Mobility Management: A Glossary of Terms

As enterprise mobility has become a more significant and essential way of doing business, enterprise mobility technology has become more varied and voluminous. In turn, enterprise mobility management has become more complex and critical.

Through this evolution, enterprise mobility has developed a vocabulary all its own. If you're new to enterprise mobility – or just need a refresher – here are a few common terms you need to know.

Cost Optimization

Cost optimization is the process of reviewing costs to reduce wasteful spending. In mobility, this includes identifying zero-use lines, inappropriate pooling parameters, device upgrade frequency, and more.

Device Logistics
Device logistics includes forward and reverse logistics and ensures employees receive their devices and accessories quickly and have a straightforward process of returning devices for data removal, recycling, destruction, etc. when needed. Managed mobility service providers often support this function end-to-end with automated processes and an easy-to-use service portal.

EMM: Enterprise Mobility Management

Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) encompasses the processes and technologies used to manage mobile devices and mobile computing in a corporate environment. Typically, EMM consolidates multiple tools and processes under one centralized software management platform, which may also be offered as a managed service. EMM tools may include MDM and MAM plus Mobile Content Management (MCM), Mobile Identity Management (MIM), Wireless Expense Management (WEM), Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) management, and more.

MACD: Move, Add, Change, and Delete/Disconnect

MACD services are requests to move, add, change or disconnect users, services or accounts. They are a significant part of the day-to-day management of any mobility environment. Many managed mobility service providers can record, track, report, execute and streamline MACDs to provide relief from these repetitive tasks while reducing errors and optimizing costs.

MAM: Mobile Application Management

Mobile Application Management (MAM) is a set of software tools that manage access to corporate data and applications. MAM targets the control of applications and content, not the device itself. MAM solutions enable the deployment, monitoring, and patching of company mobile apps, including app configuration, app lifecycle management, license management, and inventory management.

MDM: Mobile Device Management

Mobile Device Management (MDM) is on-device software that allows your company to enroll corporate-owned or personally owned mobile devices into a series of policies governing the use and access to company applications and information. Typically, this is a software-only solution but can also be offered as a managed service.

MMS: Managed Mobility Services

Managed Mobility Services (MMS) typically refers to solutions based on proprietary software that supports centralizing mobile invoices, usage information, carrier contracts, inventory and associated human resources (HR) data. MMS solutions often incorporate mobile device ordering and provisioning along with integrations to companies' HR, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and MDM systems.

Mobile Device 
A mobile device is a computer – small enough to be handheld and operated on the go – that processes, displays and transmits data. Mobile devices can connect to the Internet either via telecom carrier-enabled service or via a Wi-Fi network.

Mobile Device Lifecycle Management
Mobile device lifecycle management encompasses all processes and strategies to plan, procure, deploy, maintain, manage and decommission mobile devices. This process can be managed in-house or by a managed mobility services provider.

Mobile Policy 
A mobile policy is a set of rules and regulations defining how employees use and maintain their corporate mobile devices. These can include rules ranging from accessing restricted information, changing passwords, opening questionable emails and attachments to restrictions around using public Wi-Fi networks. The ultimate goal of a mobile policy is to establish the framework for device and data security.  

Procurement  
In mobility, procurement can include all steps from placing an order for a mobile service with a telecom carrier to enforcing mobile policy-related rules and guidelines, such as who can order which device and when and what plans and features need to be provisioned on the device to ensure it supports the employees' job responsibilities.  

Service Desk/Helpdesk

Service desk or helpdesk is a centralized contact center that assists users with technical matters ranging from email accounts to hardware questions to mobility questions. The service desk or helpdesk function may be staffed by in-house or remote specialists and is often supported by specialized ticketing software that routes requests to available tech support agents.

TEM: Telecom Expense Management

Telecom Expense Management (TEM) is a combination of processes, software and other automated technologies that help analyze and control expenses related to voice and data networks and plans. TEM also can include expertise offered by a managed services provider.

UEM: Unified Endpoint Management

Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) empowers your IT team to manage, secure, provision and control all hardware within the corporate IT infrastructure. It's similar to MDM but covers more device types, such as cell phones, tablets, laptops, desktops and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Think of UEM as EMM for all device types, regardless of form factor or operating system.

WEM: Wireless Expense Management
Wireless Expense Management (WEM) is a combination of processes, software and other automated technologies that help analyze and control expenses related to mobile telecommunication expenses. WEM also can include expertise offered by a managed services provider.

Workflow Automation

Workflow automation describes technology-supported processes put in place to execute repetitive or mundane tasks. Workflow automation cuts down on human effort and error and sets a series of tasks into motion based on pre-set rules. Workflow automation saves time and effort, and in mobility, helps ensure devices and plans are used and managed properly.

Looking for a term that isn't on this list or have a suggestion for an addition? Let us know by contacting our team.