Protect Your Digital Flock with Shepherd MDM

Quick Summary 

Shepherd is a specialised Mobile Device Management system; with three solutions tailored to your device environment. It allows business owners and HR managers to easily protect their ‘flock’ of digital devices.

Introduction

What Is Mobile Device Management?

Mobile Device Management systems, or MDMs as they are better known, are software that allows businesses to manage, control, and secure your mobile IT hardware. 

MDMs are instrumental in giving you better management of your IT equipment that does not remain in the office. This includes devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones, or any equipment used by WFH employees. 

What Is Shepherd MDM?

Shepherd is the latest product in HardSoft’s portfolio of IT services. Like all HardSoft services, it has been designed to meet the real challenges faced by businesses. What makes Shepherd special is that it was created with small businesses in mind. 

What Shepherd Solutions are Available?

1. Shepherd Fusion

A comprehensive MDM solution for organisations managing a mix of Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, ChromeOS and Linux devices from a single cloud-based dashboard. 

2. Shepherd for Apple

Designed specifically for Apple-first organisations that need to deploy, secure and manage their MacOS and iOS estate efficiently.

3. Shepherd for Mobile

A simple, cost-effective solution for businesses managing company-owned iPhones and iPads. 

It is very affordable, very intuitive to use, and it makes business operations faster and easier. With a range of prices per week, Shepherd is one of the most cost-effective MDMs on the market. 

At £1.95 per device per week, Shepherd for Apple is 10% cheaper than alternatives like Jamf for Mac, yet with many more features. 

So, How Can Shepherd Actually Help?

1. Built for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (SMEs)

Shepherd was created to give SME businesses access to powerful, affordable Mobile Device Management without the complexity often associated with enterprise platforms. As device management continues to evolve, many organisations are looking for solutions that combine ease of use, comprehensive features and predictable pricing. 

Small businesses do not always possess the financial resources to invest in every single fancy bit of tech that comes along. Deciding which ones are worth it can be a major headache for business owners. That’s why Shepherd offers a range of solutions designed for different device environments and budgets.

2. Significantly Improves Cybersecurity 

However, in an increasingly digitally dominated world, MDMs aren’t just for big businesses. In fact, MDMs are vital for small businesses. Businesses of all sizes are under increasing threat from cyber breaches and data theft and the problem has ballooned in recent years. According to the UK government surveys published in 2022, 31% of businesses estimate that they suffered cyber-attack attempts at least once a week.

Cyber security is not only a concern for large firms. In fact, small businesses can be especially vulnerable.  Worryingly, Security Magazine reported that 43% of cyber attacks specifically target smaller businesses.  While large companies have the funds on hand to absorb the fallout from a successful data breach, small businesses can suffer far more negative financial consequences due to smaller budgets.

Cybercriminals are aware that small businesses will usually have less cybersecurity in place, and less training of staff to be aware of red flags. That might sound troubling; but by using Shepherd, your small business can avoid these data breaches. Ultimately, investing in Shepherd will save you money and save your reputation.

Similarly, HardSoft’s Shepherd MDM delivers real-time monitoring of device use, so you can automatically reduce the risk of data breaches before they occur. Its functionality allows you to monitor how your business device is being used and even how company data is accessed.

3. Execute Automatic Actions

Another powerful function of your MDM is the ability to push out software updates remotely and automatically to all devices. 

Everyone knows staff hate stopping to download updates, but the threat to this is very real.  The 2022 EY Human Risk in Cybersecurity Survey reported on by PR News Wire reveals some alarming statistics about employee apathy to updates and passwords.

Even younger, more tech-native staff are a major threat when it comes to doing manual security updates. The report showed that 58% of Gen Z and 42% of millennial workers disregard mandatory IT updates for as long as possible. 

Meanwhile, 30% of Gen Z and 31% of millennials admit to using the same passwords across professional and personal accounts and, according to research by 1Password, 43% of employees admit to sharing logins with non-staff.

The automatic push of security and operating system updates by your Shepherd MDM completely resolves this issue. You can also set password policies, encryptions and multi-factor authentication requirements. Shepherd provides so many layers of safety that are easy to implement. 

4. Supplied & Supported By Us

Shepherd is incredibly intuitive to use and comes with expert support. And it integrates perfectly within the HardSoft ecosystem. 

Shepherd MDM, Boomerang, and SafeGuard are among our most popular HardSoft products since they provide business managers with everything that they require to handle employee IT devices. Businesses can have affordable IT equipment insurance thanks to SafeGuard. This includes accidental damage cover on the hardware as well as theft cover. With Boomerang you can easily repurpose devices from former staff to new hires. And of course, you can manage your flock safely and efficiently with Shepherd. 

