Teams often ask for “devices” and discover in month two that nobody owns enrollment, keys, or the exception list. The hardware was never the hard part. This page is the missing diagram, in words.
We separate the control planes before rollout so you can see which system owns the computer, which owns the payment endpoint, and who responds when either one goes quiet.
Two control planes
| Device management | Terminal management | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mobile device management (MDM) | Terminal management system (TMS) |
| Hardware | Rugged handhelds, tablets, many point-of-sale units | Payment and point-of-sale terminals |
| Owns | Operating system, applications, identity, kiosk, wipe | Payment app, keys, parameters, terminal health |
| Typical owner | Information technology / security | Retail operations / acquiring ops |
| Our page | /products/mdm/ | /products/tms/ |
Fleet insights sit above both. It does not configure the device. It tells you which site is failing.
Reference stacks
Warehouse handheld fleet
Rugged handhelds plus scanners if needed → MDM (enroll, kiosk to the warehouse management system) → fleet insights (silent devices, dead batteries). Terminal management is usually out.
Shop or field payment fleet
Payment handhelds → TMS (keys, app, parameters) → MDM if the operating system must be locked → fleet insights. Your acquirer relationship stays with you.
Mixed site (warehouse and shop)
Two fleets, two policies, one insights view if the telemetry can be joined. We will not force one MDM policy onto payment terminals that the acquirer already manages.
What we write into the proposal
The proposal states which plane is in scope—mobile device management, terminal management, both, or neither—and who owns the existing tenant. It names the enrollment method, and it defines what “healthy” means for your fleet: heartbeat, last payment, or last scan. It then closes the gap where support usually goes vague, by naming the return merchandise authorization (RMA) path and the spare ratio.
Used in: all four industry turnkey stacks.
Start: Request a Quote with “technology” as the solution area and a note: MDM, TMS, or both. We will identify any missing ownership or integration inputs before the commercial next step.
FAQ
Can we buy hardware without device or terminal management?
Yes. We will still say, in writing, who will manage the fleet. Unmanaged hardware is a valid choice, not a silent default.
Will you replace our device management?
Only if you ask. Default is enroll into what you have.