While commonly used interchangeably, there are key differences between endpoint management and endpoint security. The main difference is that endpoint security is an element of endpoint management, which focuses only on reducing and mitigating threats. Endpoint management, on the other hand, focuses on ensuring your endpoints are performing optimally. A good endpoint management strategy includes both endpoint management and security. Let’s take a closer look at the differences between endpoint security and management and talk about how a good endpoint management service can help your organization.

The Difference Between Endpoint Security and Endpoint Management

Endpoint management involves maintaining visibility and control over the endpoints connected to your network. But when building an endpoint management strategy, it would not be complete without endpoint security because it helps ensure your endpoints are protected from threats and don’t pose dangers themselves.

For example, if you want to manage the configurations of different groups of virtual machines (VMs) according to the teams that will be using them, you would be engaging in endpoint management. On the other hand, if you were installing an antivirus program to protect your VMs, that would fall under endpoint security.

What Can You Do with Endpoint Management and Endpoint Security?

With a cloud-based endpoint management system, you get granular control over your endpoints’ function, access, and applications. With endpoint management, you can:

• Add individual endpoints and users to groups, allowing you to support devices and users at a group level instead of one-by-one
• Configure the apps your company uses to run according to settings you specific remotely
• Keep track of who uses different endpoints and when
• Systematically patch endpoint devices
• Get detailed reporting for device availability, health, performance, and inventory

As you can probably see, endpoint management and security frequently overlap. With endpoint security, you can make your organization (as well as its devices, applications, and users) more secure by:

• Automatically applying security protections like a next generation antivirus to endpoint devices
• Configuring security policies and enforcing internet usage policies.
• Pushing security updates to all endpoints and according to group, applications, and users
• Changing access credentials to prevent suspicious activity, as well as terminating the privileges of temporary workers or those who aren’t with the company anymore
• Continuous monitoring, alerting, and response of security threats.

A Combined Endpoint Strategy

For healthy endpoints, it’s best to have a combined approach that encompasses both endpoint management and endpoint security. When you pair the two together, your business can save countless hours of work while improving security.

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the importance of user security in your overall endpoint management strategy too. While you can manage and protect your endpoints through endpoint management and security solutions, you could still be at risk. The fact is 90% of data breaches are caused by human error. So even if your endpoints are being monitored and protected, if your staff is not properly trained then your business could still be at risk. By incorporating security awareness training and stronger email tools that help prevent phishing from becoming an issue, your organization can better defend against threats at the endpoint.

How TPx Can Help with Your Endpoints

With TPx’s endpoint management services, you get system lifecycle management, remote troubleshooting and repair, hardware support, and more. Want to learn more about endpoints and how to build a proper endpoint strategy? Read our “Comprehensive Guide to Endpoint Management and Security.”

To see how TPx can help your business and to learn more about the possibilities of endpoint management and endpoint security, connect with TPx today.