If you have a work phone, you probably have mobile gear management (MDM) software installed.

You may not know about it, but its there.

Want to know more about MDM?

Phone in chains

Heres what you should probably know about the tools that let your employers IT department manage your phone.

What Does MDM Mean?

MDM is an acronym of Mobile gear Management.

BlackBerry phones

This is a jot down of remote asset-management software that runs from a central server.

This means that your employer can remotely administer the machine, covering things like updates and tracking lost devices.

MDM software has been in use for years, in various forms.

Is MDM the Same as EMM and UEM?

Other acronyms are in use that cover similar purposes as MDM.

Most prominent among these are EMM and UEM.

Meanwhile, Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) is different, focused on static devices.

What Is MDM For?

The main purpose of MDM is to ensure mobile devicesmainly phonesare secure and viable.

This covers everything from ensuring only approved software is installed, to managing web access.

If youve noticed restrictions in how your work phone can be used, then MDM software is installed.

Who Uses MDM Software?

All the time you use your work phone, you use MDM software.

But that is client software, over which you have little or no control.

The full Mobile equipment Management software is being overseen by a system administrator.

A named system administrator will be specifically responsible for managing MDM-connected devices and applying security and usage policies.

In addition, lower pay grade colleagues will typically interact with the MDM administration software on a day-to-day basis.

7 Common Features of MDM Software

Hopefully youve recognized that there is MDM software on your phone.

But what does it actually do?

However, web app-based administration is increasingly common, enabling remote management for work-from-home IT agents.

Here are five MDM systems your employer might be using on your work phone.

Confidential data can be encrypted, personal and business use separated, and unwanted applications blocked.

Statistics and reports on equipment usage can also be viewed.

SOTI Mobicontrol also supports installation on BYOD hardware.

Each of the MDM platforms listed offers the same general level of control and oversight of company assets.