In fact, the combination of device tracking, locking and data wiping from Shepherd works very well alongside Boomerang for the best chance of device retrieval from ex-staff. Boomerang includes a service where HardSoft will retrieve your company devices from former staff at their homes. We arrange a time slot and provide the packaging service, so they don’t have to lift a finger.

Boomerang, combined with device tracking in Shepherd, makes the rates of device retrieval much higher. So, you don’t lose out on equipment and don’t have to continually replace it.

5. Integration with Apple Business Manager

For small businesses using Apple Business Manager, Shepherd is the perfect companion. 

While ABM lets you order Apple devices, register them as business devices and swiftly deploy them, Shepherd then lets you intricately manage that hardware. 

6. Effortless From Start and Finish 

When it comes to managing your flock of devices, onboarding staff is time-consuming. Yet it doesn’t have to be. Imagine informing your HR department of a new WFH hire starting with little notice. 

What if all their IT onboarding could be sorted remotely with a couple of clicks?

No need for an IT department to handle the hardware. No lengthy setup. The new hire can start working straight away as soon as they open their new business laptop. Shepherd lets you fully set up and preconfigure a device with the profiles, accounts, settings, software, and apps a specific employee needs. 

Devices can be out-of-the-box ready with lightning speed, and you never have to touch the hardware. If you’re already an Apple Business Manager client, you can order and deploy equipment directly to workers’ homes while Shepherd takes care of configuration and ongoing device management.

You can “shepherd” new members of your digital flock by setting up VPNs, passwords, permissions, app restrictions, and customised configuration.

Offboarding staff has different complexities. You might want to repurpose the device for a replacement hire, while also ensuring former employees no longer have access to company data. There is also a chance of workers disappearing with company equipment. 

But not with Shepherd. Thanks to device tracking, hardware locking, and remote data wiping, you don’t have to worry about “lost sheep”. You can offboard an employee with just a few remote clicks instantly removing access to sensitive data. With device tracking, ex-staff are far less likely to keep company laptops. 

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Key Takeaways

• Built for SMEs: Shepherd delivers enterprise-grade Mobile Device Management that’s affordable, easy to use, and designed specifically for small and medium-sized businesses.
  
• Strengthen Security: Protect company data with real-time device monitoring, automated security policies, remote locking, and data wiping capabilities.
  
• Automate IT Management: Remotely deploy software, enforce security updates, manage applications, and apply device settings with minimal manual effort.
  
• Simplify Onboarding & Offboarding: Configure devices remotely for new starters and instantly revoke access, track devices, and protect data when employees leave.
  
• Manage Every Device in One Place: Whether you use Windows, Apple, Android, ChromeOS, or Linux, Shepherd provides a centralised platform to manage and secure your entire device fleet.

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FAQs

How much does Shepherd MDM cost?

Whether you’re managing Macs, mobile devices, or a mixed-device environment, there’s a Shepherd solution to match:

• Shepherd Fusion: £12.35 per user per month (£2.85 per week)
• Shepherd for Apple: £8.45 per user per month (£1.95 per week)
• Shepherd for Mobile: £2.99 per user per month (69p per week)

How does Shepherd compare to other MDM solutions?

View our full comparison guide to see how Shepherd compares with other leading MDM solutions.

Can MDM be integrated with existing cybersecurity solutions?

MDM can be integrated into various cybersecurity frameworks. Most of the popular MDM platforms provide API support and out-of-the-box integrations. Integration enables holistic security since one gets to leverage centralised monitoring, automatic incident response, and comprehensive threat detection across mobile and traditional endpoints. 

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Getting Started with Shepherd

So, you might be asking, what are the next steps?

You’ve decided to move ahead with shepherding your flock of devices and HardSoft are promising a zero-faff transition, so how does it work?

1. All you need to do is arrange a consultation with our Shepherd team at HardSoft.

2. Our MDM experts will chat with you to better understand your business needs. During this short and simple 20-minute assessment, our specialists can best determine what aspects of Shepherd MDM will be most crucial to you, so we can assist in guiding you.

3. Your Shepherd MDM installation is a completely remote setup, so you don’t have to worry about any office disruption

4. Once HardSoft has activated Shepherd MDM for your business, every new device shipped to you will be pre-configured with Shepherd and registered with Apple Business Manager automatically. 

There really are zero worries and zero faff on your end. You’ll be set up and ready to manage your device policies in just a few clicks.