How MDM and MAM Differ and Why It Matters for IT Security

Mobile phones have become essential for employees in today's digital-first workplaces. These devices include everything from smartphones and tablets to laptops that allow employees to connect, collaborate, and work wherever needed.

Mobile technology, however, has proliferated, bringing with it the challenges of securing those devices and managing the apps that run on those devices. Companies use Mobile Device Management (MDM) and Mobile Application Management (MAM) solutions to address these challenges.

MDM and MAM protect corporate data and enhance productivity mechanics, but in different ways. Thus, knowledge of MDM vs. MAM is essential if any business wants to implement an effective IT security strategy. In this article, we will explain MDM vs. MAM, clarify their unique features, and explain what these mean for the state of IT security in your organization.

What is Mobile Device Management (MDM)?

MDM stands for Mobile Device Management, a software program that helps the IT administrator control the mobile devices used in the organization. This means adding devices to a management system that an administrator can then see, configure, and enforce security policies on. MDM solutions work best for enterprises that own and manage physical devices for their employees.

Key features of MDM include:

Device Provisioning and Management: IT Admins can enroll and administer devices for compliance with company guidelines.

Remote Device Management: MDM solutions enable IT teams to remotely lock, wipe, or reset devices when they are lost or compromised.

Enforcing Security Policies: They can enforce security policies such as requiring strong passwords, enabling encryption, and managing applications installed on the device.

MDM also gives you complete control over the device, which is a significant concern when working with sensitive data and complying with industry regulations.

What is Mobile Application Management (MAM)?

MAM is focused on managing and securing the apps themselves rather than the devices. What is MAM? MAM is ideal for companies with a BYOD policy in their work environment or for companies needing more granular control of specific apps. Instead, MAM enables organizations to manage and secure the apps that employees use without direct access to the rest of the device.

Key features of MAM include:

IT teams can deploy, configure, and update apps on devices remotely, ensuring that the apps are up to date and adhere to company policy.

App Protection: MAM solutions can impose security policies on apps, such as app encryption, the need for authentication, and the restriction of data sharing between corporate and personal apps.

Data Management: MAM helps organizations keep corporate data separate from personal data, keeping sensitive information safe and employee privacy intact.

MAM also offers a lighter, more flexible solution, specifically in situations where full device management is either overkill or too intrusive.

MDM vs MAM: Key Differences

When comparing MDM vs MAM, it's important to consider how each solution operates and what they aim to achieve regarding security and management. Let’s break down the key differences between the two:

Scope of Control

MDM offers full control over the actual device. This includes enforcing security settings, installing and removing apps, tracking the device location, and even remotely wiping data if the device is lost or stolen. MDM works best for organizations that own the devices and must enforce strong control over them.

On the other hand, MAM is designed to manage and secure certain applications on mobile devices. It enables IT admins to configure policies on corporate applications, such as PIN for access, app data encryption, and preventing app data exchange. However, MAM does not give organizations control of the entire device, which is useful when employees use their devices for work (BYOD).

Security Features

MDM security features are generally more robust because they apply to all devices. MDM allows device-wide policies to be set and enforced, such as encryption, remote wiping, and password policies. This ensures that the whole device is protected, which is crucial for organizations that handle sensitive information and data.

However, MAM provides app-specific security. It can mandate encryption and authentication within individual apps, but the protection does not extend to the device level, such as remote wiping or locking devices. MAM can secure the data within corporate apps, but cannot control or secure the device. Thus, MAM is more apt at securing corporate apps and data without managing the full device.

Privacy Considerations

One of the most significant differences between MDM and MAM is employee privacy. MDM provides more control over the entire device so IT administrators can investigate the personal data on the device. This can be particularly concerning for employees in BYOD environments who do not want the company to be able to access or control their data.

This is a significantly more privacy-friendly concept with MAM, which focuses more on apps. MAM manages only corporate apps, so personal data and applications will be untouched. Employees there can conduct nonwork activities on their devices without worrying that the company will intrude on their privacy.

Implementation and Management

MDM solutions entail a more complex implementation due to device management. This typically involves configuring processes for devices to be enrolled, the deployed settings and ensuring all devices adhere to company policies. MDM implementation is often complex because securely managing many devices across an organization requires careful planning and ongoing attention.

MAM solutions are also easier to deploy and maintain since they require only managing specific apps. You don’t have to enroll devices or set device-wide policies. MAM solutions are easier to deploy, and app management is less resource-intensive. However, the downside is that MAM is not as secure or control-based as MDM on the device.

Why It Matters for IT Security

When it comes to MDM vs. MAM, organizations should assess their IT security requirements thoroughly. If your business requires full control of devices, strict enforcement of security policies, and sensitive data protection on every device, MDM is probably the way to go. MDM offers the most complete level of security by controlling the whole device and its information, making it best suited for fields that need stringent security and compliance, including healthcare and finance.

If your organization wants to protect corporate data that employees need to access your apps while respecting their privacy, then MAM could be the right solution for you, as it helps provide more flexibility, like BYOD. 

The classic MAM or Mobile Application Management gives more flexibility, especially in a BYOD environment, in which employees work on them with their own devices. MAM protects company data while avoiding the invasiveness associated with full control over the device by securing only the corporate apps.

This is important when it comes to ensuring a secure mobile environment. An organization that settles on MDM when MAM would do is likely to establish unnecessary complexity, while an outfit that decides on MAM when MDM is called for is potentially going to end up with open and vulnerable devices and data.

MDM vs MAM — Combining Both for Maximum Security

MDM vs MAM: Pros and Cons. In some cases, MDM and MAM combined might completely answer the question. The protection offered to both device and application levels provides overall security by implementing both solutions. This hybrid approach works especially well for organizations that use a mix of corporate-owned and personal devices.

MDM + MAM: MDM gives IT teams 100% control of the devices from MDM and MAM to secure the apps. This layered approach, however, protects against security threats while providing enough room for flexibility and protection around access to the data.

Conclusion

In essence, the MDM vs. MAM argument comes down to the level of control and security the organization requires. MDM offers device control, and many enterprises have rigid security policies that require enforcement. MAM, by contrast, lets you keep personal apps and data intact, and that's better for the BYOD workforce or for those who want less invasive control over their people.

“Knowing your organization’s needs and priorities will guide your decision-making.” Whether MDM, MAM, or both, the goal is always to keep your mobile devices and applications secure and protect your data.