Endpoint security and the rise of Managed Device Services

Despite growing interest in “as a service” consumption models for everything from infrastructure to storage, most enterprises have continued to procure, maintain, and manage endpoint devices in-house. But as the security threat landscape becomes more complicated, and hybrid and remote working models take root at scale, IT leaders are questioning this traditional approach to device management.

In its place, managed solutions are gaining traction. According to IDC, managed services are set to grow to 12% to 15% of all desktop and laptop offerings by the end of this year, up from 1% in 2014. Analysts predict the market will then grow rapidly as more enterprises adapt to the model: from $51.7 billion in 2021 to $1.8 trillion by 2031.

It’s a model where the complete lifecycle management of a device is outsourced to a managed service provider. In some cases, this is the device manufacturer itself. HP, for instance, has a Managed Device Services offering comprising services such as endpoint provisioning, repair and maintenance, AI-driven device analytics, and layered endpoint security tools.

Security is a key driver. With more people working remotely, cybercriminals are exploiting what they see as a weak link in enterprise defences – workers outside the corporate network security perimeter.

In this environment, endpoint security becomes increasingly important. For HP, the managed device services model is becoming more attractive to IT decision makers because the underlying logic is so clear. After all, who is better able to configure and manage a device than its manufacturer? With HP, customers benefit from devices that are protected by full-stack security and layered resiliency from hardware to the cloud. This includes CPU-enforced malware prevention; the ability to remotely locate, lock, and wipe a lost or stolen PC; and zero-trust device capabilities.

Importantly, these tools are always on and continually updated. Cybercriminals thrive when there’s a window of opportunity for an attack to take root. This model helps close this window of opportunity. With HP, for instance, AI-driven device monitoring ensures that endpoints are continually remediated and patched remotely.

One key is that it takes on the burden of protecting devices so that users do not have to. It doesn’t matter how much security training an employee has received, or how tech-savvy they are, it just takes one careless moment to click on a bad link, or download a malicious attachment to let threat actors in. With managed device services, the employee is backed by an entire organisation focused on protecting them and their company against this eventuality.

As with other “as a service” propositions, managed device services makes a compelling case for device security. By leaving device lifecycle management and security in the hands of expert partners, IT teams can focus on other more strategic tasks that will ultimately be of more benefit to their business. Click here for more information on HP’s Managed Device Services proposition. And to find more out about digital security in the world of anywhere work, click here.