The Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) movement – where workers are encouraged to use their own portable devices for work-related efforts – seems like an unstoppable force at this point.
Employees like it because they get to choose and use the device they’re most comfortable with. Corporate bean-counters like it because it saves the company money. In fact, it seems the only ones not cheering on the movement are the IT people, those folks responsible for keeping the corporations safe from hackers and other intruders. They have a good point.
Reports are increasing that more and more companies are at risk from BYOD. Still, that shouldn’t be a strong enough reason to ban the practice entirely. Companies need to take steps before implementing a BYOD policy to assure that everyone is safe, and private data is kept from snooping eyes.
One simple method might be to utilize Allot Communications’ (News - Alert) NetEnforcer Wi-Fi BYOD software, as enterprises need the ability to enforce usage rules for personal devices once they are on the network. Such BYOD rules might include dialing back heavy usage, blocking downloads of exe/zip files, allotting more bandwidth to employee devices over guest devices, and giving priority to business applications.
“Allot’s superior DPI technology provides device signatures in the same way that it provides application signatures, and it updates them regularly,” the company said in a statement. “This ensures timely and accurate identification of non-corporate devices and their traffic on the network,” allowing IT managers a certain degree of control over who is on the network, using what type of device.
Some of the benefits from Allot’s Wi-FI BYOD control include allowing personal devices to enhance employee productivity, ensuring that personal devices do not compromise the network, and strengthening network security measures.
Yet with that same BYOD control in use, companies can:
- Map BYOD rules into their own Wi-Fi management policy;
- Automatically detect Wi-Fi traffic from personal devices;
- Enforce BYOD rules in real-time; and
- Review BYOD usage reports to evaluate and refine policy on an ongoing basis.
BYOD is apparently here to stay. Rather than fight a losing battle, wise IT managers will find a way to make it work for them, keeping employees happy and the company safe.
Edited by Blaise McNamee