IBM MaaS360

What is IBM MaaS360?

IBM MaaS360 is a mobile device management (MDM) platform - it allows IT to control employee phones, tablets and laptops. You can enforce security policies, install applications, remotely wipe lost devices.

MDM vs UEM:

• MDM (Mobile Device Management) - phone and tablet management
• UEM (Unified Endpoint Management) - MDM + laptops + desktops + IoT

MaaS360 is a UEM solution - it manages everything.

Typical problems it solves:

• Employee lost work phone - you remotely wipe data
• BYOD - employee uses personal phone for work, how to secure company data?
• How to enforce password/PIN on all devices?
• How to install corporate applications on 500 phones?

How does MDM work?

1. Enrollment (device registration)

Employee registers device in MaaS360:

[Employee phone] → MDM profile installation → [MaaS360]
                              ↓
                    Managed device
                    (IT sees, can control)

Enrollment methods:

• Email with registration link
• QR code
• Apple DEP / Android Zero-Touch (automatic at first power on)

2. Security policies

IT defines policies, MaaS360 enforces them on devices:

Policy	What it does
Password	Enforces PIN min. 6 digits
Encryption	Enforces disk encryption
Jailbreak/Root	Blocks access if detected
Applications	Prohibits installation from unknown sources
VPN	Automatically connects to corporate VPN

3. Application management

[IT Admin] → "Install Microsoft Teams on all iPhones"
     ↓
[MaaS360] → Push to 500 devices → [Application installed]

Capabilities:

• Application installation (corporate, from store)
• Application configuration (e.g. email settings)
• Application blocking (e.g. TikTok on work devices)
• App catalog - employees choose from approved list

Corporate container (BYOD)

BYOD problem: Employee uses personal phone for work. How to secure company data without interfering with personal photos?

Solution - container:

[Employee personal phone]
├── Personal zone (photos, Facebook, games)
│   └── IT doesn't see, doesn't control
└── Corporate container (email, Teams, documents)
    └── IT controls, can wipe

MaaS360 container:

• Separate “space” on phone
• Company data encrypted
• IT can wipe ONLY container (not entire phone)
• Employee cannot copy data from container to personal space

Mobile Threat Defense (MTD)

MaaS360 has built-in mobile threat protection:

Threat	How it protects
Malware	Scans applications, blocks malicious
Phishing	Detects fake sites/SMS
Man-in-the-middle	Detects dangerous WiFi networks
Jailbreak/Root	Detects and reports

Threat response:

• Alert to IT
• Automatic blocking of access to company data
• Device quarantine

Supported devices

Platform	Devices
iOS/iPadOS	iPhone, iPad
Android	Samsung, Google Pixel, others
Windows	Laptops, desktops
macOS	MacBook, iMac
Chrome OS	Chromebook
Rugged	Zebra, Honeywell (warehouses, production)

MaaS360 vs competition

Feature	MaaS360	Microsoft Intune	Omnissa Workspace ONE
MDM	Yes	Yes	Yes
UEM	Yes	Yes	Yes
Built-in MTD	Yes	Partial	No (requires add-on)
AI/Watson	Yes	Copilot	No
BYOD container	Yes	Yes	Yes
Price	Medium	Cheaper with M365	Higher

When MaaS360?

• You have IBM (integration with QRadar, Verify)
• You need MTD in one tool
• Rugged devices (warehouses, production)
• FedRAMP/government compliance

When Intune?

• Mainly Microsoft 365 (you have it in package)
• Simpler integration with Azure AD

For whom?

MaaS360 makes sense when:

• You have >100 mobile devices to manage
• BYOD - employees use personal phones
• You need MTD (malware protection)
• Rugged devices (scanners, terminals)
• Compliance (HIPAA, FedRAMP, GDPR)

MaaS360 does NOT make sense when:

• Small company (<50 devices) - may be overkill
• Full Microsoft stack - Intune may suffice
• Only Windows laptops - SCCM/Intune simpler

How much does it cost?

SaaS model, per device per month:

Variant	What’s included	Approximate price
Essentials	Basic MDM	~$4/device/month
Deluxe	MDM + container + apps	~$7/device/month
Premier	UEM + MTD + identity	~$10/device/month

Example: 500 devices × $7 × 12 months = ~$42,000/year

Specifications

Deployment	SaaS (cloud)
Platforms	iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Chrome OS
Integrations	Azure AD, Okta, ServiceNow, QRadar
Compliance	FedRAMP, HIPAA, SOC 2, ISO 27001
AI	Watson powered insights

FAQ

How is MDM different from UEM? MDM = mobile only (phones, tablets). UEM = everything (mobile + laptops + desktops + IoT).

Does employee see what IT does with their phone? Depends on configuration. IT can e.g. install applications, but not read private messages. BYOD container isolates company data.

What happens when employee leaves? IT remotely wipes corporate container (data, email, applications). Personal data remains.

Can I remotely wipe a lost phone? Yes. You can wipe only container (BYOD) or entire phone (corporate).

How long does deployment take? Basic MDM: days. Full UEM with policies: weeks.

Does MaaS360 integrate with Azure AD? Yes. SSO, conditional access, user synchronization.

What about employee privacy? MaaS360 distinguishes corporate and personal data. In BYOD IT doesn’t see personal data.

Does nFlo deploy MaaS360? Yes. Policy configuration, enrollment, integration with identity (Azure AD, Okta), training for IT.