Gartner: Companies must consider several factors for mobility policies

No longer does a one-size-fits-all policy work when it comes to managing company wireless devices, according to a recent report from market research firm Gartner.

The recent trend of Apple's iPhone and smartphones that run Google's Android mobile operation system encroaching on the BlackBerry's enterprise market dominance has presented a new challenge for corporate mobility management.

In the Gartner report, Evaluation Criteria for Smartphone Mobile Device Management, Gartner research director Paul DeBeasi highlighted certain criteria for businesses to follow when drafting a mobility policy or selection management solutions.

Companies are now finding their policies must be more flexible to cover all bases. Not only are there more choices for employees when it comes to enterprise mobility, but many more capabilities. To meet all employees' business requirements, companies may have to support different platforms with different functionalities for different groups of users.

Separate devices contain certain functionalities, and companies need to make sure they are all governed if the device will be used for business.

"It is impossible to provide identical levels of support for all users and all smartphone platform types," DeBeasi said. "Enterprises must put in place policies and procedures that enable the management of mobile diversity."

On top of flexibility, DeBeasi advises companies to take a realistic approach in drafting a mobility policy. Companies must carefully identify their mobility needs, taking into account their mobile strategy, implementing policies and adopting enterprise mobility management solutions accordingly.

If done poorly, companies may suffer grave consequences. Among them, DeBeasi argues, are increased security risks, growing usage costs and weaker abilities for IT to manage company wireless devices.

Companies should take into account the level of control over applications they require, and what security features are necessary. Many companies want encryption and remote data wipe on top of traditional authentication methods.

Different groups of users must also be taken into account. Governance for the various capabilities of different groups must be enforced. Also, support must be in place for these different mobile operating systems, such as software updates and upgrades to removable storage cards.

The importance of effective policies will only grow as more companies mobilize their workforce. At the October Cellular Telephone Industries Association's Enterprise and Applications conference, AT&T CEO of mobility Ralph de la Vega predicted the industry will experience massive growth next year, fueled by mobile app, OS and device development.