Mobile Device Management or MDM is ideal for addressing many challenges inherent to our 'Bring your own Device' culture. MDM can help enforce policy for mobile devices but when you look closer, you begin to realize it does not solve everything. The challenge is when we ask our MDM technology to make policy decisions out of context.

Cisco's Identity Services Engine (ISE) offers centralized policy and network intelligence as an MDM compliment for a complete security solution

This is where Cisco comes in with ISE or the Identity Services Engine. We did a Fundamentals of ISE awhile back that still serves as a great backdrop for getting your head around it. ISE is frequently lauded for its ability to provide a single repository for all the potentially complex rules and regulations we need on our network. The point right now however is ensuring we know where ISE begins/ends in reference to MDM. Neither can act completely alone and accomplish everything most customers are hoping for in a BYOD solution especially. But where do we begin and end?

Many will start with MDM because it can manage the mobile devices attaching to the network as well as help secure them. However it cannot prevent security-compromised devices from attaching to the network and causing chaos. It cannot differentiate users and devices on the network or apply access controls beyondbasic Microsoft Exchange control capabilities.

Our own Chief Geek Jimmy Ray Purser took this topic head on. Watch as he seeks to eliminate the confusion in this latest TechWiseTV special:

In the Lab: MDM and Cisco ISE

https://youtu.be/zduYf4H6Zb8

Just to make sure we covered all our bases. Jimmy Ray covered MDM as a Networking 101 concept as well. Ever wonder how mobile devices achieve data application interoperability across international borders, networks and devices? How your favorite mobile data application pulls location information from the network?

Networking 101: MDM

https://youtu.be/NwnI-kifIyQ

Thanks for watching as always. Let me know if you have any questions on this or our other topics.

Robb

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Robb Boyd

@robbboyd

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