Note: Before you begin, make sure Android Enterprise is available in your region.
Android 5.0 Lollipop and later devices come with built-in enterprise features to power mobile, connected workforces. Android’s enterprise solution providers enable organizations to manage these features, typically through a management console. After finding the right solution provider, organizations and their employees can access numerous enterprise features*, such as:
- Flexible device setup: Support BYOD (bring your own device); COBO (company-owned, business-only); and COPE (corporate-owned, personally-enabled) deployments.
- Work Profiles for data separation: Use Work Profiles to separate and secure work apps and data from personal use—ideal for BYOD and COPE deployments.
- Multi-layer, built-in security: Benefit from Google Play Protect. Set minimum password requirements, remotely lock devices, and wipe them if they're lost or stolen.
- App distribution: Harness Google Play to remotely manage public and private apps on user's devices.
*Features vary by management solution and Android version.
This guide helps you get started with using Android in your organization.
Step 1: Choose a management solution
You need a management solution to set up, secure, and manage Android devices in your organization. A management solution lets you:
- Visualize your inventory of devices.
- Enforce security policies, like screen lock, and storage encryption.
- Remotely wipe data if a device is lost or stolen.
- Distribute and configure apps.
- Enforce more advanced policies to suit your organization's needs.
Step 2: Sign up for Android management using a managed Google domain
Signing up with a managed Google domain and a managed Google account allows IT admins to enable Android management and manage a number of other Google products for their organization (e.g. Workspace, ChromeOS, Chrome browser) in one consolidated location.
Additionally, IT admins can streamline authentication by syncing their user directory and enabling Google Authentication so employees can authenticate with their corporate email address when enrolling their devices.
Note: If you are unable to use a managed Google domain, you can still sign up with a Gmail account and create a managed Google Play accounts enterprise. However, you will not be able to manage other Google products in a consolidated manner or benefit from some on-device experiences.
Step 3: Source Android devices
From affordable smartphones to ruggedized tablets, there's an Android device built for every enterprise environment.
Step 4: Set up Android devices
Android allows you to easily set up both company-owned and employee-owned devices with your management solution.