Tablets Set to Take Over the Workplace

By: Absolute Team | 6/13/2014

Forrester estimates that 20% of all tablets in the marketplace will be enterprise-owned by 2017. Add to that the growing use of tablets under BYOD policies, this BYOT (bring-your-own-tablet) trend will see enterprises shifting from laptops and desktops to tablets and smartphones. According to Forrester, more than 80% of enterprises offer tablet plans, with employees using them either as laptop substitutes or, in the retail and service sectors, as point-of-sale and in-field information processing devices.

The rapid shift in device preference is affecting IT service demands and creates greater demands for controlling corporate data. Devices used for personal and enterprise purposes create challenges for management, while IT must also meet the increased demands for enterprise-level apps and access to corporate data without compromising network access or corporate data.

Moving forward, enterprises will see an increased demand for BYOD support for tablet devices, forcing enterprises to develop their tablet strategy. Areas to consider include:

Expand your BYOD policy and strategies to be inclusive of more device types
Write your BYOD policy with a focus on the user not on the device, which gives you a long-term strategy, no matter what new devices the Internet of Things (IoT) brings to the enterprise
Minimizes both the access to data and the data stored on the device
Educate employees, who need a better sense of the value of corporate data (see our study on this issue), and how to protect it
Use a mobile device management solution such as Absolute Manage that offers a single console to manage and secure all endpoints, as well as manage apps, set security standards, automate patch management, automate employee enrolment and much more
Offer corporate alternatives to high-risk apps (such as cloud storage) and create a blacklist of banned apps
Enforce consequences for users who violate data security policies

As noted on ComputerWeekly, it’s best to approach your management from the assumption that these devices are vulnerable. When assuming smartphones and tablets can be compromised and likely will connect to unsecured networks, you are better prepared to find solutions to protect corporate data.

For more on creating your BYOD policy to support all device types, we offer a BYOD Implementation Guide and data security tips here. When choosing a BYOD solution, the single most important qualifying point is that the software must support more than a single platform and device type. With one solution for many devices, Absolute is the industry standard in persistent endpoint security and management solutions for computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones — and the data they contain.