BlackBerry UEM Alternative: Why IT Teams Are Switching to Hexnode

Hexnode UEM

Hexnode’s architectural strength lies in its broad, platform-agnostic coverage. It is explicitly designed to act as a single pane of glass for highly diverse environments, supporting traditional knowledge-worker devices alongside specialized frontline and IoT endpoints.

Core OS Support:

• Apple Ecosystem: Supports macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS (Apple TV), and uses Apple Business Manager for automated device enrollment and VPP app distribution.
• Android & Specialized OS: Supports Android Enterprise (Device Owner and Work Profile) and legacy Android devices, and natively manages Amazon Fire OS, which is useful for organizations using cost-effective Fire tablets for digital signage or single-purpose kiosks.
• Windows & Linux: Supports Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs, and provides dedicated management for Linux endpoints and Google ChromeOS devices, which suits developer-heavy teams.
• Rugged & IoT Devices: Provides OEM-specific management for rugged hardware from manufacturers including Zebra, Honeywell, and Kyocera through OEMConfig, along with ROM-based enrollment that persists through factory resets.

BlackBerry UEM

BlackBerry UEM focuses on securing corporate communications and data, and supports a set of mainstream mobile and desktop operating systems.

Core OS Support:

• • Apple Ecosystem: Supports iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, with Apple User Enrollment and Device Enrollment through Apple Business Manager.
  • Android Ecosystem: Supports Android Enterprise deployments, including work profiles and fully managed devices, and integrates with Samsung Knox Platform for Enterprise (KPE).
  • Windows & ChromeOS: Manages Windows 10 and Windows 11 desktops, and manages ChromeOS devices through integration with Google Workspace.

Unsupported Platforms: Linux, Apple TV (tvOS), and Amazon Fire OS are not among BlackBerry UEM’s supported platforms, so organizations that manage Apple TVs, Linux endpoints, or Fire tablets alongside their other devices can consolidate that coverage under Hexnode UEM.

Hexnode UEM

Hexnode’s cross-platform flexibility lets IT teams use native zero-touch provisioning tools and run silent application deployments across major platforms from a cloud console.

Zero-Touch Provisioning:

• Multi-OS Automation: Integrates with Apple Automated Device Enrollment (ADE) via Apple Business Manager for macOS, iOS, and tvOS, and supports Android Zero-Touch Enrollment and Windows Autopilot.
• Specialized Hardware Support: Supports Samsung Knox Mobile Enrollment (KME) for bulk Android deployment, ROM-based enrollment for rugged Android devices (embedding the agent into the firmware so it survives factory resets), and CLI-based enrollment for Linux endpoints, including servers and IoT devices.

Application Lifecycle Management:

• Desktop Deployments: Administrators can silently install, update, and uninstall enterprise applications over the air, with support for MSI, MSIX, and EXE packages on Windows and PKG and DMG files on macOS, along with pre- and post-installation scripting.
• Mobile & Frontline Apps:Integrates with Apple VPP and Managed Google Play, and can update in-house enterprise apps in the background while a device stays locked in kiosk mode on supported Android devices (such as Samsung Knox and Android Enterprise Device Owner), reducing downtime for frontline workers.
• tvOS App Management: Hexnode supports deploying in-house enterprise apps and VPP store apps to Apple TV (tvOS) devices for digital signage or conference room setups – a platform that is not among BlackBerry UEM’s supported systems.

BlackBerry UEM

BlackBerry UEM handles device enrollment through defined activation types, letting administrators set the balance between corporate control and user privacy, including Work space only and Work and personal – user privacy options.

Regulated Provisioning:

• Standard Automations: Supports the core zero-touch frameworks required for modern corporate deployments: Apple Business Manager (ABM) for iOS/macOS, Android Zero-Touch Enrollment (ZTE), Samsung KME, and Windows Autopilot.
• Activation Passwords & QR Codes: BlackBerry UEM can generate single-use activation passwords or QR codes sent to a user’s email, so only the intended user can activate the device and begin enrollment.

