If you rely on a network to support your business operations, you have security concerns. While most of us would like to think we operate in a secure environment, the reality is information is power and valuable. Throughout the world there are individuals that engage in questionable tactics to get at this information, putting digital workstyle services at risk. As we don’t want to change the way we live and work, what other options do we have to stay safe?
One option is to throw out the flexibility of mobility and keep the network closed to vulnerabilities. It sounds great on paper, but digital workstyle services support our efforts moving forward and keep us agile enough to respond to changing markets. As companies continue to launch BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) platforms, the challenges and risks continue to intensify.
The big thing that is missing, according to a Network Computing post, is trust. IT managers don’t trust their devices or the users on the network, security technologies or even the networks themselves. They aren’t convinced that security measures put in place will produce the desired results and security and network teams are still struggling to work effectively together. It is nearly a perfect storm of challenges that are not easily overcome.
One of the key issues, especially as users continue to adopt digital workstyle services, is that the threat to data continues to grow exponentially. As such, it’s difficult to tell what is actually a risk and what is not. Add to this the growing number of devices accessing the network from countless locations and increased traffic over the network in general, the IT manager has a lot to contend with. When the IT team doesn’t control all of these devices, it gets especially messy.
So how do IT managers find a happy medium between complete control over devices and allowing users the freedom they need to function effectively in the field? Locking down devices isn’t the answer, although it would cure a number of ills. Such an action would undermine the business value of those devices and supporting strategies.
To that end, major manufacturers are making their devices easier to manage in complex environments. Likewise, mobile device management solutions are lending significant value where complete control is out of the question. When these elements are combined with effective network performance management strategies, security risks are minimized and IT managers can sleep at night.
While the threats will never go away, the tools needed to better control environments are available. The key is to know where to look for the right solution for the right level of protection.
Edited by Rory J. Thompson