Mergers, acquisitions, IT and UEM
Business acquisitions and mergers entail a complicated array of organizational, financial and technology changes. From an IT perspective, the transition begins with an in-depth understanding of each company’s operations. UEM can provide invaluable support for planning and executing the needed changes and implementing a coherent approach to managing and securing the combined IT Infrastructure.
In short
- The merger of two companies requires carefully planned change management.
- This involves IT as much as it does corporate culture.
- Complex, heterogeneous IT landscapes must be documented and merged without sacrificing security and compliance.
- Unified Endpoint Management provides comprehensive support for merging separate IT environments and then managing the combined infrastructure in a cohesive and efficient way.
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are exciting and challenging times for the companies involved, bringing new talent, resources and opportunities to both organizations.
Carefully planned, controlled and systematic change management is essential for a successful transition. A comprehensive approach considers corporate cultures as
well as technical and organizational factors.
As a rule, the IT infrastructure of both parties is merged. That is not an easy task as both organizations typically have complicated heterogeneous IT environments.
Manage endpoints centrally
The merger of two enterprise IT landscapes encompasses all aspects of change management including communication, organization and technology. In this article we’re focusing
on the technical challenges and how Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) can make key contributions to a successful IT merger.
UEM gives IT teams the information, transparency and tools needed to manage and secure diverse devices across both organizations while protecting sensitive data and
maintaining compliance.
If both companies have a modern UEM solution, the first step is to ensure that both IT teams know exactly which devices, OSes and applications are used in each environment
as well as the status of updates, patches, hot fixes and access rights.
Unifying UEM systems
But even when both companies already use UEM, a merger can still be a complex and difficult process. Some of the biggest challenges include:
- Different UEM systems require IT teams to objectively assess the strengths and weaknesses of each solution and determine the best approach to integration.
- Different policies and procedures set and enforced with UEM systems require careful alignment to ensure continuity and consistency.
- Different UEM priorities where one may emphasize security over usability or vice-versa. The challenge for IT teams is to find the right balance that minimizes conflicts.
Careful change management is needed to foster a collaborative approach and prevent competitive thinking between IT departments.
Change Management and UEM
Structured change management comprises several phases from planning and analysis to implementation and communication to all stakeholders. It is important to define goals, check progress and adjust procedures as needed during and after each phase. UEM provides valuable support throughout the process for:
- Inventory: This enables each IT team to know the exact status of their respective IT landscapes - arguably the most important prerequisite for a successful merger.
- Consolidated management: A complete device inventory makes it possible to precisely identify systems require replacement, updates and patches, or where new certificates and policies need to be applied.
- Onboarding: Devices can be provisioned quickly and consistently for employees who need new devices that meet new security requirements.
- Easy offboarding: Systems used by departing employees can be automatically removed from the network and reset.
- Security management: UEM helps IT teams ensure that all endpoints comply with new shared policies. Updates and configuration changes can be automated and made at times that minimize user disruptions.
During a transition, UEM solutions help IT teams consolidate endpoint management across multiple organizations. An advantage for post-merger operations is that all endpoints are managed from a central platform using a consistent admin interface and procedures. This can help streamline IT operations and reduce complexity.
Just try it
The baramundi Management Suite (bMS) UEM solution can optimize change processes and make everyday IT life easier and more efficient. See for yourself with our free 30-day trial of the full version of the bMS on your own network.
