Cloud Computing: IT Versus The Business. Again. This Time It’s Filesharing
December 13, 2013
Grazed from Forbes. Author: Ben Kepes.
One of the common comments about cloud computing is that it opens up the floodgates to so-called shadow IT, the trend of end users self-provisioning solutions either because of IT reluctance to give them what they need or due to apathy about IT policy. A recent survey by vendor Workshare highlighted this situation and in particular the trend of mobile users to circumvent IT and use unsanctioned applications for file sharing and collaboration. The survey took in around 6000 employees in both the US and EMEA and looked at their broader mobile device and file sharing activities. Some high level findings:
- 72% of those questioned had not received authorization from their IT department to use their consumer-based file sharing application, up from 66% in 2012.
- Over half (62%) of knowledge workers use their personal devices for work
- The majority (69%) of these workers also use free file sharing services to collaborate and access shared documents, which is a 3% increase over the last year.
- Larger companies, with over 20,000 employees, had a greater grasp of data security issues around file sharing applications. In contrast, companies with fewer than 500 employees had a much lower proportion (24%) of employees using authorized file sharing solutions…
The company produced an infographic that starkly highlighted the massive disconnect between what users are doing, and what IT sanctions and knows about. Obviously this disconnect raises a number of points relating to the role of IT and whether it is meeting the needs of business users. There are two ways to look at this debate:…
Read more from the source @ http://www.forbes.com/sites/benkepes/2013/12/13/it-versus-the-business-again-this-time-its-filesharing/