people can bring their device
But that doesn't imply IT has to make it work on the corporate WiFi or connect to email etc. Most companies have a webmail access for external email use. Since most phones have a browser if you really desperately want to use your gadget to view your mail use the existing mechanism.
I agree a conversation/decision needs to be made. How much work are we willing to put in to support multiple mobile OS access to our systems? How much control do we want, ie are we going to require they be locked down? If so is there anyway for us to prevent/detect when the user takes the device home and jailbreaks it after they got us to connect it to our systems?
To me there isn't much benefit to anyone for BYOD. Employees: likely not fully reimbursed, likely expected to be always available where as when the company had to pay for the phone only key people or oncall people were expected to answer work questions afterhours. Employers: complete crap, multiple devices to support which guarantees calls like "Bob has the same phone I do, he bought it only two months ago, his works mine doesn't", or if wifi isn't locked down on the network they use they end up using their devices as a way to stream content while at work, send sexual emails, etc. generally be idiots because "its my device I can do what I want to". Regardless, there was a reason why when a company was buying the phones they are all the same model: it is much easier to make work in your environment, letting people bring any piece of junk to work and then expect IT to support it is crazy.
