BYOD, CYOD, BYOIoT – so many acronyms which point to one key topic. Mobility. As business and personal lives become ever more mobile, CBR looks to IT industry experts to tell us what to expect in the mobility arena in 2015.
1. Mobility will be expected
Invu CTO Stuart Evans commented: "While IT departments are still trying to spell BYOD (Bring your own device), the population as a whole is now used to, and expect, mobility. Desktop sales are in steep decline and smartphones, touch-laptops and tablets dominate. Humans now expect data to come to them."
"Software vendors now have to add a twist of mobile to anything they do – which can be a shock for some. Mobility will continue to grow into an expected aspect of business solutions – with iOS and Android devices leading demand with Windows Mobile a poor third place."
2. 2015 will mark the year of the enterprise mobile app
Yorgen Edholm, CEO at Accellion, predicts: "There will be more emphasis on serving the needs of the mobile user this year, which I think will be the year of the enterprise mobile applications."
"The IBM/Apple partnership and HP’s push into the mobility market illustrate just how large this market has the potential to be. So far, the apps created for enterprise use have been a mobile skin on existing desktop solutions."
"In 2015 enterprises will be looking to develop new, native applications that take true advantage of the mobile device form factor and unique mobile features to create streamlined business processes."
3. Multiple identity disorder
Choose your own device (CYOD) will take over BYOD, where companies will offer employees a device of their choosing, that helps them carry out their job most productively", said Phil Turner, VP EMEA at Okta.
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"Users will want apps that are secure, but do not need passwords – managing identity will be native to the app, and users and businesses will face the "multiple identity disorder" – the proliferation of cloud applications being adopted, alongside on-premise applications create a challenge of trying to remember how to access all of these identity silos. We will face a battle on where a user/business’ true identity resides."
4. BYOD will evolve into BYOIoT
Mark O’Neill, VP Innovation at Axway, commented: "BYOD will evolve into BYOIoT in 2015, which means businesses will need to wake up to the potential risks that come with employees using wearable devices. At the onset of 2014, smartwatches were for early adopters, but when Apple joined the fray it accelerated the wearable tech revolution. The number and variety of wearable devices is set to explode in 2015, and enter the workplace."
"But the apps they are built on are only as strong as the ecosystem around them, the mobile apps, social media APIs and website interface to analyse the data, will need to evolve at the same rate as the devices themselves.
5. Security will remain a major concern
Wandera CEO Eldar Tuvey warned: "Mobile security is a major concern. Throughout 2014, we have seen a growing malware trend as it becomes better designed to specifically attack maturing mobile platforms. The recent emergence of the WireLurker malware and other Apple vulnerability exploits are broadly publicised large scale attacks, however hidden attacks are happening every day, going undetected by companies, their employees, and the press."
"The security solutions available to today’s CSOs such as Mobile Device Management (MDM), secure containers, app wrappers and mobile anti-virus (AV) solutions do not go far enough or deep enough to protect organisations from the emerging mobile threats facing enterprises today.
"A new approach is required that’s not rigid, prescriptive and policy focused but rather engaging and clearly demonstrating value to the end user. With the threat landscape rapidly changing the only sensible approach to mobile data security is to cover all bases with a defence in depth approach.
"This gives the CSOs flexibility and best of breed capabilities. The ‘layered’ approach to security, which we call ‘multi-level’, will continue to be the defining trend for the next generation of security services."
Mike Langley, Regional VP of Western Europe and South Africa at Palo Alto Networks echoed Tuvey’s warnings, saying: "Finding mobile malware is very difficult for a company if you don’t have the capabilities to prevent or detect it, especially with all of the BYOD devices running on networks."
"The advanced end point security solution is imperative to maximise safety, and could be the star of 2015. The most effective protection, is always technology that can combat these constantly evolving threats and attacks without prior knowledge of the malware or hacker itself."
6. Data control will see a shift
Simon Rust, Director of Product Management at 1E commented: Organisations will limit their control over employee-owned devices. In 2015, we will see a shift where organizations will only control the corporate data on employees’ personal devices."
"Currently, the majority of BYOD solutions have access everything on an employee’s personal device – including pictures, apps and email – allowing them to completely wipe the device to protect corporate data if need be."
"Crucial to the long-term success of BYOD, this shift will bring the ability for IT departments to solely monitor and control corporate data downloaded onto an employee’s device with no access to personal material on that same device."
7. Networks will feel the strain
Jonathan Hallatt, Region Director UKISA for NETGEAR, said "As the number of different devices connected to the network continues to rise – both company-provisioned and employee-owned – so too will the amount of voice, data and video traffic across the network."
"BYOD or CYOD (Choose your own device) in turn will cause significant performance implications, not just on the wireless infrastructure, but the entire IT network. Firewalls and applications security will need to be re-evaluated to ensure safe and secure access to the Internet and network managers will be forced to look for more efficient networking solutions, such as 10GbE copper."
8. Or will BYOD remain a minority interest?
IN contrast to previous predictions, TotalMobile CTO Gareth Tolerton concludes by saying: "I expect BYOD to remain a minority interest in our target markets."
"The benefits of mobility are huge but device cost is a small portion of the overall investment in an enterprise mobility strategy.
"The difference in up front investment between BYOD and employer provided devices is relatively small."
"Combine this with higher levels of uncertainty and perceived risk by CIOs regarding data security and in the Information
Governance- sensitive markets in which we operate I don’t expect BYOD to see significant growth in adoption rates."
