Discussion on:

10 myths of BYOD in the enterprise

Is there any research or discussion about the management of company owned software on BYOD devices?

Hi Pete, One of our clients, Cellrox (www.cellrox.com) offers a solution that enables multi personas on one device. this way, you get a total separation between the corporate and private personas. what's really smart about their solution is the pro-active security and lightweight virtualization that preserves the device's native performance. ping me if you'd like to learn more.

I am interested in talking about this program and would like to talk offline.

Wayne

I am confused, why would anyone want to BYOD? Really, my personal device is well....just that, personal. I don't want to start getting mixed up with this is personal, this is business stuff on my device and then what do I do with the business software if I were to go to another company?

No, it is much better to let businesses provide you with the tools you need to do your job.

For the reasons you listed.

Your company provides you with decentkit. If however, like at my employer, they give you a five year old XP PC and an old Nokia 6310i phone which can call, text and do nothing else, it's no wonder people want to use their own kit.

Often what people perceive they want is different from what IT has demonstrated to be what they need. I have a user here who adds every printer, including a couple that he doesn't know their location. He also insists he needs every application everyone else has, regardless of licensing or his ability to use them (or even know what they do).

Your profile says you're in network admin, and I agree that the gear you describe is woefully inadequate for your job.

I have more than a few users where I work who want what everyone else has. Someone's PC bites the dust and he/she gets a new one, then the users I mentioned want new ones, lamenting how their PCs are poor in power (even though they're more than capable of handling their workload).

Helps a lot, I am in the middle of the staff pc updates. If they know that there is a four year replacement policy then that helps. Mind you I supported one manager who ensured that every time someone in his department got a new unit he had to have it and they got his new old one, even with a strict policy. This lead to a pregnant staff member getting an older desktop replacement while he got her ultralight, he looked so selfish and not to mention petty while she lugged that brick around.

Great example: I have a SGS2 LTE, my company wants us to use a Blackberry.
I can get work email and calendar on my personal phone.
I can get work email and calendar on the Blackberry.
I cannot get personal info on my Blackberry.
I can get personal info on my SGS2.
Why would I want to carry both?

Why pay for one when the company is willing to do it for you? What personal info can't you get on the BB?

For me, I'd love to bring my own tools in ... IT doesn't provide them! I'm in marketing: my job is to update the website, maintain our social media connections, and deal with our database.

I get zero support for all three. I had to have my VP complain to the SVP of Operations (2nd in command) to get Firefox on my computer because our website CMS vendor (chosen by our IT department) told me that they will not support IE 6 on WinXP SP3. They support Firefox and Chrome, which they explained to IT during the bidding cycle. So, my IT department is hell bent on being in the way... which means I do as much work as I can from outside the office - and would prefer to bring my own device.

What will stop certain users from rooting or jailbreaking, how secure are the apps that supposedly create a tunnel into protected content, et cetera? Can a 3rd party keyboard be used on top of the app that creates the tunnel and siphon off data?

The fun is about to begin... but don't blame the users for giving them the responsibility because you let trained staff go out the door to "save costs" by going this route.

(I've barely scratched the surface as to reasons why nobody should think it's "fine", but whatever...)

Yeah, it's risky, just like a bank could be robbed, or a store database could be hacked, or your credit card RFID could be read without the thief ever touching you, but what are you going to do? Close all your accounts and start carrying wads of cash? No, because the total benifits of e-cash and credit out-weight the risks.

At my company, the employees are becoming increasingly mobile, which means data has to travel, too. The result: stolen/damaged laptops, data residing in multiple unprotected locations, data well passed retention still lurking around (the guys in legal woke up when they heard this one). BYOD solved two major problems--It kept the data on the servers and off that company laptop hard drive, and users tended to take care of the devices they had to pay for.

towards the total enslavement of the employees

I see it as freedom actually. when designed properly, BYOD approach actually frees you from a few things: carrying around many devices, having to learn new SW cause you can't use the ones you are already familiar with on your own device. and most importantly - corporates need to use a solution that separates between personal and corporate. As I indicated in my comment above - check out Cellrox.com

So IT is expected to support multiple apps that do the same thing? Apps that may potentially generated incompatible formats?

I'm glad you work where all applications have been moved to or converted to web-based ones. Many of the rest of us haven't. Some apps probably never will. If you want to run AutoCAD and I want to run SolidEdge, who mediates when we each generate drawings that the other can't open?

Contrary to popular opinion amoung some corporate managers (thankfully fewer each year), employees are not their wage slaves 24/7. Their data analyst for 8 to 10 hours a day is also the chairman of the local scout troop, member of the zoning board and school board, head of a church committee, the father of 2.7 kids, the brother of 3 other family members, the husband of a careing wife, and a part time post grad student at the local university.

That's enough people to require the employee to carry a personal device for voice and image communication. That's the device used the most, the one they are most familiar with, and the one they are most efficient at using. Short of racking it at the security station before entering a restricted area, they will be carrying it always.

