GigaOm Key Criteria for Evaluating Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) Solutionsv4.0

1. Executive Summary

The allocation of resources toward information technology-based endpoints is a significant part of any modern IT budget. The contemporary IT landscape features a distributed workforce relying on a diverse range of devices to access broad portfolios of enterprise applications and data. Amid this complexity, IT teams face the challenging task of managing, configuring, and securing all types of network endpoints–including mobile devices, desktops, laptops, and increasingly the adoption of non-end user devices such as operational technology components and IoT sensors.

Failing to effectively manage endpoints can have significant ramifications for an organization. Poor management of these business assets can impact the balance sheet, user experience, and operational efficiency, while also introducing major security risks. Addressing these problems should be a priority for the diligent IT executive. Striking this balance requires achieving an appropriate equilibrium between user experience and enterprise control, as overemphasising one at the expense of the other is often counterproductive.

For example, excessive restrictions or device lockdowns can hinder employee flexibility and productivity. Unified endpoint management (UEM) solutions, however, enable organizations to enhance endpoint experiences for users while maintaining robust security control.

Business Imperative
The importance of effective endpoint management in modern organizations cannot be overstated. To achieve this, organizations must solve two issues:

• For end-user devices, a solution should provide employees with sustained access to applications and data while ensuring the security and control of business-critical data assets.
• For diverse endpoints, organizations must manage not only desktops and laptops but also servers, operational technology, and IoT devices.

UEM solutions bring user and device management together into a single pane of glass view and allow organizations to perform the following:

• Manage devices through a centralized console.
• Manage device lifecycle from enrollment to deactivation.
• Ensure device sustainability.
• Create and enforce security policies.
• Patch and update devices and applications.
• Enhance IT and end user experience.
• Ensure devices are included as part of an overall security strategy.

Effective UEM solutions help deliver an overall better user experience, improve operational efficiency, and maintain strong endpoint security.

Endpoints represent a significant investment for most organizations, comprising a significant part of the IT budget. Neglecting to effectively manage, maintain and protect these critical assets would be a dereliction of duty.

Sector Adoption Score
To help executives and decision-makers evaluate the potential impact and value of deploying a UEM solution, this GigaOm Key Criteria report provides a structured assessment of the sector across five factors: benefit, maturity, urgency, impact, and effort. By scoring each factor based on how strongly it compels or deters adoption of a UEMsolution, we provide an overall Sector Adoption Score (Figure 1) of 3.8 out of 5, with 5 indicating the strongest possible recommendation to adopt. This indicates that a UEM solution is a credible candidate for deployment and worthy of thoughtful consideration.

The factors contributing to the Sector Adoption Score for UEM are explained in more detail in the Sector Brief section that follows.

Figure 1. Sector Adoption Score for UEM

This is the fourth year that GigaOm has reported on the UEM space in the context of our Key Criteria and Radar reports. This report builds on our previous analysis and considers how the market has evolved over the last year.

This GigaOm Key Criteria report highlights the capabilities (table stakes, key features, and emerging features) and nonfunctional requirements (business criteria) for selecting an effective UEM solution. The companion GigaOm Radar report identifies vendors and products that excel in those decision criteria. Together, these reports provide an overview of the market, identify leading UEM offerings, and help decision-makers evaluate these solutions so they can make a more informed investment decision.