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212 Part Two Information Technology Infrastructure

INTERACTIVE SESSION: MANAGEMENT

SHOULD YOU USE YOUR IPHONE FOR WORK?

Look around. On the street, at restaurants, sports ber, or buying a new mobile device altogether, compa-
events, and stores, you’ll find many people using nies will need to quickly and flexibly ensure that their
their smartphones. And many people are starting to employees are still able to remain productive. Firms
use these devices on the job as well. According to a need an efficient inventory management system that
Juniper Research report, the number of employees keeps track of which devices employees are using,
who use personal devices at work will increase to where the device is located, whether it is being used,
350 million by 2014. About 150 million people use and what software it is equipped with. For unprepared
their own mobile phones and tablets at the workplace companies, keeping track of who gets access to what
today. data could be a nightmare.
If almost everyone has a personal smartphone, why With the variety of phones and operating systems
not use it for work? Employees using their own smart- available, providing adequate technical support for
phones would allow companies to enjoy all of the every employee could be difficult. When employees
same benefits of a mobile workforce without spending are not able to access critical data or encounter other
their own money on these devices, but IT depart- problems with their mobile devices, they will need
ments need to overcome several logistical hurdles assistance from the information systems department.
to make that vision a reality. Using personal devices Companies that rely on desktop computers tend to
for business poses difficult problems for companies, have many of the same computers with the same
including security, inventory management, support, specs and operating systems, making tech support
integrating mobile devices into pre-existing IT func- that much easier. Mobility introduces a new layer of
tions and systems, and measuring return on invest- variety and complexity to tech support that compa-
ment. In other words, it’s not that simple. nies need to be prepared to handle.
A significant portion of corporate IT resources is A firm’s software development teams can benefit
dedicated to managing and maintaining a large num- from having one person specifically focused on ensur-
ber of devices within an organization. In the past, ing that new applications will be easily usable and
companies tried to limit business smartphone use to useful on smartphones. Many companies are integrat-
a single platform. This made it easier to keep track of ing these “mobility experts” into core IT functions
each mobile device and to roll out software upgrades and software development. Unless applications and
or fixes, because all employees were using the same software can be used on mobile devices to connect
devices, or at the very least, the same operating sys- to the firm’s existing IT platform and company-wide
tem. The most popular employer-issued smartphone customer relationship management (CRM), supply
used to be Research in Motion’s BlackBerry, because chain management (SCM), and enterprise resource
it was considered the “most secure” mobile platform planning (ERP) systems, a business smartphone is just
available. (BlackBerry mobile devices access corpo- a phone, and mobility experts can help a company
rate e-mail and data using a proprietary software and leverage mobility more effectively.
networking platform that is company-controlled and There are significant concerns with securing
protected from outsiders.) Today, the mobile digital company information accessed with mobile devices.
landscape is much more complicated, with a variety If a device is stolen or compromised, companies
of devices and operating systems on the market that need ways to ensure that sensitive or confidential
do not have well-developed tools for administration information isn’t freely available to anyone. Mobility
and security. puts assets and data at greater risk than if they were
If employees are allowed to work with more than only located within company walls and on company
one type of mobile device and operating system, com- machines. Companies often use technologies that
panies need an effective way to keep track of all the allow them to wipe data from devices remotely, or
devices employees are using. To access company infor- encrypt data so that if it is stolen, it cannot be used.
mation, the company’s networks must be configured to You’ll find a detailed discussion of mobile security
receive connections from that device. When employ- issues in Chapter 8.
ees make changes to their personal phone, such as A number of software products have emerged to
switching cellular carriers, changing their phone num- help companies manage diverse mobile platforms.

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