Ever since the advent of software as a service (SaaS), the number of cloud-based solutions has been on the rise, due in part to demand from a majority of today’s workforce getting work done online. According to LogicMonitor, 83 percent of the enterprise workload will move to public, private, or hybrid cloud by 2020, gradually moving away from traditional operating systems.
Windows machines have been the backbone of enterprises over the last two decades. However, since the introduction of Chrome OS support for enterprise capabilities in 2017, there’s been an increase in interest in this cloud-native operating system. And with a comprehensive mobile device management (MDM) solution, you can fully leverage the enterprise capabilities available on these devices.
Here’s how you can benefit from a Chromebook-dominant organization:
1. Advanced security
- Chrome devices are inherently secure and aren’t susceptible to viruses; every web page and app runs on a virtual sandbox, ensuring that infected pages cannot affect other aspects of Chrome devices. When the infected web page or app is closed, the threat is immediately destroyed.
- Manually monitoring every app installed by your employees isn’t realistic. The solution to this is Managed Google Play, which lets you select, purchase, and manage apps for your organization. Additionally, you can blacklist undesired apps or extensions that don’t comply with your organization’s policies.
- Another useful security feature is Verified Access, which ensures every Chrome device connecting to your organization’s network is compliant with your organization’s policies.
2. Shared workspaces and single use devices
- In organizations where multiple users share devices, restrictions such as ephemeral mode ensures that user information, browsing history, and all other associated settings are removed when a user signs out, so employees don’t need to worry about personal data being left behind. You can enable or disable ephemeral mode on your Chrome deployments. Guest mode further helps with a shared workspace; with this setting, the user’s information and settings aren’t retained on subsequent logins.
- Chrome devices can also be provisioned under Kiosk mode if you intend to only run specific, preselected apps on them. This ensures users cannot move away from these apps or modify Chrome device settings. Also, with updates happening in the background, you no longer need to worry about your Kiosk deployments.
3. Hassle-free management
- Quick and straightforward deployments right out-of-the-box reduce the burden on IT administrators. Additionally, you can configure device or user policies and oversee the status and granular details of your Chrome deployments using a device management solution.
- As stated previously, OS updates happen silently in the background. With the latest enterprise capabilities, you can restrict OS updates beyond a particular version, and specify a scatter duration that ensures all your Chrome deployments are updated in a random manner within the specified time span.
4. Immense support for apps
- You can allow employees to access the offline and online web apps and extensions available on the Chrome Web Store. However, in certain circumstances, you might need custom apps, which may not be available on the Store. Chrome OS supports custom/enterprise apps created by third-party developers to cater to specific organizational needs.
- Ever since Google expanded its Chrome OS enterprise capabilities, its devices have started supporting Android apps. This merging of Chrome OS and Android enhances the functionality that Chrome devices offer. With your applications, extensions, bookmarks, and other system preferences saved and synced on the cloud, you can pick up right where you left off.
Google and Dell have recently partnered to introduce the first set of Chromebook Enterprise laptops with the Dell Latitude Chromebook Enterprise series. Sooner or later, Dell won’t be the only original equipment manufacturer (OEM) offering enterprise-specific Chrome devices. However, to gain access to all enterprise capabilities of Chrome OS, you must leverage a device management solution to help you remotely manage all your enterprise deployments from a single console.
Mobile Device Manager Plus is an end-to-end device management solution that lets you manage and secure your Chrome deployments, along with Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, iPadOS and tvOS devices. Click here to learn more about managing Chrome devices using Mobile Device Manager Plus.
Start your free, 30-day trial of Mobile Device Manager Plus today, and start managing unlimited devices!
