BYOD vs. CYOD

Organizations are reliant on smartphones such as Android devices for their employees. BYOD adoption has also spurred the expectation for CYOD or “choose your own device” policies. Management and employees have a selection of their preferred mobile devices and that is where CYOD policy comes in.

Google / Choose Your Own Device

Adopting the model initially stemmed from laptops. Now the enterprise organizations and its employees are working to devise further business models to not only laptops but are proposing CYOD towards smartphones and tablets. Similarly, security and regulations would also comply with CYOD.

Google / Think Future

An employee incorporating CYOD has the option of choosing their own device. Basically the device is one of their own and so is the operating system. Users can choose either Android or a different OS. It is also up to them to download their own software. Active Directory within an organization promotes data control such as data loss.

Data classification schemes are also important. Keeping in mind that CYOD policy keeps customer data safer can be a complex matter at a granular level of knowing how the data is represented. Data classification is crucial to IT. Security barriers and internal challenges such as malware or software issues being compromised may arise.

Phil Durbin, head of corporate systems at the Salvation Army, stated “With CYOD, it is corporately owned. It is a corporate asset. It is on my asset register, so it is tracked. That’s a great place to be because you are keeping control of the device. You, the employer, have the right to do as much with the device as you like because it is your device and you are just giving special dispensation to the employee to use it for their personal use.” says Durbin.

What are your thoughts on CYOD? Share your comments below.