Implications of BYOD & the Cloud for Enterprises Clive Longbottom, Service Director, Quocirca Ltd
BYOD Bring your own device It s not just smartphones, tablets, etc There is also: BYOS (software) Generally through BYOA (App) BYOC (Cloud) Most everything is held elsewhere BYOCh (Chaos) Information everywhere in unknown states being used by unknown apps Just what can you do?
The big issues of BYOD Where s the data? How are costs managed? Theft, loss or other departure of device Lack of best practice in usage Lack of team work capabilities Lack of organisation access to all information Too many lone wolves
Strategising BYOD What are your aims? Secure corporate intellectual property Enable the organisation to compete in its markets Enable departments to complete their processes Enable the workforce to carry out their tasks Pretty much everything else is nice to have Rule #1 Information must be controlled
Option 1 Lockdown Force everyone to use authorised devices only Provide a list of corporate apps Drive everything through remote desktops (VDI) Enforce rules through monitoring, blocking and HR sanctions
Option 1 It s never worked and never will do Devices can be expensed If you stop users from expensing the items, they are cheap enough to self-fund Unsubstantiated received wisdom is that the new workforce will just go elsewhere The virtual desktop is not the ultimate answer Ever tried saying No when the CEO comes in and says Make this brand new Applia iplaymia TransTab work, will you?
Option 2 Free for all If you can t stop them, let them get on with it Remove device support maybe give them a cash fund for using their own kit Remove the help desk if you chose that tool/app, then you support it Information storage, backup and recovery is the user s problem Just make it an S.E.P.
Option 2 Not recommended Who will the organisation blame when the file sharing site goes out of business, and all the intellectual property suddenly disappears? What do you do when the business says that they would have made the right decision if only they had had access to all the information? How do you deal with leavers? Oh it s your problem, right enough
Option 3 Let s be sensible Create a pretty embracing base platform definition And keep it up to date Aim to allow users to have flexibility Put yourself in their shoes but with the business hat on Monitor device connectivity and activity What are users using? How? WHY? Embrace where users are doing things intelligently Gently re-position where users are not being clever Centralise where it makes sense
Embrace and advise Is that app doing something useful? Great can we use this across the whole organisation? Is that app helping the organisation? If no, do we have an equivalent that does? Is that app dangerous to the organisation? If so, why and what can be done about it? Build up a library of useful apps that are useful to the organisation and add and change as necessary.
Centralise It s not all about VDI Although that is a starting point It is about ensuring that all corporate data is secured Look at how applications can be streamed How the power of the device can be utilised How apps can be accessed and downloaded Corporate portal needs to be as good as a consumer app store
Protect Secure how devices are used for corporate activities Encryption VPNs On the move and at rest Gives a central point of connection Data leak prevention Sandbox functionality Prevention of cut and paste Prevention of use of certain apps for certain types of data
Management and control Asset management Identify anything that touches the network Use multi-factor authentication to make sure it is who they say they are Bomb rogue devices But only the corporate parts The device if BYOD does not belong to you
Conclusion BYOD is here it is not going away You have to embrace it Many users will be doing things in a clever way Identify, praise and use Many will be doing something clever but not in the best way Identify, praise and find a better equivalent You can only control what you know is happening Everything corporate has to touch a known point Don t be scared of BYOD and the Cloud But don t be laissez faire about it, either