Cloud Computing: BYOD basics for SMBs

Grazed from TechRepublic. Author: Will Kelly.

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) as a trend is touching enterprises of all sizes. The Small to Medium Business (SMB) can find a lot to love in BYOD, but to reap the benefits, they need to pay close attention to the basics and not be drawn into the hype.

BYOD policies of even a formal BYOD initiative may seem overkill for an SMB. There’s a lot of contradicting viewpoints about whether or not an SMB even needs to worry about BYOD. However, if an employee’s personal device is accessing your corporate network and being used to conduct corporate business on a regular basis, then your SMB needs at least a basic BYOD framework that covers device security, network security, and related policies. Here are some basics for SMBs to consider about BYOD…

Consider phone reimbursements vs. stipend
Depending on the mobile service providers in the local area, SMBs may not have the economies of scale that larger companies have when it comes to purchase phones, calling plans, and data plans from mobile carriers. If your SMB expects employees to use their personal smartphones for business calls and email, then you need to sit down with your accountant to figure out if a phone allowance or a stipend makes the most sense for reimbursing your employees…

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