Company Announcement - Today, no matter where one is located, it is essential to have access to the internet, cloud and company data, and be able to communicate with co-workers, associates and clients.  Fundamental to this is having in place a leading edge mobility strategy.  “A mobility strategy optimises efficiency and ensures that should a device be lost, stolen or damaged, communication continues.  It ensures maximum performance of a company and its people at all times,” explains Kim Greyling, Business Analyst for EES Africa (Pty) Ltd.

EES is an ISO 9001:2008 certified company providing management, engineering and auditing services to a range of industries throughout Africa. It specialises in the integration of multiple system infrastructure including ICT, data centres, audio visual, life safety, security and building automation systems. “Several years ago, if a business laptop crashed or was stolen, days would need to be spent trying to reconnect, resulting in loss of productivity and income for the organisation.  Ever increasing advances in technology and the implementation of a formal mobility strategy ensure this scenario never need become a reality for an organization,” says Greyling. 

Downtime can in fact be drastically reduced to the point where an employee can simply carry on working from a different device. “Mobility refers to the movement of a technology user and how his or her location, requirements and behaviour patterns change over time.  Mobility management for mobile communication systems makes use of mobility models for predicting future user requirements,” Greyling continues.

Prior to implementation

Before implementing a mobility strategy there are three key aspects to consider:

• Implementation starts with a mobility assessment.  While the use of mobile devices can offer many benefits for employees in terms of productivity and efficiency, it also puts a significant burden on the management of IT, and this needs to be taken into account upfront.  
• The next step is to define a policy for the mobility strategy.  To get the most from mobile technology, it is important to know exactly how it will impact the workplace environment. 
• Define the intended purposes for each device.  Understanding usage patterns is crucial to enabling the correct data in the right format per device.

Implementation procedure

Greyling advises that the following practical tips should be considered when implementing a strategy to remove the risk of data loss and keep staff working:

• Budget accordingly for the increased costs.  When budgeting, it should be taken into consideration that personal devices can be used for work purposes as part of Bring Your Own Device.

• Providing staff with virtual desktop access from any location enables them to work in ways that previously may have not been practical.  The average employee uses three devices a day to connect.

• Tablets are often best suited for meetings and conferences.  Microsoft has rolled out Office for tablet and the experience is just as good as the traditional desktop.

• Enable a technology platform that is hardware agnostic.  This allows various computing components to work with various systems without special adaptations and enables connectivity across devices.

• Establish back-up schedules and make a back-up of the back-ups.  Typical data includes project data, personal data and application settings.

• Plan for an influx of devices and the impact they will have on capacity and bandwidth.

• Make sure that the organisation’s applications are protected no matter what devices are connecting to the network.  Protecting data at the application level is important.  When dealing with data of a sensitive nature, two phase authentication is useful i.e. the users enter their password on the relevant site that they wish to access, and a message is sent to their cell phone authenticating that they, the correct users, are trying to access the site.

• Training, communication and simulations are critical to being ready.

Greyling sums it up: “We are seeing ever increasing business demands and the constant evolution of technology.  It is imperative to have the necessary mobility strategy in place enabling a company to perform at maximum capacity irrespective of location or device.”