Mobile Device Analytics & MDM: Embrace Predictive

Optimize Your Fleet with Proactive Problem Solving by Analyzing Data

Mobile device management (MDM) and mobile device analytics are essential components informing the data-driven decisions that power the business world today. Independently, these tools have been serving organizations for years. But, the challenges of today’s world — from security to managing the many devices needed — are forcing companies and their vendor partners to examine more ways to use both to maximize the benefits of an enterprise mobility solution.

Many businesses have already realized the need for MDM. This has been influenced both by the virtual explosion of mobile devices in recent years — from laptops, tablets and smartphones to IoT sensors, printers, scanners, and more — and the need to work from anywhere (warehouse floor, on the road, at home). Implementing a MDM to account for all these devices, and to secure them and the data they transmit, is a necessity for these vital productivity tools. 

The Added Efficiencies of Mobile Device Analytics

But once an organization has invested in MDM and seen its process mature and develop, the next step is to capitalize on that foundation and go further than provisioning and securing enterprise mobility within their corporate environment. When mobile device analytics is paired with a robust MDM, companies gain more insight from the vast amount of data that is transferred each and every day. This visibility in every aspect of device usage leads to better decisions, which streamline operations, reduce costs, and add efficiencies. 

Getting a Complete, and Clearer, Picture

MDM systems collect an endless supply of data from various endpoints, such as the device itself, the networks they operate on, applications used, the identity of the users, and security protocol. All this data, while filtered through a mobile device analytics tool or system, provides information that can be implemented to drive data for the business using the enterprise mobility solution.

Device data — Device location, serial number, battery levels, memory usage, CPU power, OS version and more provide a multitude of data points to use when looking at predictive analytics or trouble shooting.

Device Support — Supporting your mobile environment remotely can be extremely costly and time consuming. MDM platforms help decrease downtime and assist in keeping devices out in the production to save on downtime. Remote control, modifying applications and OS settings are some examples on how a MDM is worth its weight in gold. 

Network data — See which devices are using the most data, get telecom carrier info, track IP addresses, Wireless network connection data, last connect time and more. These provide insight into solving anomalies that might lead into high cellular rates, or ironing out in-house connectivity issues. 

Application information — Which apps are using the most bandwidth or creating the most data? Which are used most often? Are the right apps being used? Who’s the publisher, which version is it? Analytics helps you direct resources and plot out must-have (and must-avoid) applications. You can also test DEV applications on certain devices enrolled into environment. MDM management makes it easy to test new applications on certain devices installed in the customer environment.

Security and Identity — Track and spot trends, or be alerted to outliers, in who is using which devices and for what purpose. Everything from credential keys to OS security patches, user roles to encryption, and more can be monitored and watched for predictable patterns — and inconsistencies that could indicate a problem. 

Mobile device analytics provide critical insights and drive improvements in device performance, user productivity and uptime. Using mobile device analytics, organizations can perform root cause analysis in case of a device crash, prevent slowdowns, and detect anomalies in case a device behaves differently from its originally configured state. You can identify abnormal data usage, non-compliance with organization policies, or the installation of unauthorized apps that could pose security risks.

Learn More With TRG: Go in-depth into all the considerations for MDM strategy with the Mobile Device Management Playbook, a free resource. Download it here.

Battery Life: A Mobile Device Analytics Example

There are many practical and value-adding ways mobile device analytics can be deployed alongside an MDM. Using analytics, you can determine if you have the right-sized fleet of devices, or too many spares, or if they’re being over or under utilized. You can see how often users are in a certain application and track metrics for usage and how it interacts with your network. 

Here, we’ll outline one specific, real-world example of how analytics informs decision-making processes that affect bottom line results: battery usage.

Uncover When Replacements Are Required

Enterprise mobility is powered by batteries. And while today’s latest lithium types are far better than older versions, they still wear down and eventually need to be replaced. Analytical data gives you a granular view of battery performance and gives you greater visibility into when — and how many — you need to replace them. 

Analytics can tell you the usable charging cycles left on a battery. If a battery isn’t retaining a full charge — within the allotted range of charging cycles prescribed by the manufacturer — then it could be a faulty or defective unit. Analytics can alert you to which specific batteries fall under this umbrella, and even let you know if you have a warranty claim.

Use Analytics to Investigate the Root of Battery Drainage

You can peer into what’s happening with your devices while at work as well. If a mobile scanner begins a shift at 100%, but suddenly is substantially below that mark shortly into the shift you may chalk it up to the battery. But analytics could alert you to which apps are on the device, and which might be draining the battery more significantly. Perhaps the battery isn’t to blame after all. 

Or, let’s say you're in year three of a deployment with a large fleet of devices. Many organizations will elect to replace the batteries for the entire fleet at once. But through mobile device analytics you’re able to pinpoint which batteries are actually wearing down and which ones are still performing well. These could lead to substantial savings on the next battery purchase. 

Discover New Ways to Save with Analytics 

Rather than simply swapping out every battery in the environment every few years, you can selectively replace only what is falling performance benchmarks. Analytics allows you to drill down into every individual battery — it’s expected life, what is draining it, serial number, etc. — before making a decision.

This kind of clarity can be implemented across your enterprise mobility program with a mature MDM system and mobile device analytics. 

Go Modern With TRG: No matter your level of tech adoption, modernizing with MDM services and providers alleviates the pain of upgrading your enterprise mobility fleet.

Get More from Mobile Device Analytics with TRG

Enterprises need proven MDM solutions and vetted third-party partners to help implement them and bring them to maturity. Adding mobile device analytics to the equation only adds to the necessity of having a trusted partner there to find the right fit that serves your organization and its goals.

TRG helps you evaluate alternatives, develop project plans and execute technology transformations. Once a solution is decided upon, our single-source deployment solutions will handle staging, kitting and configuration to simplify technology rollouts. Once your solution is up and running, TRG will ensure it stays that way with comprehensive managed services for the repair, maintenance and logistical support that eliminate downtime.

Mobile device analytics give organizations the power to put into action proactive, predictive, and preventive knowledge for ensuring the reliability and performance of their enterprise fleet. Internal IT teams are armed with better information to troubleshoot problems. Admins can more easily identify and prevent situations where increasing data usage or decreasing battery performance occur, and reduce scenarios where devices fail.