Now drop a second, corporate device on them. It has all the same functions, but operates differently. Apples are not Androids, and vice versa. You've added redundancy and complexity, usually unnnecessarily. You've added a learning curve, and a mental switching requirement. In short, you've actually hobbled your employee, making them less efficient. There really is no valid business excuse in today's environment that justifies making an employee less capable of doing work for you.

That's why BYOD.

For anyone that has had to support the BYOD you already know the pitfalls, for those that have not; listen up.
It sucks! Sure management will tell you that it is all that and more, well they do not have to deal with it firsthand.
I bet those conducting the survey also did not talk to the real IT staff.
Truth is most mangers in IT do not care about their staff; they care about what "their" boss wants to hear and what the business areas think.
I know what some of you are saying, I am just bitter about something, and you may be correct. But I know what I am talking about.
Let me take one area that we support, mobile. When something does not work right who gets the call? We do. Why? Because they are connected to our mail serves. When we require an update on their devices, we are required to supply the instructions and aso the support, hand holding, to back up and even talk them tru the update on the dvices if needed, and I tell you we are called upon daily.
Moreover, when the backup fails because it was never done and the family vacation pictures are lost, who is to blame, well IT of course. We made them install the update. Never mind if the phone was lost or stolen they would have lost all that data as well.

Time to get off the soapbox for a bit.

Could this work? Possible. But until those in management take a look at the much bigger picture and define clear guidelines as to what is and what is not supported it will cause untold hardship on the IT staff that is required to support the vast array of devices.
Trust me, this issue is not isolated to the company that I work for, I know of several other colleagues in other business that are going thru the same things.

I'm a tech writer, trainer, guinea pig, superhero kind of worker. After one of our sys admins brought in a Citrix-connected iPad about 18mo ago and started doing remote admin work on it while in meetings, people (once they got over the "WTF is Terry doing, playing games?" kneejerk reaction) took notice. Now, we're evaluation BYOD and how we can support it. You know what I've already gotten to do? Write "How to connect your iPad/Android to wi-fi" instructions. We've also had a lunch-n-learn session for people at work who don't know how to use their phones. Our infosec guys are nagging us to tell users how to keep their phones secure and change Bluetooth settings. Someone else has asked for an internal mobile device support SharePoint site (like the one I created for our BlackBerry users two years ago, which has seen maybe a dozen hits since then).

I've often promoted the idea of cracking the door to BYOD, but now that I've looked in that door, I think I'm ready to close and lock it again.

Our group started getting some of that crap back when pagers went out in favor of cell phones. Users thought that by giving the company their cell number, the company should pay the bill for all the "work-related" calls they made or received. Legal said, "H to the ell, no!" Legal said the same thing about Blackberry service and lost/stolen personal laptops taken on company trips. And when VPN was rolled out, Legal had our back about IT messing with users' home PCs. So, users know they can't sue the company into buying them an iPAD 3 because they believe IT broke their iPAD 2.

Though I agree with your legal department in theory, if you purposefully remote in to a personal computer, and do something to impact the functionality of that computer NOT related to work, or on work hours, or while the computer is being used for work, you could very well be committing a computer crime. It would be the equivalent of a manager going over to an employees house at night, after work, walking right in, and making sure they were in the company approved dress code and weren't drinking alcohol. Massive invasion of privacy. The courts frown on that. As does the ACLU. So I'd be VERY careful with that kind of policy.

It appears to be time for a grey beard rant.

More and more I see the "X dopes" (Harsh monicker for young people that grew up in the PC age only) wanting to take computing and IT back to the stone age. OMG if we allow individuals to be individuals we will LOSE ALL CONTROL. Just a reminder BYOD was how individuals wrenched control away from the computer dictators way back when. Ask the surviving members of the MIT Model Train Club. If you don't know what that is about and your in IT you had better look it up and make it a project to learn as much as you can. The PC was a direct descendent of their BOYD split from central control.

Point is: BYOD looks to be just another part of the evolution and who knows what new and terrific technology it will bring. We just have to adjust our support to include it. Look at it as a challenge!

Rant over.

the first couple of sentences. If it's young people reverting to the Stone Age (and I debate that they're the only ones), are you saying they're doing it by supporting BYOD? Is your second sentence sarcastic?

It's one thing to have splinter cells in R&D; they're self-supporting and are usually working toward a common goal. It's another to have to support rogue users running multiple platforms, operating systems, and apps.

Was being a little sarcastic but just looking at commentary from what appears (maybe - maybe not) people that are too young to know about sitting at a key punch machine for days and then have to stand in line waiting for the dictator behind the window to run your program, if they happen to like you. My observation is that some modern IT personnel are strongly trending back to those days of total control. We fought long and hard to bring the technology out of "The Dark Ages." Not a big deal but personally wary of centralized control.

BYOD is simply part of the technological evolution. An extension of "Personal" in PC.

I agree that adds some real serious concerns for configuration, security and support. It's going to take another step in system development to solve the challenge just like about 40 years ago. Difficult but not a problem.

BTW, I solved my wait at the window. I learned how to be on the other side and then helped those that remained where I had been.

Some forms of BYOD can be interpreted as a return to the Bad Old Days, not as an evolution.