Application Lifecycle Management:

• • The BlackBerry Dynamics Ecosystem: BlackBerry UEM supports Apple VPP and Managed Google Play deployments and also deploys and manages BlackBerry Dynamics apps such as BlackBerry Work (email) and BlackBerry Access (secure browsing), which use FIPS 140-2 validated, app-level encryption independent of the OS.
  • Standard Desktop & Mobile Deployments: Supports deploying internal apps (.ipa, .apk), Apple VPP apps, and Windows app packages.

Windows and Specialized-OS App Deployment: For teams deploying script-dependent Windows applications, Hexnode UEM supports EXE and MSI packages with pre- and post-installation scripting, and it also manages apps on Apple TV (tvOS) and Amazon Fire OS, which are not among BlackBerry UEM’s supported platforms.

Hexnode UEM

Hexnode’s security approach uses the security frameworks built into modern operating systems, applying compliance and conditional-access policies while preserving the native user experience.

Core Security & Compliance Features:

• OS-Native Containerization: Hexnode uses Android Enterprise Work Profile and Apple User/Device Enrollment to separate corporate and personal data at the OS level, so employees can use native apps like Apple Mail or Google Chrome while managed-app data controls restrict corporate data from moving into personal apps.
• Compliance-Driven Conditional Access: Hexnode monitors devices for compliance drift, such as an outdated OS, disabled encryption, or jailbreak/root status, and integrates with identity providers including Microsoft Entra ID and Okta so that a noncompliant device can be blocked from corporate cloud applications and email.
• Encryption Management: Enforces full-disk encryption and escrows recovery keys for Microsoft BitLocker on Windows and Apple FileVault on macOS in the Hexnode portal.
• Network Security: Configures VPN and per-app VPN so that only specific corporate applications tunnel into the corporate network.

BlackBerry UEM

BlackBerry UEM targets highly regulated environments such as government, military, and finance, with an architecture built around app-level encryption and secure routing.

Core Security & Compliance Features:

• BlackBerry Dynamics (App-Level Security): BlackBerry Dynamics encrypts data at the application level using FIPS 140-2 validated cryptography, with productivity apps such as BlackBerry Work (email) and BlackBerry Access (browsing), keeping corporate data isolated within the container independently of the device OS.
• BlackBerry Infrastructure and Secure Connect Plus: BlackBerry UEM routes corporate traffic through the BlackBerry Infrastructure, and BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus establishes a secure, IP-level tunnel to intranet resources without requiring a traditional VPN client.
• Regulatory Compliance: BlackBerry UEM holds a range of government security certifications, including FIPS 140-2, Common Criteria (NIAP EAL4+ and German BSI), and DISA STIG compliance.

Hexnode UEM

Hexnode acts as a centralized, vendor-agnostic intelligence hub. It is designed specifically for organizations that utilize a diverse mix of best-of-breed SaaS applications and third-party IT tools.

Identity & Directory Services:

• Cloud Identity: Integrates with Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD), Okta, and Google Workspace, so organizations can use single sign-on for device enrollment and synchronize user groups whether they run a Microsoft or Google directory.
• On-Premise: Supports standard Active Directory (AD) for legacy identity federation.

ITSM & Helpdesk Automation:

• Ticketing Integration:Integrates with ITSM platforms including ServiceNow, Zendesk, and Freshservice.
• ServiceNow Integration: Technicians can view Hexnode user incidents inside ServiceNow and run remote device actions – such as locking or scanning a device and installing or uninstalling apps – directly from a ServiceNow incident, while Hexnode admins can view ServiceNow incidents in the Hexnode console.

Developer Tools & Custom Automations:

• APIs and Webhooks: Provides a REST API and supports webhooks, letting developers build custom event-driven automations, such as sending an alert to a Slack channel when a kiosk device goes offline.

BlackBerry UEM

BlackBerry UEM takes a more consolidated approach. While it integrates with major external identity providers, its primary integration strength lies elsewhere. That strength is within its own proprietary, defense-grade ecosystem of communication and security tools.

The BlackBerry Secure Ecosystem:

• Critical Communications:Integrates with other BlackBerry enterprise products, including BlackBerry AtHoc (critical event management and mass notification) and SecuSUITE (secure voice and text communications).

Identity & Access Management:

• BlackBerry Enterprise Identity: Provides an Identity and Access Management solution that enables single sign-on to cloud services such as Office 365 and Salesforce from within the BlackBerry Dynamics workspace.
• Third-Party Identity: Integrates with Microsoft Entra ID, Ping Identity, Okta, and on-premises Active Directory.

