What is Android Enterprise?

Android Enterprise is an initiative by Google to facilitate the use of Android devices and apps in workplaces. This program provides tools and APIs for developers to incorporate Android device support into enterprise mobility management (EMM) or unified endpoint management (UEM) solutions. It offers a variety of features and functionalities that are especially developed to address particular needs, such as support for enterprise-level security and device deployment and management. Its device management support empowers businesses to remotely configure devices, deploy applications and updates, and track device usage. It also includes tools to implement device policies and enforce compliance.

How do Businesses Use Android Enterprise?

A key factor that drives businesses to use Android Enterprise is mobile device management (MDM). MDM solutions allow businesses to manage their devices remotely and enforce policies and controls that ensure security and compliance. 

MDM solutions, whether deployed as cloud-based solutions or on-premise solutions, can be used with Android Enterprise. Cloud-based MDM solutions are usually easier to set up and manage, and they can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection. On-premise solutions, on the other hand, are typically more complex to set up and manage, but they can be customized and configured to meet the specific needs of an organization.

In addition to MDM solutions, there are a number of other tools and services that help businesses manage and secure their Android devices. These include mobile application management (MAM) solutions, which allow businesses to manage and secure the apps installed on their devices, and mobile content management (MCM) solutions, which allow businesses to manage and secure the content stored on their devices.

How does Android Enterprise work?

The main goal of Android Enterprise is to provide a consistent, secure, and flexible way of managing Android devices. It helps organizations leverage different ways (modes) of managing devices depending on their specific requirements, and these include:

Android Enterprise Fully Managed: This is the most comprehensive management mode, which allows IT administrators to have complete control over a device. This includes the ability to configure system settings, install and manage apps, and enforce security policies. This mode requires a device to be factory-reset before being enrolled, and is more suitable for corporate-owned devices.

Personally-Owned with Work Profile: This mode enables administrators to manage devices that are not owned by the organization. Examples of such devices are employee-owned devices (BYOD). It allows IT administrators to create and manage a work profile, which is separate from the personal profile. 

Company-Owned with Work Profile: This mode applies to the management of corporate-owned, single user devices that are used only for work related purposes. Admins have the right to manage the entire device and deploy usage policies that cannot be applied to personally-owned devices.  

Benefits of Using Android Enterprise

One of the key benefits that Android Enterprise offers is scalability. It can be used to manage both a small fleet of devices, or huge fleet comprising hundreds or thousands of devices in a large enterprise. This makes it a good choice for businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large corporations.

Another key benefit of using Android Enterprise is its focus on security. It includes a number of features that help protect devices and data. Some of these features include support for device encryption, secure boot, and device provisioning. It also helps enforce a range of security policies that can be used to control access to device features and applications and ensure that devices are compliant with corporate security standards.

In addition, Android Enterprise also promises flexibility. It can be used in a number of ways depending on the needs of a business. For example, it can be used to manage a fleet of corporate-owned or employee-owned devices.

Another benefit of Android Enterprise is its support for a wide range of devices. It can be used to manage not only smartphones and tablets but also other types of devices such as wearables and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. This makes it a good choice for businesses that are looking to adopt a more comprehensive approach to device management.

Sometimes, people may get confused between Android Device Administrator and Android Enterprise. We will explain the difference between both in detail in the next section.

What is the Difference between Android Device Administrator and Android Enterprise?

Android Device Administrator and Android Enterprise are both used to manage and secure Android devices, but they have some major differences:

Scope of Management: Android Device Administrator is a legacy feature that was introduced in Android 2.2 (Froyo). It provides a basic set of device management capabilities. However, Android Device Administrator has been deprecated and is no longer supported. On the other hand, Android Enterprise is a more robust and comprehensive solution that has advanced device management and security features.

Management Modes: Android Device Administrator provides only one management mode, which is the Device Administrator mode. This mode features a limited set of management capabilities, such as the ability to lock or wipe a device, set a password policy, and disable the USB storage functionality. Android Enterprise, on the other hand, enables several management modes, including Device Owner, Profile Owner, Fully Managed, and Dedicated Device modes.

App Distribution: With Android Device Administrator, apps can be distributed through third-party app stores or an internal enterprise app store. On the other hand, Android Enterprise allows organizations to use the Google Play Store for app distribution and management, which ensures a more secure and streamlined way of managing apps.

Security: Android Device Administrator provides a basic set of security features, such as device encryption and password policies. On the other hand, Android Enterprise provides a range of security features such as device encryption, secure boot, device lockdown, and support for security protocols, which help keep devices and data safe.

Flexibility: Android Device Administrator is a less flexible solution, and it's not as customizable as Android Enterprise. As a result, it fails to meet the specific needs of some organizations.

In a nutshell, Android Enterprise is a more comprehensive and advanced solution for managing and securing Android devices in the enterprise environment. Android Enterprise makes for a better choice than Android Device Administrator because it offers more flexibility, advanced features, and management options. While Android Device Administrator still works, it is not recommended for use as it is no longer being updated and might not be able to provide the level of security and management that most organizations require.

Conclusion

To sum up, Android Enterprise is a comprehensive solution for managing and securing Android devices in the enterprise environment. It allows organizations to fully customize the management of devices to their specific needs, which can help increase productivity and security, and reduce the overall management overhead.

Android Enterprise features a range of functionalities that are specifically designed to meet the needs of businesses and can be used in a number of ways, depending on the needs of a business. Whether you are running a small startup or a large corporation, Android Enterprise can help you manage and secure your devices efficiently and effectively while allowing you to remain compliant with corporate security standards. 

However, in order to fully utilize the benefits of Android Enterprise, businesses should deploy an MDM solution such as SureMDM. MDM solutions ensure that Android Enterprise APIs and multiple device management functionalities can be utilized optimally, which can help businesses manage, monitor, and secure their devices easily at any time, from anywhere. SureMDM can help companies set up device access rules and enforce device usage policies. This helps prevent unauthorized access to devices and data. SureMDM’s lockdown feature prevents access to unauthorized apps and websites, which helps improve employee productivity and prevent cyberattacks.