In today’s world, your employees must be able to work from anywhere, at any time, with various devices. While things such as a VPN make this possible, they also open your network and systems up to new challenges. Keeping track of your user’s devices, network, and data security without a cohesive approach is virtually impossible.
BYOD
BYOD, “Bring Your Own Device,” is the custom of allowing employees to use whatever device they want to connect to your network and do their work. Users are typically given access to your network from their preferred devices using a secure VPN.
MDM
Mobile Device Management, or MDM, is a way of centrally managing user devices. Software is installed on the device to allow your IT teams to connect to them and enforce standard security policies remotely.
BYOD vs. MDM: Pros and Cons
Pros of BYOD
- Flexibility: employees are free to choose their familiar device to work
- Savings: there is a perceived upfront saving offered by BYOD, as your company does not have to invest in hardware.
Cons of BYOD
- Lack of consistency: employee’s devices will come in all shapes and sizes, with varying software and security. There is no way of knowing if the latest operating system updates, software updates, and security patches have been applied.
- Security: BYOD can pose significant security threats. Users are responsible for the protection and health of their own devices, and without the proper training to defend against threats, they are left vulnerable.
- Downtime: if an employee’s device crashes or experiences a security issue (virus, hack, etc.), it would take significantly longer to troubleshoot or replace.
Pros of MDM
- Centralized visibility: using a centralized platform, Mobile Device Management enables you to monitor your entire device inventory and security.
- Improved security: everything users have access to is managed by company policy; their access is controlled. Security policies are rolled out on the fly across the company.
- Consistent device provisioning: MDM is a great way to ensure all employees have access to the same technical standard. This means productivity improves, and troubleshooting becomes more effortless. MDM helps you control company device settings so that new hires can be set up instantly.
Cons of MDM
- Higher upfront costs: when considering the cost of Mobile Device Management and a Bring Your Own Device program, MDM can initially appear to be the pricier choice. However, given the potential costs of data breaches, avoiding that risk bumps the savings.
What’s The Best Choice For You?
The Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) model has become popular in recent years as more and more businesses consider the benefits of letting their employees use their own devices to conduct work tasks. However, there are many risks associated with this approach that small and medium-sized businesses should be aware of before adopting this model.
While BYOD can seem like an easy way for a growing business to save money on hardware costs, it’s important to remember that BYOD comes with its own set of challenges – particularly regarding security. For example, if an employee uses their personal device for work purposes and then loses or has it stolen, sensitive information could be compromised. In addition, because many personal devices have limited storage capacity and processing power compared with corporate-issued laptops or desktops, they may not be able to handle complex tasks such as video conferencing. This means employees’ productivity will be affected – which could lead to additional costs.
Employee performance is another area where BYOD can pose problems for small companies trying their best to stay competitive in today’s digital economy.
When you are weighing the best option for your business, you must consider the security of your data against convenience and the tradeoffs.