What Is Endpoint Management?

Reviewed by Sanjay Raja · November 21, 2025

Endpoint management is a critical IT and cybersecurity process that involves authenticating and supervising the access rights of endpoint devices to a network and applying security policies that prevent external or internal threats posed by that access. Essentially, it is the process of controlling endpoint devices connected to a network.

Endpoint management core components and functions

Endpoint management encompasses several essential tasks performed by IT and security teams to maintain endpoint health, security, and productivity:

• Comprehensive Asset Inventory. Endpoint management provides a comprehensive asset inventory using built-in functions of device discovery, tracking, and ongoing management. This gives organizations clear visibility and control over their connected assets across cloud, on-premises, and hybrid environments.
• Access Control and Authentication. The first step in securing endpoints is assuring that only authorized devices and users can connect to the network. This typically involves setting up username and password authentications. Device authenticity can also be ensured by embedding device-specific tokens (like encrypted software–based IDs) or using biometrics such as fingerprint and retina scans.
• Centralized Management. Endpoint management enables security administrators to manage these devices and processes from one central console or application. A centralized dashboard grants visibility into all registered endpoints, their current status, and past activity, providing reporting and alerting capabilities.
  
  Small software applications called agents are used on each managed device to apply and monitor security policies throughout the network. Specialized endpoint hardware and embedded software is also used to secure and manage the ever-burgeoning number of internet of things (IoT) devices, such as remote sensors and industrial controls.
• Provisioning and Monitoring. Management includes provisioning, monitoring, securing, remediating, and updating endpoints. This involves continuously monitoring endpoints to maintain optimal health, performance, system health, and security.
• Application and Patch Management. Endpoint management solutions perform tasks like asset management, patch management, and compliance assessment. This includes identifying, testing, and pushing updates and bug fixes (patch management) to address vulnerabilities.
• Automation and Remediation. Endpoint management solutions automate routine IT processes, such as software patch management, remediation of IT incidents, running backup processes, and deploying antivirus clients. They help IT teams identify, troubleshoot, and resolve IT incidents faster.
• Remote Capabilities. For remote workers, technicians can provide remote technical support and resolution. In case of compromise, theft, or loss, administrators can remotely wipe data or disable stolen devices.

Endpoint management policies

Due to the large volume of endpoints and the wide range of permissions required, setting security parameters for each device individually is not practical. Therefore, security administrators use endpoint security management policies to efficiently grant (or deny) specific rights on the network, restricting which areas, workloads, and applications the user can access.

Common types of endpoint management policies include:

• Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). A policy that defines how employees can use their personal devices for work. BYOD policies define criteria for accepting a personal device and the level of access it will have, considering that personal devices cannot be subjected to the same level of security restrictions as company-owned devices.
• Privileged Access Management (PAM). Defines and controls administrative accounts and users with privileged access to sensitive systems, aiming to reduce identity-based attacks and unauthorized access. A key part of PAM is granting just-in-time access for maintenance and revoking it afterward.
• Zero Trust. A security framework that requires all connections to be authenticated, authorized, and continuously validated before being granted or maintaining access to applications and data.

Endpoint management and endpoint security

Endpoint management and endpoint security are two core components that function best when paired together, as they are interrelated and interdependent.

• Endpoint security software—which includes endpoint protection platforms (EPP) and endpoint detection and response (EDR)—analyzes and vets all changes and data movement, scans for malware/viruses, and actively defends organizations against threats.
• Endpoint management is the overarching capability that ensures only authenticated devices can connect and that the required security policies and tools are consistently applied and enforced across all devices. It unifies, simplifies, and strengthens an organization's overall security posture and daily threat preparedness.

Endpoint management benefits

Endpoint management is crucial today because it provides visibility into the status and health of devices, enabling preemptive action against security threats.

Organizations that deploy effective endpoint management typically realize benefits such as:

• Improved Visibility Into Assets. Offers a clear, centralized perspective on every device connected to the network, allowing IT staff to secure and optimize assets efficiently
• Enhanced Security. Protects endpoints from threats like malware and ransomware with tighter security
• Faster Response and Mitigation. Improves response and mitigation times in the event of a breach or threat detection
• Compliance Adherence. Ensures devices comply with organizational and regulatory standards, reducing the risk of penalties
• Improved Efficiency and Lower Costs. Lowers operational costs through efficiencies of scale and streamlined IT operations
• Support for Remote Work. Allows IT teams to secure networks and enforce policies necessary for a remote or hybrid workforce

Endpoint management acts like the air traffic control system for your digital workspace: it verifies every device and user attempting to enter (authentication); directs them to their approved area (policy enforcement); tracks their ongoing activity (monitoring); and ensures all systems (software and updates) are functioning correctly and consistently across the entire organization from one central tower (UEM console).

Trellix endpoint management

Trellix ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) provides simplified endpoint management with a single pane of glass for policy management and enforcement across the enterprise. The comprehensive platform empowers security operations (SecOps) teams to plan and scale their operations model while benefiting from true API integrations.

Unified endpoint management helps teams achieve better efficiency and efficacy by bringing risk management and incident analysis together, enabling devices to provide critical insights to security information and event management (SIEM) or security orchestration and automation response (SOAR) solutions. This ensures that critical information is at analysts’ fingertips for improved threat hunting and remediation efforts.

Key features include:

• Personalized dashboards and queries per user requirement
• Comprehensive and customizable policy catalog and reports
• Single dashboard view of all endpoints and their compliance status
• Ability to push respective policies to all endpoints instantly
• Predictive threat analysis for proactive remediation