SkieMDM solution: what to look for before you buy
An MDM solution is software that lets an organisation configure, restrict and monitor phones and tablets from one dashboard. Judge it on whether rules are enforced by the operating system, how well it fits your structure, how it handles tampering and loss, and what you actually pay per device.
What an MDM solution is
MDM stands for mobile device management. You install a management agent on each phone or tablet, enrol the device, and from then on the organisation decides what the device may do. The dashboard is the visible part. The part that decides whether it works is how the rules are enforced on the device itself.
Buyers often start with a feature list. A better start is a plain description of the problem: who holds the devices, what they must not be able to do, and who in your organisation needs to change rules day to day.
The four common types of MDM
Vendors split mobile management into four areas. Most products cover several of them, but the depth differs, so it helps to know which one you are really buying for.
| Type | What it controls | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Device management | The device itself: enrolment, settings, updates, location, lock and reset | Blocking factory reset, locking Wi-Fi settings |
| Application management | Which apps can be installed, run or hidden | An allow list of approved apps only |
| Content management | Access to documents, websites and media | A filtered browser, safe search forced on |
| Security management | Protection against tampering, loss and misuse | Alerts when a rule is broken, lost mode |
Enforcement: the question that matters most
On Android, the strongest form of management uses the device owner role. A device owner app is set up when the device is first configured, and Android itself then enforces its rules. A normal app that asks for permissions can be disabled or uninstalled by the person holding the phone. A device owner cannot be removed that way. For a plain explanation, read Android device owner mode explained.
The trade-off is honest and worth knowing early. Android only allows device owner management on a device that has not been set up yet, so an existing device must be reset once and any Google account removed first. Plan that into your rollout.
Features to check, in order of importance
- App control that supports an allow list, not only a block list
- Locks for factory reset, safe mode, developer options, VPN and uninstall
- Browsing control that survives a change of Wi-Fi network
- Schedules that switch app sets by time of day
- Roles, so a teacher or branch head can change their own group without seeing everything
- Alerts that name the exact device when something is wrong
- Lost mode and a clean way to replace a broken device
- Offline behaviour: rules should keep working with no internet
Structure and roles
Small teams can live with a flat list of devices. Anyone running several branches, schools or sites cannot. Look for a hierarchy such as organisation, branch, group and device, where a rule set at the top flows down and a lower level adds or removes from it. Ask how a change is previewed before it goes out to hundreds of devices.
Roles matter just as much. If every change must go through one administrator, the dashboard becomes a queue. See Role-based access for school device management for how that works in practice.
Cost, support and exit
Pricing models vary: per device, per seat, per user or tiered. Compare on the number of devices you will really enrol, not the pilot size. MDM pricing models explained sets out the usual structures. Skie prices on request and uses one seat per device.
Also ask how you leave. A good vendor can show you how management is removed from a device cleanly, without a reset and without deleting your apps.
Where Skie fits
Skie is Android device management software for parents, schools, hostels and organisations. It runs as the Android device owner, so the rules are enforced by Android itself, and the adult chooses which apps work, which websites open, when the device can be used, and where it is. It works on any Android 12 or newer phone or tablet. It is not a fit if you need iOS or Windows devices in the same console, because Skie is Android only.
Frequently asked questions
What is an MDM solution?
An MDM solution is software that lets an organisation configure, restrict and monitor phones and tablets from a central dashboard. It usually covers device settings, apps, content access and security.
What are the four types of MDM?
Device management, application management, content management and security management. Device management controls settings and lifecycle, application management controls apps, content management controls what can be reached, and security management handles tampering and loss.
Do I need MDM if I already use Google accounts on devices?
A Google account alone does not stop a user changing settings or installing apps. MDM adds enforced rules, structure and visibility across many devices.
Can MDM work on devices we already own?
Yes, but Android device owner management needs the device to be freshly set up or reset once, with any Google account removed first.
How long does a pilot need to be?
Long enough to include a full cycle of normal use, such as a school term week, a lost device drill and a rule change across a group. Test those, not only the first enrolment.