Look around your living room, chances are that there are an eclectic mix of internet connected devices including computers, tablets, smart phones, even games consoles, cable boxes and televisions.
Devices like these provide on demand access to data and there's only one major downside: the consistently high quality of technology in our homes is making a lot of enterprise IT systems look very old hat..
Just ten years ago, staff would love the opportunity to leave the screechy dial-up modem at home and use the T1 high speed link to online services that was in the office. However, while this may have been accurate a decade ago, the pace of development in home technology has been very fast indeed.
The pace with which we want the latest iPad or smart phone has meant that over the last few years, we have access to more up to date technology in our pockets than we do on our desks and our internet connections can conceivably be nearly 100 times faster at home. While in house IT departments have had their spending cut by the tough economic conditions, consumers have been able to take advantage of retailers desperate to make sales to fulfill their technology dreams.
Cloud computing is an ever more important reason for change as well. Mobile consumers are starting to us on demand IT to have immediate access to data, no matter where they are.
The joining of the consumerisation and technology on-demand is creating a major issue for IT leaders. Should tech leaders create a strategy that allows authorized staff to plug their own mobile devices into the company network?
There are obvious security issues from staff connecting their own devices to gain access to their business systems and these would definitely have to be addressed. But the consumer drive for the latest internet connected devices and a smart company will use the cloud to help the company use this to their advantage.
To start with, on-demain is not inherently insecure. Using the right kind of cloud based system will allow business to make company data security a major priority and make sure that only authorized devices are able to access the company network.
new on demand services such as Office 365 from Microsoft will allow users to access their business systems over a secure network connection, wherever and whenever they need it. Integrated systems such as Citrix's virtual desktop or even online portal systems like Microsoft SharePoint will deliver software via a safe and secure controlled environment.
IT Outsourcing helps the company to address the ever growing tide and need for mobile device connectivity. Once secure processes have been put in place, users can plug pretty much any device in without affecting the security of the enterprise network and they won't feel like they're stepping technologically back in time every time they go into the office either.
Advanced 365 offer managed services, on demand cloud based IT systems and IT Outsouring.
