Manage BYOD until IT takes back control

Bernard Parsons talks about what to do while technology is catching up with consumerisation

Many organisations have been focusing on how to let consumer technology on the network, rather than asking what business value may be had.

Let's be honest, it's tough to just say no to BYOD.

But businesses are increasingly asking the value question. Is BYOD the right model? They are thinking about how they should be transforming themselves to make the most of mobile technology.

I believe there is still a long way to go, however. Even when the corporate does the sourcing of the devices, only a percentage of employees are making widespread use of enterprise mobile apps.

So how does a customer business strike a balance? The day will come when new technology supports domain separation better across an array of different devices, using hardware extensions to separate personal and work use of these devices.

This will allow enterprise applications to be integrated better, which should reduce the cost of doing business, increasing productivity and value.

The risk is high; many security breaches are a result of devices having been stolen or lost.

Some businesses are addressing this by being specific about what is and isn't allowed to happen on the device, and some are promoting a choose your own device model instead of pure BYOD.

Ultimately, though, the IT department will move to take back control.

Mobile technology is still playing catch-up with enterprise requirements. So I believe the answer lies in providing integrated management capabilities to deliver end-point protection and management across all platforms.

You can manage iOS with the same platform as Windows and deliver a policy that balances risk against productivity. Many security options, including encryption, have matured and solve real problems.

The next stage has to be managing and minimising the cost of ownership, optimising user experience and, dare I say it, making security more transparent.

Bernard Parsons is chief executive officer of Becrypt