TMCnews Featured Article
January 09, 2013
BYOD Success Depends on Mobile Device Management
By Susan J. Campbell, TMCnet Contributing Editor
The proliferation of mobile devices throughout the global marketplace has not only changed the way in which we communicate, it has also changed our work/life balance. Steady adoption of tablets and smartphone technology means we can access the corporate network and e-mail from anywhere and at any time.
Such advancements have enabled the bring your own device (BYOD) trend, but not enough to sustain it alone. In fact, BYOD wouldn’t be possible without mobile device management that ensures IT has the necessary access to the device to protect the network, the applications, the information and even the user.
While a number of companies have adopted BYOD, not all have the same goals in mind for doing so. Some companies want to allow employees the flexibility of working from anywhere on the device they prefer, while others are seeking to control costs by limiting the technology funds available to employees; and still others recognize the productivity benefits associated with the trend.
Ericom is one company making waves in BYOD, offering technology that delivers desktops and applications to any end user device, regardless of location, while also mitigating the risks associated with this move. The company developed a portfolio of solutions that allows clients to build a comprehensive and flexible BYOD solution to tackle the security, usability and manageability issues common to environments supporting a variety of devices.
Such solutions can only succeed in the corporate environment if the right policies are in place. These policies must require mobile device management to ensure the proper use of the device when accessing corporate assets. Likewise, it must also provide for the right control in the event of a lost or stolen device or a breach of the network.
MobileIron aims to address the challenges companies face when adopting BYOD policies. The company’s Virtual Smartphone Platform is designed to combine data-driven mobile device management with cost control that is conducted in real-time. It supports multiple platforms as it addresses the high costs of mobile support, the security issues surrounding BYOD, the elimination of high international roaming bills and the security of employee phones and tablets that lack any type of protection.
To successfully support any BYOD program, a company needs to consider key components to its overall strategy, based on MobileIron research:
- The choice of device
- The user experience and privacy
- The trust model
- The design and governance of apps
- Liability
- Economics
- Sustainability
- Internal marketing.
Each of these components must be examined according to the environment so that the strategy fits the actual needs of the organization. Once this is complete and mobile device management is deployed to protect the user and the network, the organization is on the right path for BYOD success.
Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO Miami 2013, Jan 29- Feb. 1 in Miami, Florida. Stay in touch with everything happening at ITEXPO (News - Alert). Follow us on Twitter.
Edited by Jamie Epstein
Internet Telephony Magazine
Click here to read latest issue
CUSTOMER 
Cloud Computing Magazine
Click here to read latest issue
IoT EVOLUTION MAGAZINE
