Keeping an Eye on Thousands of Mobile Devices

May 05, 2022 | by Paul Stubbs (Zebra Product Manager)

If you have worked in the mobile computing space for as many years, as I have, you will have experienced the boom in enterprise mobile device use. This boom in use is great to see as we know how much of a benefit these powerhouse devices offer when in use in the enterprise. With the expanding use of mobile devices comes increased challenges with device management for IT teams.

Rather than having a few devices, now there are thousands of devices to oversee. Throw in other devices such as printers, tablets and of course all the batteries you now have out in the field and things start to look a little more daunting.

Of course, wherever there is a need there is probably a technology solution that has been created to solve the problem. In the case of mobile devices, we have seen the rise of MDM solutions that help IT administrators manage devices. By this I mean configure, update, manage security settings, and general troubleshooting of devices.

The next evolution of administration tools needed to more closely look at not only the health of devices, but the optimisation of the fleet of devices. Most devices in the enterprise are shared. That means they get passed around between users as needed and sometimes locations. Determining what devices need to be where, and when is the key to greater optimisation of the technology.

Zebra Technologies is a company that is leading the way in providing this extra level of device visibility. You may know Zebra as a worldwide leader of enterprise mobile computing and printer devices, but they are making major moves into the solution space with solutions that add further value to the devices they offer.

VisibilityIQ Foresight

One of their more recent solutions is one that takes this concept of device optimisation to the next level. The solution is called Zebra VisibilityIQ Foresight. VisibilityIQ offers a number of points of data and reports on fleets of devices. For example, VisibilityIQ will provide reports and insights into the use of devices that can lead to actionable recommendations. You can check device health status, historical trends of device use and even get predictive analytics to assist in business operations.

Imagine being able to work out where your fleet of devices need to be deployed by location to make sure your fleet is being utilised effectively. A key feature of VisibilityIQ is the way in which data is shared. The solution aggregates data in dashboard style views which is the key to the value of the solution for IT administrators.

VisibilityIQ is not an MDM but should be viewed as an additional source of insight into the devices in use across an enterprise. I truly believe this is a great addition to the Zebra solution portfolio as it empowers IT administrators to achieve even greater value from their device investment. Any solution that allows for increased returns on investment is always a winner in my book and VisibilityIQ is well and truly a worthy inclusion in this category and one that I urge IT administrators to explore.

For more information on Zebra Visibility IQ Foresight, please visit: Zebra VisibilityIQ Foresight | Zebra