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Enterprise mobility’s keyword is app. But it would be too half-baked an observation to confine enterprise mobility to apps only, though in the hype around mobility, it is mostly apps that come to the forefront.
But coming down to serious discussion, and aspects like security, policies, and mobile platforms erase the hype. Sahil Sagar, Head-IS, Aditi Technologies, says, “For us, right now, it’s about internal employees. However, in the long term, it should be a combination of both. Businesses are centred on customers, so I would say end users apps come first. I think collaboration is a good use case. Some transactional applications (leave, etc) also make for a good candidate.”
“Businesses are centered on customers, so end users apps come first”
Enabling an enterprise with mobility requires much more than mere handling the app. We look at the other considerations that you have to filter through as you go mobile.
Information governance
The first step is to form an information security governance model consisting of two distinct parts—the information security governance lifecycle and the information security governance framework. Let’s examine the information security governance framework (which represents the major areas to be managed for ensuring security and privacy across a business and technology environment): Data Retention and Recovery Information Security Policies and Procedures
Data architecture and design
Access Management and Role Governance Data Security and Privacy Security Operations Review and Incident Management Mitigating Concerns about Security IT managers may have a LAN switching infrastructure and put up a wireless infrastructure and then put services on top of it.
With both wired and wireless infrastructure, it is a challenge for IT managers. Now, within the IT team, some people will manage LAN, some people will manage wireless and another set of people will manage security.
Networking face to mobility
The challenge to the IT manager is multifold because security policy is a concern. To an IT team, enterprise mobility is of business relevance in a network service which can be monetised.
“As multiple users and multiple devices come up, IT managers need to have a robust network”
The IT team needs one network which is both wired and wireless and which leads to a convenient one network, one policy, one management. As multiple users and multiple devices come up, IT managers need to have a robust network. Mahesh Gupta, Lead, Enterprise Network Architecture Sales, Cisco India & SAARC, says, “There are different segments of security that are getting rolled on and the number of users on these devices is multiplying because the devices are multiplying.
The headache for the IT team is to do more with less--which means that with the same staff, it has to manage 2X or 3X number of employees, 2X or 3X number of networks and management consoles, and the multiplying number of calls.”
“Need of security tools that address the multiplying number of users, devices”
Mobile device management
There are number of measures that can be taken, including deployment of a Mobile Device Management (MDM) platform that can help in erasing devices in case of theft.
Simpler ways include designing the app to run over VPN or secure networks to prevent unwanted data leak. Sensitive data can be prevented from being stored in memory, and can be accessed on demand through services.
Choosing the right method requires evaluating several factors including the sensitivity of the data, key business objectives, budget available etc.
Four levels of security need to be addressed
Security in motion --through robust encryption.
Application security through authorisation controls.
Device level security for remote management and wipe off.
Application wrapping --service on demand.
Sagar says, “Security is going to be a paramount concern for any organisation, when it comes to mobile. Secure application, and also backing the mobile rollout with some of the organisation policies, will be the key to a successful strategy.”
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