ITSM & Extensibility Limitations:

• • APIs and Third-Party Tools: BlackBerry UEM provides REST APIs and integrations with enterprise tools such as ServiceNow, while Hexnode UEM additionally offers built-in integrations with helpdesk platforms including Zendesk and Freshservice for day-to-day IT support.

Hexnode integrates with a wide range of third-party SaaS applications and IT tools, which suits organizations that use a mix of vendors across their IT operations.

Hexnode UEM

Hexnode uses a SaaS-based, per-device pricing model, so IT teams can forecast budgets based on the number of endpoints they manage.

Licensing Details:

• Per-Device Scalability: Organizations pay per managed device, and Hexnode offers multiple tiers so businesses can choose the feature depth they need, from basic MDM up to advanced OS and script management.
• Low Barrier to Entry: A subscription requires a minimum of 15 device licenses to get started.
• No On-Premises Infrastructure Costs: Because Hexnode is hosted in the cloud, there are no server, database, or high-availability infrastructure costs to provision or maintain.
• Support: Hexnode provides technical support through chat, email, and phone.

BlackBerry UEM

BlackBerry UEM is often bundled into broader security suites and sold through a network of authorized resellers, so exact pricing usually requires a custom quote based on the deployment.

Licensing Details:

• Suite-Based Tiers: BlackBerry UEM is licensed through the BlackBerry Secure UEM & Productivity Suites – Choice, Freedom, and Limitless – which determine the level of capability, from device management to BlackBerry Dynamics containerization and additional productivity and collaboration services.
• Per-User vs. Per-Device: BlackBerry UEM supports both per-user and per-device licensing, which suits environments where a single user carries several devices, such as a corporate phone, tablet, and laptop, under one user license.
• Infrastructure Considerations: An on-premises or hybrid BlackBerry UEM deployment involves additional costs beyond licensing, including the servers that host the UEM core and the BlackBerry Connectivity Node, Microsoft SQL Server database licensing, and the IT staff needed to maintain the environment – costs that a cloud-only deployment avoids.
• Add-On Capabilities: Additional products such as SecuSUITE secure voice and text communications are licensed separately from BlackBerry UEM.

Hexnode UEM

Hexnode offers direct support channels and self-service educational resources aimed at helping IT teams build their endpoint management skills.

Support Channels:

• Direct Availability: Hexnode provides technical support through live chat, email, and phone.
• Direct Access: Administrators can contact Hexnode’s support team directly through live chat in the console, email, or toll-free phone numbers in regions including the US, UK, and Australia.

Self-Service & Community:

• Hexnode Academy: Offers free, self-paced courses and hands-on labs, along with paid certification exams at Professional and Expert levels for managing multi-OS environments.
• Knowledge Base & Developers: Provides searchable help documentation, how-to videos, and a developer portal with REST API documentation for building custom integrations.
• Community Forum: Operates Hexnode Connect, a peer-to-peer community forum where IT administrators can discuss deployment practices and share configuration profiles.

BlackBerry UEM

BlackBerry UEM’s support model is built for enterprise-scale operations, including government and highly regulated organizations, and its most responsive support options are structured into paid premium support tiers.

Support Channels:

• Tiered Support Plans: Baseline Advantage Support is included with BlackBerry enterprise software subscriptions, while 24x7x365 support with priority routing to senior analysts requires the Premium Support plan.
• VIP & Dedicated Access: Priority case routing comes with Premium Support, and a dedicated Technical Account Manager is available as an optional add-on service.
• Partner-Led First Line: BlackBerry UEM is largely sold and implemented through authorized security resellers and integrators, so the partner that deployed the solution often handles first-line support and infrastructure troubleshooting.

Self-Service & Community:

• myAccount Portal: BlackBerry consolidates its ticketing, software downloads (like server installers for on-premises setups), and license management inside the secured myAccount portal.
• Technical Documentation: Provides detailed documentation, including planning guides for database high-availability, server prerequisites, and its NIAP and Common Criteria certifications.
• Developer SDKs: Provides developer resources including the BlackBerry Dynamics SDK, which lets developers build custom applications with FIPS-validated, app-level security.