The cloud is growing ever larger on the business horizon. Google Drive allows for at least 30 GB of free space if you use Google Apps at work or at school. And that’s just one of the providers. Sharepoint Online offers up to 2TB of space for midsized businesses using the Office 365 OS; its enterprise business Relatively low cost and lots of space mean more and more businesses are taking advantage of the cloud, and with that, employees are pushing to BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). Employees can simply access the data they need on the cloud, and they can download and upload important documents, all from the comfort of their own personal devices. As with all major developments in business computing, the cloud carries with it a number of trends we can expect to see through 2015 on into 2016.
Security is priority:
BYOD and the cloud create the potential for security breaches. Employees can engage in a plethora of internet activities on the same device through which they access company information. Many employees will be doing work on a mobile device, and there is some concern in the tech world over cyber criminals targeting mobile phones.
We can expect CISOs (Chief Information Security Officers) to implement EMM (Enterprise Mobility Management) solutions in the attempt to deal with the hiccups caused by mobile apps. But this might seem like more than a hiccup: according to Proactive Patrol, more than 50 apps for Android are infected with a malware virus called “DroidDream” that can take over a device and compromise personal data.
Businesses implementing BYOD will not only turn to EMM, they will also turn to the hybrid cloud as we move into 2016. The hybrid cloud is a combination of private and public cloud, and it offers both the size and flexibility of the public cloud, along with the privacy and data security of private cloud computing.
Phablets:
As with the hybridization of the cloud, likewise with the device. The phone-tablet hybrid is well-suited for BYOD because it aids with consolidation, allowing the user to treat their phone like a tablet and vice versa. Users can access data on the cloud, create and read documents, make phone calls, and hold teleconferences face-to-face via apps like Skype. Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus and Android’s Galaxy Note 4 are two primary competitors in what is becoming a disruptive tech market primed for BYOD.
Apps:
According to tech research and advisory company Gartner, for user-access of brands, mobile apps will overtake domain names as the primary vehicle by 2016. Again, in the app arena, security and anonymity will reign. Applications like Scramphoto—which specializes in keeping user data out of the wrong hands by encrypting data at the source—will be de rigeur. Expect security policy-makers to require these types of apps for employees who want to bring their own device. This reflects a data-centric approach to security emerging in IT BYOD strategy.
IT shake-up:
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) cloud solutions have created an atmosphere in which businesses can easily outsource their IT. Just like in real estate, a business can own, lease, or rent Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions—there are cloud-based programs that can help you manage the entire financial sphere of your business. The role of in-house IT is going to change thanks to the cloud.
According to an IBM study, 75 percent of CISOs expect their cloud security budgets to increase in the next five years, and 86 percent say their organizations are moving to the cloud. This means IT departments will be charged with adapting to the cloud. They will scramble to implement procedures allowing for optimum productivity and employee freedom while simultaneously securing data. The enterprise dollar will go increasingly towards security within IT departments, as Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) continue to cut back on providing devices for their employees. IT will have to employ security measures like app-wrapping and containerization to cope with increasingly complex devices.
Bio: Carol Smithers is a Mobile Technology and IT Specialist. When she’s not busy contracting out her services to companies in need of an overhaul on their BYOD strategy, she enjoys writing, riding her road bike, and Skyping with friends. You can contact her with your questions about BYOD via email at carol.smithers.techgirl@gmail.com.
