According to a latest report by Gartner, half of the companies will go BYOD (By your own device) by 2017. With as much as half of the firms worldwide adopting BYOD strategy by 2017, there’s no question that mobile devices are dramatically affecting the way we do business. BYOD is no longer in its infancy and now companies face new challenges as BYOD matures into common practice. But the question for some still remains whether this strategy is here to stay–or just a fad.
While I’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter in the comments below, here are my two cents. BYOD is not a fad! Today, we have an increasing variety of devices at our disposal and users have become very tech-savvy, and the ones getting the newest technologies first. Since users are selecting their own tools that help them to be more productive and effective, then why would businesses want to keep employees from using them? In my opinion, there should be no stopping the employees from bringing their own devices to work, connecting them to networks and accessing data. It will only empower them to work from anywhere, at any time with no restraints and with increased scope for collaboration and innovation.
I agree to the fact that the proliferation of the devices, has led to a big dilemma for IT — data protection. The moving of data between secure corporate servers and unregistered personal devices has made it very vulnerable to corruption or leakage to malicious hackers or fraudsters — making it hard for IT departments to guarantee protection of the data stored outside the “four walls” of the company.
Despite these risks, I think, companies shouldn’t push back, but instead can deploy a number of different solutions to counter BYOD trends that bring vulnerabilities to information and networks. Mobile device management (MDM), mobile application management (MAM) and other solutions can help bring smartphones and tablets into the office environment without significantly compromising security or ease of use. MDM and MAM are platforms that figure out device specifications, enterprise apps, and how to manage them. To reap the benefits of BYOD and avoid pitfalls, enterprises should have an open and encouraging mind and use the right technology.
BYOD is happening now, and it is only going to become more prevalent. Its boundaries are being tested every day — from corporate policy, to devices, to the app ecosystem, to security. The companies need to make sure that they embrace BYOD and not fight it! Enterprises need to deploy technologies that allow a clear and consistent view of the user base, in order to deliver the right data, apps, access and device provisioning.