Many forms of BYOD rely on virtual desktop infrastructure; Citrix and / or Terminal Services; or "the cloud". You remember, what you and I used to politely call the 'client - server' model (AKA 'Big iron and dumb terminals').

There's also the argument that rather than liberating the employee to use the tools he wants, BYOD a) shifts the cost of hardware to the employee, and b) increases the company's access to an employee's personal time.

That's why I asked for clarification. Thanks.

I have also given considerable thought in these times about how "smartphones" have easily moved the cost of corporate communication equipment from the employer to the "smart" employee. If I were a major CIO what a great deal.

The word "cloud" now scares the crap out of me for the reasons you note. If everything you are doing at a desk is put back into that room you know not where that makes the thing setting on your desk a VT100! The dummy now has a dumb terminal again. Let alone the compete halt in productive effort when the server goes down or the connection falters. Oh and should I mention all of your data now in the control of someone else at some other location and I know that they are constantly watching out for the security of all that data.

MMMMMMMM 1984

The keyboard was the exact width of the monitor, so you could put it on top to get it out of the way.

"... BYOD a) shifts the cost of hardware to the employee, ..."
Exactly.
Businesses want to make "money for nothing", they don't want to pay for anything (e.g. security).

How long is it going to be, before you will have to own an iPad (or W8 tablet) and a smart phone, to even be considered for a job?

it's because BYOD advocates screamed their desires to use their own devices for work purposes. Users opened this door.

Android is first but second to the Blackberry? Hunh?

Regardless of what I thought. It's not too bad though. They basically wanted to get their email and to have access to the security cameras (only the supervisors btw) on their phones and tablets (only two tablets). I also have their devices setup on a different subnet so they can't have access to the shared work resources.

Bring your own device (BYOD) programmes formalise the use of smartphones and tablets at work and enable businesses to reap the benefits while retaining control.

One of the benefits of schemes to enable staff to use their own devices reduced costs.

Mobile Device Management and Security are key for these projects to work - Net Essence can help your business to develop the right strategy - http://in8.eu/3hh9p8

...and it's been going on for years.
For example, switching from rail to road transport shifted the burden of maintaining transport infrastructure from those who used it for profit, to the general public.
(See also - 1 transport truck damages roads as much as 10000 automobiles).

People want to bring their own devices to work because it makes them more productive in their jobs? Right. I have some beachfront propery in Afghanistan that I'd like to sell you.

You must be a facebook fanatic.

Translate, please. We do not use this term in the United Kingdom (as far as I know)

It's a variation on an older abbreviation, 'BYOB', or 'Bring Your Own Bottle'. The older phrase means the host of the party will not be providing liquor but guests are free to bring their own.

'BYOD' is the trend of employees wanting to bring their own smartphone, tablet, or laptop to work, and the issues related to connecting those personal devices to company networks.

The term is is used in the UK, see
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17017570

This discussion reminds me of a large client I got called in to regularly support. The ORIGINAL policy of the company was "As long as the work gets done we don't care what they do on the net." Then we replaced the aging firewall with an Untangle unit. When we presented the owners with just a week's worth of usage data they were shocked. They had us implement severe restrictions in the web filters. The lesson learned was a meme that applies here.

"IT services and devices are tools a company uses to get a job done. If it's ours we can tell you what to do with it and how. Leave your toys at home, this is a job site."

Bring Your Own Device is simply letting the inmates run the asylum. IT's job is to keep current, test, recommend, and implement manageable solutions of and for the business. The pressure for board rooms and upper management to give them what they think they need (but is really just a want of the a new shiny sparkly toy) is nothing new. Any admin or consultant who has been in the business for a week or less knows this. It's just hype. And now with a great 4 letter word... I mean acronym, made up for it by marketing, unearned validity is trying to be created. The argument is still just rehashed crap. We standardize tools for employees to ensure the productivity, compatibility, and security of the enterprise thus improving IT's standing as a profit center instead of a cost center and reducing support problems.
There was a time not long ago at all, that the Blackberry was the undisputed mobile platform king. Laptops chosen for departments were based on need. Everything was written off in taxes for the business. IT stayed open to RECOMMENDATIONS and REQUESTS for changes in the solutions. Personal devices are just that, not the business's property. No write off, and not incorporated into the IT's support plans. Business is embracing is just code words for sales and marketing saying GIMMIEE and spinning buzz.

So here's a message back, "LYTH to you. Leave Your Toys Home. We won't take your commissions on sales, kick you out of your nice offices, or park in your reserved spots if you simply let the IT department keep your network running smoothly and securely without telling us how to do OUR jobs. "
We may not have an MBA (maybe we do but you never asked,) but you (BYOD marketers) sure don't have a MCS or even a + level cert without a boot camp. Tech is what we do and what we live, we take pride in what we do and the ease with which we make it look doing it. We standardize to keep the system safe and stable. Quit trying to do our jobs, your lack of knowledge could cost the businesses everything, or just a lot of money. So ya willing to risk your annual bonus much less your paycheck on that latest must have toy that IT doesn't have in it's support plan? Well I'm not.