Re: BYOD: biggest pain points
I have yet to hear a serious discussion regarding the usage of existing corporate/business policies regarding "BYOD." The issue that I see is a loss of historical wisdom from the previous "BYOD" waves.
1. The IT infrastructure (as we know it today) was built on a succession of waves where consumer grade technology was brought into the office in answer to need.
2. In the early to mid-eighties, the desktop and "luggable" computers were introduced creating the evolution of the desktop policies.
3. In the early to mid- ninties, the introduction of LAN networking and subsequent WAN/Internet environments brought yet another set of core policy evolutions.
4. As laptops became more cost effective, the concepts of "data islands," mobility of workforce, and remote data security required refinement of the policies further.
5. The Blackberry phone. This one device, and the required refinements of policy regarding data access, ownership, loss mitigation, and overall system integration was staggering. It truly created the foundation of the mobile phone integration policy.
6. The still evolving landscape of wireless networking has created/is creating major refinements in the core networking policies, due to issues of BYOD "rogue AP" units.
7. Evolution of software solutions (i.e. MS SharePoint, Salesforce, and Portal systems) is further refining the balance between security and availability policy elements.
This is by far not a comprehensive list, but it does summarize the nature and domain of the current policies existance and evolution. It reveals that the concept of "BYOD" is not new on any standard of measure.
So, the critically needed question to be asked is, "Why are the existing, time proven, and process refined policies --that directly address the core technologies being presented-- considered insufficient/inappropriate to me this current evolution?" "What makes the fundamental nature of these devices, if any, different to require unique handling?"
I profesionally believe that the "issues" of this "BYOD" wave, have already been addressed in the evolution of our Best Practices policies. The lessons learned are all there. Why are we being forced to repeat past mistakes to come to the same conclusions?
I do not believe the hype surrounding the issue of this actual minor "BYOD" wave has the substantial validity that media attention has created. I see the refinements of policy should actually be minor, when put in context of our previous lessons learned and why the policies evolved the way they did. I am willing to be wrong on this, and look forward to the results of the discussion.