Infotech Lead India: Several Indian enterprises — Reliance ADAG, CARE, among others — are in the process of finalizing strategies for executing Bring-your-own-device (BYOD) plans.
The BYOD phenomenon has encroached enterprise IT, paving way for new business opportunities to software and security vendors that offer solutions to enable employees to connect their devices to enterprise network without having any security related issues.
According to a new research published by MarketsandMarkets, the total
Companies who embrace BYOD programs experience improved employee productivity, faster customer response times and improved operational efficiencies. They are able to clearly define roles for their user community in one central database, track and support each user’s level of mobility and deliver applications to users based on their role within the company.
Desktop virtualization and mobile device management (MDM) are two technology areas most commonly implemented for BYOD. France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Australia chose to implement desktop virtualization first, while Singapore, India, Beijing, the U.K., and U.S. chose to start with MDM.
Desktop virtualization gives BYOD a whole new dimension as it gives businesses more flexibility and increases productivity by allowing workers to stay connected on-the-go. VMware, Manage IQ, StorMagic, Dell, EMC and Citrix are just a few of the many providers who offer desktop virtualization solutions with features which enable end users to enjoy customized PC experiences, just as if they had actual physical PCs or laptops running in front of them.
TS Purushothaman, VP – IT, Reliance BIG Entertainment, told Infotech Lead that his organization is planning to implement BYOD strategies at the group level shortly. For smooth implementation of BYOD, he seeks better antivirus technology, improved tools for mobile data and rights management and mobile tracking and administration.
Umesh Ikhe, group CTO of Credit Analysis & Research (India) (CARE) says that his company is evaluating technologies such as Mobile Device Management (MDM) software, encryption & DLP. CARE is in the process of forming a sound BYOD policy to enable smooth implementation of BYOD.
Another success story of desktop virtualization is Iowa Workforce Development, where the project has been so successful that a year after implementation, Iowa provides more services in more places than ever before for less than it used to spend.
MDM is beneficial to organizations and employees alike. Having an MDM solution makes it possible for employees to use their own devices at work, saving the company money and allowing employees to have a device of their choosing. Since most mobile device management is done wirelessly, IT does not have to work around employee schedules, saving time and money.
The right Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution will increase the efficiency and satisfaction of employees with mobile devices, while maintaining security without a massive burden on IT.
Current leaders catering to the security needs of organizations open to BYOD are Airwatch, MobileIron, BoxTone and SOTI Fiberlink while emerging vendors are Sophos, SAP, RIM, McAfee and Symantec, amongst others.
According to Infonetics’ biannual Security Client Software report, the top 4 leaders in the desktop security client software space are Symantec, McAfee, Kaspersky and Trend.
Last year Fortinet introduced FortiOS 5.0, an advanced security operating system which provides more security, intelligence and control to help enterprises be better protected against today’s advanced threats and enable more secure BYOD environments.
Dell’s broad systems management portfolio of PC, server, and thin client management now encompasses mobile device management and helps IT organizations securely cater to BYOD demands, while delivering fast and efficient results designed to maximize workforce productivity.
Among the numerous companies worldwide who have embraced the BYOD trend are Ford, Intel, Babcock International and Sainsbury’s. These employers actively encourage BYOD as a way to increase productivity and ROI from their information workers. While some employers don’t pay a dime for the employees’ BYOD devices and prefer to let employees to pay for the their devices, some employers like Avnet, a distribution firm, have a different approach to BYOD by offering different levels of subsidy based on the employee’s role according to anticipated ROI from using such devices.
Sangeeta Sudhakaran
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