Mobile Meets Managed Services An ebook by Your Friends at UTG

Mobile Meets Managed Services An ebook by Your Friends at UTG

In our last ebook, we talked about how 70% of smartphone users have accessed corporate data using a personal device, and 21% of those who purchase tablets plan to use them for work. In fact, research shows that most employees insist on choosing their own smartphones, and almost half of them want to pick their own laptops. At the end of the day, tracking all of that corporate data (and monitoring its security) is enough to give anyone a headache. Bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies are increasingly important, but setting them up and implementing them can be difficult for small- to medium-sized businesses. The benefits of BYOD are clear: Employee perception of IT improves because they are seen as enabling rather than prohibiting personal activity; Access to a range of personal devices presents an opportunity for early adoption of new technologies; Costs of new devices can sometimes shift from the company to the individual user; and

Productivity increases because employees can access work-related content from a variety of locations. Despite the advantages of BYOD, the challenges it presents can be a real headache, especially for SMBs, who rarely have task forces dedicated to these types of tasks. That s where managed services enter the picture. If an MSP has the resources to monitor and maintain your systems 24/7, can probably do the same with your company s mobile needs. There are several areas where your MSP can partner alongside you to make your BYOD policy as effective as possible. Here are ten of them: 1. Setup In our last ebook, we detailed the elements of an effective BYOD program and what has to happen to make sure it works, like involving other departments at your company and educating the other employees to make sure policies are followed. We even went into detail about what you should look for in a Mobile Device Management Suite. But if you re like many business leaders, you don t have time to research programs and transfer your systems over to a new management suite. A managed services provider will have experience with a variety of systems. Your provider can also consult with you about which program is best for your company and even conduct the setup process. Part of this setup process will include registering existing personal devices with your provider. This will enable them to track and regulate the data allowed onto the device and control how it is used to protect sensitive enterprise information.

Your provider should supply instructions on how to set up these devices without inconveniencing their owners, or they should set them up for you. 2. Monitoring One of the most obvious advantages of having an MSP is that your IT staff is free from the constant tasks of everyday monitoring and testing. That doesn t change with the introduction of BYOD. The needs are greater to the point that, for some smaller IT departments, it could become overwhelming but MSPs are equipped to handle the details. Your MSP can set up a notification and reporting system so that your technicians are still kept in the loop constantly about the state of your network. But instead of staying tied up in tedium, they are freed up during the day to interact with your employees, manage their various devices, and leverage these new technologies in a way that will help grow your business. 3. Security When dealing with personal devices, having a solid security plan is of the utmost importance. Corporate data is proprietary and sensitive and should be treated as such, but employees don t always understand the gravity of what they do on their smartphones. An MSP can help by defining your security measures for you. From remote data deletion to disabling the downloading of corporate files and even two-factor authentication, your MSP knows the measures that need to be taken to keep your data secure. Your provider can even help you monitor these efforts by notifying you when someone attempts to access your network remotely. This helps you keep an eye on what your employees are doing offsite without having to constantly monitor them. 4. Network Optimization Once your program is set up, chances are you will have a huge increase in network traffic due to the increased use of mobile devices alongside desktops

and laptops. An MSP can help you optimize your network to make sure this extra traffic doesn t affect speed and quality of connection. 5. Bundling Options One benefit of using your MSP for BYOD and other services that will please your CFO is the financial incentive behind bundling. Hiring separate providers for managed services, BYOD, Cloud, etc. can get expensive. A full-service MSP, on the other hand, can offer all of these services at a rate far below what you would shell out if you were paying separate companies. 6. Cloud Services Speaking of the Cloud, BYOD is the perfect step for your business into Cloud computing. A good bit of your corporate data will need to be in the Cloud in order to be accessed by mobile devices. If you choose an MSP who also specializes in the Cloud, this transition will be much easier for your company to make. 7. After-Hours Updates and Patches You already have to worry about patches and updates for your IT systems, and your MSP makes sure that those take place around the clock as soon as they become available. But what about the updates for individual devices? While user permission is required to initiate updates on personal devices, it is possible to prompt them after-hours. In the same vein, your MSP can let you know what employees are and aren t properly updating their devices apps, and operating systems (which is something they should be doing under your new BYOD policy). 8. After-Hours Support for Users If updates and patches are happening after hours, you can bet that there will be support issues. Your MSP should have 24/7 support available via either phone or web portal, and your individual users under your BYOD policy should have access to those services. Your MSP is available to them the same way they are to you, so they can handle any individual issues after your technicians have gone home for the day.

9. Third-Party Vendor Support With BYOD, the number of third-party vendors you end up working with increases exponentially. Luckily, your MSP has experience dealing with various vendors and can handle the interactions for you. 10. Training BYOD comes with the brand new challenge of actually having to manage new devices. If your company is going to claim to support a wide array of devices, then it s important that your technicians are able to navigate the various operating systems and structures they will be interacting with. An MSP will have technicians on board who can come alongside your existing employees to make sure that all of these possibilities are covered. This can be done via an initial training session or through ongoing support. Either way, between your skilled technicians and the support of your MSP, there s no device you can t conquer. Ready, Set, Go Mobile! Your MSP is ready to help you. BYOD is well within your provider s capabilities, and utilizing a current partnership is mutually beneficial. So call your provider today and open up a conversation about mobile security and BYOD. Enterprise is headed to mobile in many different ways; don t let your business fall behind. UTG offers all of the above services and more. With a dedicated staff managing your programs and systems around the clock, we can help make sure that your BYOD program is set up properly to help your business grow and succeed.

Once you re set up with an MSP that offers all of the services we ve talked about, then you re in the perfect position to incorporate mobile at your company. Your employees will thank you and your IT staff will be free to innovate, but the real benefit lies in the ability to secure your company s network and data, even when it s being accessed halfway around the world. About UTG United Technology Group (UTG) is a Managed Services Provider that takes the burden of IT management off its clients shoulders so they can focus on more important issues. They specialize in both BYOD and Cloud as well. UTG works with corporations throughout the Greater Atlanta and CSRA regions and specializes in creating and maintaining computer networks that are secure, robust and worry-free. For more information on how UTG can keep your IT infrastructure running smoothly, contact Brian Miller at corporate headquarters at 678-730-2800.