2019: IoT Growth Demands Better Endpoint Management

In 2019, Forrester estimates 85% of firms will implement or plan to implement IoT solutions.  The proliferation of IoT devices and the overall growth of mobile and remote computing have created new endpoint management challenges for IT teams.  Adding IoT to an already diverse end user computing (EUC) environment is a big job ahead for IT.  Solutions that can deliver organization, efficiency and security will be in greater demand as enterprises seek to gain control over this growing endpoint estate.

IGEL is seeing the impact IoT has on an already over stretched IT organization who is still trying to deal with traditional endpoint management, like Windows.  Many Enterprises are still struggling with how to integrate IoT devices into their overall operations and apply a common level of security and oversight to both their existing devices, desktops and new IOT devices.  Centralized, automated endpoint management software, that can securely manage tens of thousands of these endpoints, is essential to creating organization and efficiency out of this complex, diverse environment.

Management in the Cloud

IoT first and foremost is a child of the cloud.  The minute consumers could turn on their home appliances remotely, it was inevitable more cloud-enabled connectivity would expand to IoT in business. The positive news here is that the cloud offers more manageable and secure EUC for all endpoints.  With users now working from everywhere using the cloud, it can be difficult for IT to enact comprehensive policy control and remote support.  Solutions such as IGEL’s Endpoint Management platform provide an integrated, low touch system for universal endpoint management that supports almost any virtual desktop deployment architecture – including the cloud.   IGEL also supports a heterogenous estate of endpoint with its software defined endpoint Operating System.  To enable users to securely communicate between their Windows 10 IoT Enterprise-powered IGEL desktops and IoT devices, the IGEL UD5 and UD6 thin clients support a variety of networking protocols including the genuine Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) client. As a result, IT organizations – from healthcare to manufacturing and beyond – are now able to simplify the management of their growing fleets of IoT-connected endpoints.

Besides IoT, the cloud is an enabling force in the growing popularity of mobile iOS devices in the enterprise. IT teams have been searching for endpoint management software that enables them to manage their iOS devices in the same way they would all other endpoints. IGEL provides the answer with new capabilities for iOS management, including Mobile Device Management (MDM) Essentials in its updated release of its management platform.  Mindful of security concerns, IGEL’s features for iOS devices include the ability to send current profile settings to the device, wipe devices, clear passcode and device lock.

Innovation Beyond IoT

B2B applications of IoT will take off in 2019, Forrester notes, as enterprises focus on driving efficiencies, connecting the enterprise, expanding the edge, and, in some cases, providing personalized customer experiences.  Centralized endpoint management will be a critical part of enterprise IoT as IT teams must be able to deliver a secure, efficient environment for not only IoT but all EUC devices.

For more information on IGEL endpoint management read here.