The acronym CYOD was coined in early 2012:  so how does it differ from BYOD?

How to ensure more effective management of mobile devices and security

Whilst MDM (Mobile Device Management) solutions allow IT departments to manage a company’s mobile fleet, personalised access policies to company data, support for mobile terminals and the variety and constant new releases of operating systems mean that choices are still limited for users who choose to use their own mobile device for professional purposes (Bring Your Own Device).

CYOD (Choose Your Own Device) is a sort of hybrid solution to get around these restrictions and ensure better user satisfaction. With CYOD, the company provides users’ mobile equipment but lets them choose from a range of devices and OS in a predefined catalogue featuring configurations which comply with in-house IT standards.

CYOD: restrictive for users?

Not as much as it would seem, say IT departments. BYOD, after all, comes with its own set of problems for users and creates tension between users and the IT/facilities department over a whole host of issues such as maintenance, blocked personal apps, the wiping of private data in the event of loss or theft, procurement costs, paying for internet subscriptions, what to do when you go over your personal call limit but for professional purposes, etc.

In order to use CYOD to address the needs of employees who wish to bring their own device, companies should provide the following:

• A catalogue with a wide range of devices that keeps up to date with consumer market trends.
• Professional apps that are as easy to use as consumer ones.
• Services (updates, support, replacing the device in the event of a breakdown) which are delivered as quickly as they would be by the owner of a personal device.

So is CYOD preferable to BYOD?

There is no straight answer to this question because the parameters and issues vary from company to company, depending on its policy for investment, cost management, security, and, of course, on users’ expectations.

BYOD: other articles on e-media