MCPc Blog

Stealth IT: Balancing Staff Flexibility with Corporate Security

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Last month, Gartner published a press release encouraging CEOs to understand and “seize the iPad opportunity now.” The release lauded the virtues of iPad in the enterprise and directed CEOs to seriously evaluate its potential benefits for their own organizations, and put corporate IT support in place for the device.

For many organizations, the CEO user segment falls outside the typical corporate refresh cycle and are likely the first to bring an iPad or other device into the enterprise. Innovation and these alternate form factors are driving adoption by individuals.  Internal departments outside of IT are also finding that these form factors are purpose-built to solve and deliver creative, high-tech and low-cost business solutions.

This month, a flood of new mobile devices — such as iPads, tablets and smartphones — will land in the hands of employees everywhere. The Windows 7-based HP slate was introduced in November as was the 7” Android-based Samsung Galaxy. Early adopters will invariably introduce their organizations to the concept of bring your own device (BYOD) to work.

Largely because of this increased mobile usage, employees demand more flexibility in how they access company data, and employers seem open to providing it. And, it appears that each device will have a specific purpose — some for creating content (corporate devices), consuming content (iPads and tablets) or snacking on content (smartphones).

The introduction of these devices will drive adoption of other solutions and applications that facilitate moving data to the cloud – applications like DropBox and Sugarsync – whether unbeknownst to or sanctioned by corporate IT.

Stealth IT, a term used to describe services consumed by and delivered to business users without the knowledge or support of the IT organization, whether it is through a device or an application, will require changes to your corporate governance policies. For example, some companies are blocking access to ActiveSync, Microsoft software to synchronize Windows-based mobile devices, while others are requiring end users to register the device to maintain PCI and HIPPA compliance.

As mobile devices and cloud-based applications continue to infiltrate your IT environment, you must begin thinking now about how your organization will balance the flexibility demanded by your staff with corporate security and regulatory compliance.

It is likely that stealth IT isn’t going away anytime soon. How will you prepare and protect your organization?

Ira Grossman, VP, Personal Systems Group, has more than 15 years of technology project management experience and is an expert in lifecycle management and mobile device management for the enterprise, including the iPad. Connect with Ira on LinkedIn.

Are you a business leader in Northeast Ohio interested in learning more about mobile devices and other advanced technologies for your organization? Join us on Wednesday, August 10 at 3:00 p.m. for a roundtable discussion: Mobile Device Explosion. This will be the second session of a three-session series that also includes Path to the Cloud (7/19) and Intuitive Collaboration (9/29). All three events will take place at our future headquarters, 1801 Superior Ave. in downtown Cleveland. You can attend all three or any combination of sessions. Click here to learn more and register.