Yet many of today's MAM solutions incorporate 80% of MDM's essential functionality, including secure identity management and single sign-on; app security policy; ; app analytics and device control functions like app delete, device lock, device wipe and real-time inventory. In other words, MAM balances "offense" -- its proactive, user- and developer-focused features -- with a strong defensive core.

Plus, MAM solves other challenges for IT. It vastly simplifies apps installation, updates, and lifecycle management; its support of offers instant scalability and elasticity. It offers a unified approach to developing and managing apps on iOS, and BlackBerry device platforms.

MAM is suited to all three use cases we see developing in enterprise mobility -- BYOD "knowledge workers," kiosk-based environments and company-issued field devices. In some cases, the latter two uses may require some of the additional security and control features that are part of MDM, which a comprehensive MAM solution will offer.

But, in any case, users -- not devices -- should be the center of the business IT universe. Their or smartphone and the apps they use empower and liberate them to do their jobs better and faster. In a real sense, knowledge workers have become artisans who uniquely apply their own tools to solve problems, make decisions, or close deals -- creatively and flexibly.

The device is a means to an end, not the end in itself. That end is the mobile user and their productivity -- and that's why mobile application management has eclipsed MDM.