Interlink Cloud Blog

Mobile Device Management or MDM is a headache for all IT departments who allow mobile devices to connect and sync company information.  The issues of protecting company data and information become even worse in today's "bring your own device" world, employees want the ability to use their own personal devices for both business and personal use. How does IT manage the balance between company security and end user efficiency?  Many find the balance by utilizing an MDM tool.    

Microsoft has moved into MDM space these past several years; early on with Exchange ActiveSync, later with the development of the InTune solution, and now with Office 365.

There are some key differences between how each service manages your mobile devices. They are outlined in the provided chart above, but we will also give more specifics below.

Office Pro Plus – is the version that is sold in volume licensing.  It is the default package when purchasing under an EA agreement, Select, or new Microsoft Products and Services Agreement (MPSA). 

Office 365 Pro Plus – is the version that is sold via Office 365.  Subscriptions for Office 365 can either be purchased directly from the web portal or on a traditional licensing agreement like an Enterprise Agreement, Select, or new MPSA.  It frequently is sold as part of the E3 or E4 packages.  

OneDrive for Business is an Outlook email storage application that is utilized by many Office 365 clients. While the application has been available to Mac users, the ability to sync files and take them offline was limited until now. With the new OneDrive for Business sync client, users can now access their files across all devices by downloading the iOS application and the Mac Sync Client from Microsoft Download Center.

Accessibility is Key

Users have been able to utilize Android and Windows apps to sync their OneDrive files since late 2014, but the iOS application took a little longer to develop. In late January 2015, Microsoft finally released the OneDrive app, giving iPhone users the same accessibility. The application features new capabilities for viewing, managing, and sharing photos as well as the option to connect multiple OneDrive accounts. Previous versions separated the business and personal use files but the new OneDrive for Business allows users to access all files through the same app interface.

Business users can access all saved files and shared files, as well as the most recently viewed files. Additionally, there is a recovery option for files that were accidentally sent to the Recycle Bin. The new OneDrive features an upload option as well as “search” and “share” features making it easy to interact with business and personal files on the go. With this application comes enterprise-grade security with compliance and control by Office 365.