What software allows a company to manage applications, data, and patches on employee smartphones centrally?

Mobile device management (MDM) software is specifically designed to help organizations manage applications, data, and patches on employee smartphones and other mobile devices from a central location. MDM enables IT administrators to enforce security policies, ensure devices are updated with the latest software, track device locations, and even remotely wipe data if a device is lost or stolen. This centralized approach is crucial for maintaining security and compliance within the organization, especially as mobile devices often access sensitive enterprise data.

In contrast, a mesh network primarily focuses on the topology and communication between devices rather than managing device applications or data. Network-management software is designed to monitor and maintain the entire computer network itself but does not specifically address the management of mobile devices and their applications. A wide-area network (WAN) refers to a telecommunications network that extends across a large geographic area, which does not relate to the direct management of mobile devices. Therefore, MDM is the most appropriate choice for the task described.