What challenges does IT consumerization present to CIOs?

[#1]

In today’s enterprises, employees bring their own devices to work.  This trend, called “IT consumerization,” is a hot topic for company CIOs.  Enterprises used to be able to accommodate employees by providing e-mail access through devices such as mobile phones and tablets.  Now it’s more complex, with end-users pushing for access to enterprise applications and information systems within the corporation from their mobile devices. 

With the consumerization of the enterprise, the biggest challenge now facing company CIOs is how to provide access to corporate collaborative platforms, applications and information on personal devices in an efficient and secure way. Watch this video from the HP Cloud Summit 2011 for more information:  What challenges does the consumerization of IT present to CIOs?, an interview with Sukhi Gill, HP Fellow and EMEA Chief Technologist, Enterprise Services.

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[#2]

Enterprises are under pressure to adopt a more flexible model where individuals shape their own working environment. A work day starts when you look at your smartphone and ends when you shut it off for the night.   Consumer and enterprise technologies continue to merge resulting in a trend we now call BYOD.   Educational institutions have successfully dealt with the trend for years using Network Access Control (NAC) to ensure devices are safe to connect and questionable devices get guest (Internet) access.  There are many lessons to be learned from 35,000 students showing up to a university with uniquely configured laptop, iPad, and/or smartphone and safely gaining access to a private network.

[#3]

Hi Tom - excellent points and thanks for your perspective.  You're right, Universities are a great model for this BYOD and consumerization trend.  I think you also raise an interesting point about the start and end of the workday revolving around when the smartphone is turned on/off. This is true, and it also raises some interesting questions around how to manage work/life balance in this new era.