Maintaining & Managing Mobile Rugged Devices For Optimal Success

Typical consumer devices work great when you can protect them from the environment or manage the way they are treated. For industrial workers, field workers, healthcare workers, or others in less-than-optimal conditions, consumer devices are just too fragile. Just as they are not built to withstand major use in demanding environments, managing these mobile devices to do what’s needed can be challenging. 

That’s where rugged devices come in. Rugged devices are meant to go anywhere and withstand harsh environments. With all the functionality of a consumer tablet or mobile device, they also sport features that make it possible to work under extreme conditions. Maintaining and managing these mobile devices properly will ensure optimal success.

What Are Mobile Rugged Devices?

Rugged devices are a genre of hardware that will keep performing even when exposed to extreme temperatures, dusty or wet conditions, shocks, or drops that would render another device inoperable. For construction teams, emergency services personnel, warehouse workers, or when used by employees in venues such as retail, rugged devices can take a beating and continue to work.

Maintaining & Managing Rugged Mobile Devices

These mobile devices need specific management and maintenance to keep them running at optimal levels. It can be a challenge. Workforces can be diverse and spread out across multiple locations.  In enterprises with hundreds or thousands of devices in operation, many of which are remote, it can be even more difficult.

Because they aren’t the typical in-office devices, they are also prone to misuse by employees and are lost more easily. This can create security issues. If there’s a problem, it may be difficult to bring the device into a location for IT support. Support likely has to happen in the field.

Because of the environments in which they are used and the way they are used, specific managing of these rugged mobile devices is required.

Deployment and Provisioning

Mobile rugged devices are most often put in service away from the corporate offices. This means you’ll need a Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution that can enroll, deploy, and be geared for remote provisioning at scale. The best systems will allow for over the air (OTA) firmware updates so that devices can be upgraded in the field.

Remote Management and Control

Once registered, devices need to be tracked, managed, and monitored. Device performance analysis can ensure devices are operating properly and being used for their intended purpose. Status updates can let admins know when there’s a problem.

Since devices are in operation away from HQ, you’ll also need a way to remotely troubleshoot and take control of devices to update or problem solve.

Managing Security of Mobile Devices

Unlike consumer devices, these mobile rugged devices may contain confidential or proprietary information as well as have access to company networks. Administrators need the ability to configure enterprise-level security to prevent data theft, viruses, and hackers. You may also need to restrict certain user behaviors, such as connection to public Wi-Fi without using a VPN, device tethering, Bluetooth, camera usages, screen capture, or external storage.

The right MDM will allow for geofencing to ensure devices aren’t removed from their intended service areas or at least warn you if it happens. If a device is lost or stolen, IT teams need to be able to lock or wipe mobile rugged devices remotely.

Compatibility

You might have multiple types and versions of mobile devices in the field. You might even have different operating systems or devices with specific software and apps to manage within the same organization.  There may also be legacy applications or systems that are no longer supported by vendors. The right MDM will allow managing all of these diverse elements, various configurations, and operating systems on your mobile devices.

Managing Multiple Users on Mobile Devices

Mobile rugged devices may be shared among multiple users. You’ll need the ability to create multiple user profiles and individual access levels with a way to dynamically configure apps based on the user.

Solving the Challenges of Managing Mobile Rugged Devices

It can be a challenge for IT teams to manage rugged deployments using disconnected tools. That’s why a unified endpoint management system (UEM), such as an MDM, provides greater visibility, security, and operational efficiency by managing rugged devices from a central dashboard.

The VISO Single-Purpose Device Management Solution

The VISO Single-Purpose Device Management solution by Radix is the most robust and easy-to-use platform to manage and secure COSU devices (corporate-owned single-use) devices. It gives managers and administrators the power to harness any device to the organization’s mission.

Whether you are managing a tablet, smartphone, a consumer-grade device from a big-box store, or mobile rugged devices, VISO removes unwanted distractions to ensure your business-critical devices are being used for their intended purpose, and to advance your organization’s mission.

VISO Single-Purpose Device Management allows you to manage mobile rugged devices remotely with these features:

• Centrally manage apps, OS settings, and device updates
• Install applications and updates on devices remotely
• Simplify batch tasks and simultaneous workflows
• Take remote control over devices for assistance
• Group and tag devices according to predefined criteria
• Apply and enforce policies and regulations
• Analyze device, web, and app usage
• Create Geo-fences and device location perimeters
• Lock, track, and wipe lost or stolen devices
• Broadcast alerts and notices to all or selected devices

By centrally managing, monitoring, and securing your entire device fleet, you are assured that your mobile rugged devices are being used and being used the way they are intended. If there’s a problem, remote troubleshooting allows IT teams to take control without having the device physically in hand.

Managers can analyze and optimize device usage across the organization. Process analysis and performance measurement can help to create more efficient systems. Project managers can make better fact-based decisions after viewing comprehensive reporting.

VISO Single-Purpose Device Management can be used either on-premises or as a cloud-based solution accessible from anywhere. Built for single-purpose and rugged devices, it’s a modular and flexible solution that integrates with leading device manufacturers.

Contact Radix Technologies today to learn more about VISO Single-Purpose Device Management.