With Proper Planning and Technology, Enterprises Can Embrace the Bring-Your-Own-Device Trend Securely
Woburn, MA - December 17, 2012 - Some IT managers fear an "IT cliff" on January 2nd, with the record-breaking number of iPads that are predicted to sell this holiday season potentially finding their way into the workplace, and onto corporate networks. However, Acronis can assure that bring-your-own-device (BYOD) doesn't have to bring IT to a screeching halt. With the right planning and technology in place, enterprises can strike a balance between ease-of-use and enterprise-grade security while still retaining control and security of their network and data.
IT-approved devices make up only a fraction of those in the workforce, with 81 percent of employees using their own devices at work. Today's worker is accustomed to on-demand data and social media connectivity, and personal devices go hand-in-hand. Yet, the widespread use of personal devices presents a security risk and potentially puts sensitive company data outside the control of IT. In order to protect the enterprise, IT must adapt to demands of the end user and ensure data is secure and available regardless of where and how data is stored and accessed.
"Employees are taking IT into their own hands because it's affordable, and easier than jumping through internal approvals," said Scott Crenshaw, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Chief Marketing Officer, Acronis. "But, the anticipated flood of personal devices in January doesn't need to spell doom for IT. In fact, organizations of all sizes have a unique opportunity to control costs and create a more connected, data-driven workplace. Some IT managers feel they are losing control, but with careful device configuration and monitoring policies, simple file access and security solutions, and the right planning, enterprise IT can shake off their fears and focus on the benefits of BYOD."
Acronis offers several suggestions to IT managers preparing for the flood of personal devices and Macs in the workplace this January. They include adopting mobile device management (MDM) secure access solutions; conducting regular security audits; tracking device use with a central management tool to ensure compliance; providing simple solutions for file access, sharing and security; and, most importantly, planning for the worst with a comprehensive business continuity plan.
In the New Year, Acronis sees a promising future for data access, availability and protection in the workplace. By becoming BYOD-friendly, the enterprise gains a true competitive edge in a rapidly evolving world of Big Data, complex IT environments and escalating personal device adoption.
About Acronis:
Acronis is a global cyber protection company that provides natively integrated cybersecurity, data protection, and endpoint management for managed service providers (MSPs), small and medium businesses (SMBs), and enterprise IT departments. Acronis solutions are highly efficient and designed to identify, prevent, detect, respond, remediate, and recover from modern cyberthreats with minimal downtime, ensuring data integrity and business continuity. Acronis offers the most comprehensive security solution on the market for MSPs with its unique ability to meet the needs of diverse and distributed IT environments.
A Swiss company founded in Singapore in 2003, Acronis has 15 offices worldwide and employees in 50+ countries. Acronis Cyber Protect is available in 26 languages in 150 countries and is used by over 20,000 service providers to protect over 750,000 businesses. Learn more at www.acronis.com.