Given the rise of employee-owned mobile devices in the workplace, it is growing increasingly evident that businesses must deploy solutions that balance strict security and access to company data.
According to a recent IDC report, one way to achieve this is through mobile virtualization.
Both virtualization and mobile devices have been among the most discussed technologies penetrating enterprise environments in recent years, so it seems almost inevitable that the conversation should turn to marrying the two. As the research firm noted, mobile device virtualization offers employees access to the corporate data center, enabling them to remain productive while away from the office.
Additionally, if implemented correctly, mobile virtualization can also offer a high level of data protection, because data accessed on a virtualized server is isolated from one operating system to next, making it easier to manage and monitor.
"Mobile device virtualization is an enabling technology that offers benefits to various stakeholders in the mobile ecosystem," said Stacy Cook, IDC senior analyst of mobile enterprise research.
According to a recent study by the Information Systems Audit and Control Association, there is a growing acceptance of the "bring your own device" era among enterprise IT departments. In a poll of 712 IT leaders from the United States, 58 percent of respondents agreed that employee-owned mobile devices present a security threat. However, the study also found that 27 percent of respondents believe the benefits outweigh the risks.
"BYOD presents both opportunities and threats. It lets employees and organizations take advantage of technology innovations at limited cost to the organization," John Pironti, an advisor with ISACA said in a statement. "Unfortunately, it also introduces new vulnerabilities, due to the limited ability of most organizations to effectively manage and secure employee-owned devices accessing their information infrastructure."
