CyrusOne : IT Pros Have To Grapple With Data Mobility

In recent years, it has been difficult enough for those in charge of IT infrastructure to keep a safe handle on sensitive data even when it's on site. But now that mobile technology has allowed workers to take their data with them, so to speak, the job becomes even more difficult. As a consequence, it's vital that IT pros set up rules for how employees handle sensitive information on mobile devices, and make sure employees adhere to those rules as strictly as possible.

Having said that, most in the field acknowledge that this kind of crackdown on mobile data management is often difficult to undertake, according to a report from IT Pro Portal. While there's no overarching idea behind the best possible way to secure data on mobile devices, some experts say that it's certainly easy for companies to go overboard in a way that can both be frustrating and over-cautious to the average worker who doesn't want to be assigned, for example, a 10-digit PIN code for their phones, tablets, or laptops.

Taking basic steps
One of the biggest issues here, though, is that consumers often want to use their own personal devices to handle work-related data, and that's an area where many experts see a major security issue, the report said. While it's difficult to get strong controls in place for this sort of issue, a lot of companies that have already incorporated this issue into their overarching IT security plans end up going with enforced use of company devices - like tablets - when handling sensitive data. There is simply too much risk involved with personal devices that can be more easily misplaced or stolen, especially if employees don't use multi-layer security and other industry-recommended best practices.

When IT professionals try to deal with this issue, it can lead to a lot of stress on an ongoing basis. As a result, it might be wiser for companies to also invest in data center services that can help to take some other issues off their plate. By making this relatively small investment, companies may be able to not only save money, but give themselves additional peace of mind when it comes to protecting their most important information.

What else can be done?
Even beyond laying out basic ground rules for how employees should handle sensitive data when out of the office, it might also be wise for IT security to include steps beyond those simple controls, according to Read IT Quik. For instance, it will be up to each company to determine whether it's judicious to have workers who use their own devices to have encryption and remote-wiping software on their phones or laptops in case those devices go missing. Likewise, setting up procedures that clearly define what kinds of security measures are to be used for each type of device can go a long way toward making sure employees know exactly what they're supposed to be doing.