Increasing numbers of employee-owned laptops, tablets and smartphones crossing the corporate threshold are driving organisations to embrace bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies. At the same time, they are challenging them to strike a balance between enablement and flexibility on the one hand, and the business' demands for control and security on the other.
A commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Dimension Data on the desktop virtualisation market reveals that two thirds of the 546 organisations surveyed had experienced end-user interest in BYOD policies. In addition, while PCs remain the primary endpoint, 20 - 22% of organisations said they are already providing support for employee-owned laptops, tablets and smartphones, with a further 16 - 21% planning to do so over next two years.
Neville Burdan, GM, Microsoft Solutions, Dimension Data Asia Pacific said, "While most BYOD policies are in the early stages of implementation, the research indicates that growing employee interest is pushing organisations to think differently. Of those 124 participants surveyed in Asia which included Singapore, India, Hong Kong and China, 68% said that they see improved self-service as a primary reason for supporting employee-owned slates, tablets, netbooks and laptops, while 60% see lower purchase costs as a key driver for embracing BYOD. The data suggests that desktop and application virtualisation is set to play a key role in supporting employee-owned devices and improving workforce flexibility. Indeed, desktop virtualisation's true value lies in the enablement of mobility, and flexibility regarding device choice, security and management ease."
