How to Get the Most Out of a BYOD Program

The bring your own device (BYOD) doctrine is bringing with it a lot of changes to the corporate landscape, from new potential benefits to businesses to new potential hazards. While some of the risks may be remote, and some of the rewards tough to measure, there's still quite a bit of value going on in here, and that's got businesses taking a closer look at outfitting employees with employees' own devices. But getting the most out of a BYOD program, as discovered by Mobile Commerce Press writer Dana Hudson, can be tricky, but easier when three key points are considered.

Hudson focuses on devices with the first two points. First, companies need to focus on lost and stolen devices. It's the kind of thing that can happen to anyone, but when it does, it may well destroy an entire business by making available secured data to anyone who gets hands on the device. But with standard protection measures like GPS tracking and remote wiping systems, these issues can be deeply mitigated, even potentially removed as problems altogether with sufficient vigilance. Second, a device policy for the entire company is worth considering, as standardizing devices can be helpful to IT departments by reducing the number of potential issues that can crop up since just one kind of device is actually used. Many companies favor BlackBerry thanks to impressive security measures, but this isn't universal, and several companies are looking at iOS and Android devices.

Beyond the device, however, is the issue of what runs on said devices, particularly apps. Some apps are crucial to have on hand, including things like antivirus and protection measures. Those offered by McAfee or Norton are common favorites, and many companies get access to bulk purchasing plans that make everyone on the same security protocol a smart idea. Meanwhile, some apps should be avoided due to the dangers said apps present in terms of security, and a policy to keep said apps off work-related devices will likely prove a smart idea.

These are all rational points, really; a recent survey from McAfee pointed to developments likely to occur in data center security, particularly in India, and noted that a particular focus was likely to occur for data center security in 2014. The growth of the mobile workforce concept is also contributing to the growth of BYOD, with potential gains in productivity, in morale, and in the kind of flexibility that can really help a business gain ground ready to step in. But by like token, there are plenty of potential risks afoot that can take all those potential gains and turn the lot on its collective ear.

Taking reasonable precautions, like instituting security policies for both devices and apps as well as, as much as possible, the network on which these devices operate is a smart move. Other measures like the use of secure containers within devices can also prove helpful, but whatever measures are actually put into play, the point is to actually put these measures to work and get more benefit—and less risk—out of BYOD measures.