedicated device management (e.g. kiosks and rugged devices).
- Standardize Android support for Android Enterprise by providing documentation and guides for customers, and Google trained support staff.
- Consistent deployment experiences through a unified admin console for a simplified Android experience.
Google also recommends minimum hardware specifications, performance, integration ability, mass deployment support, default apps set, and frequent security updates for Android 7.0+ devices.
Benefits of Android Enterprise Recommended Program
- Consistent management capabilities across various Android manufacturers and app developers.
- Consistent APIs for device management and app developers.
- Greater security for the mobile workforce with regular security updates and stringent security requirements.
- Securely containerize corporate and personal data to enable corporate profiles in personal space.
- Parity between functionalities provided by various vendors.
- A simple, efficient rollout of devices, and automated connection to the EMM system after boot-up. This reduces human effort and helps centralize device management.
- Complete app control by integrating Managed Google Play Store with EMM. Administrators have complete control over offered apps:
->disable the ability to install apps from unknown sources
->allow only approved apps to be installed
->avoid data leakage by preventing personal-corporate interaction
Android Enterprise Recommended program raises standards for enterprise-level devices and also tackles the problem of inconsistencies because of different Android OS versions and device manufacturers. Google also recommends EMM vendor partners to help manage BYOD and company-owned devices. Another significant plus is that devices recommended under this program are vetted by Google’s best practices and methods and meet the enterprise-grade requirements. When a company decides to buy devices or invest in an EMM solution, they only need to look for an AER certification and be clear of their expectations and budgets.
AER will continue to evolve with newer specifications and an army of vendors and will eventually be a game changer in enterprise mobility and Scalefusion is all set to make its mark – a considerable one for sure!
