Integrating Mobile Management As Part of Business Disaster Recovery

A disaster recovery plan is an important component of a business operations manual and many companies are adding a new chapter regarding mobile management. No one hopes for a disaster, but the situation can be difficult to prevent. With hurricane season here, businesses are scrambling to update their disaster recovery and business continuity plans. Is including a mobile management program within these plans a smart move or should a separate solution be used to address each issue?

AT&T Study Reveals Importance of Mobile Management

AT&T recently conducted its annual business continuity survey, polling 504 IT executives throughout the country. Sixty-seven percent of the respondents indicated the inclusion of wireless network capabilities in business continuity plans. Thirty-eight percent are investing in cloud computing for various reasons including cost savings, performance, and security. Six out of every ten respondents are making a mobile security service investment, most listing a potential security breach as a pressing concern.

The increased use of mobile devices and their potential threats concerns 87 percent of respondents. Social networking is an even stronger concern than security-based threats. Clients are looking for mobile security solutions that can be controlled from one platform. They are also taking a proactive approach, with two-thirds taking measures during government alerts or testing their plans within the past year to ensure smooth operation in the event of a disaster.

In addition to securing mobile devices, IT executives are faced with managing these. This task can be difficult enough to do on a daily basis and nearly impossible after disaster strikes. Using a cloud-based service allows them to continue monitoring device use remotely if the office is affected by a disaster. Nearly half of them are using cloud-based disaster recovery services and many are now looking to the cloud for ongoing device management.

Mobile Management Complicated by All-Encompassing Solutions

Making this approach more complicated is the fact that many solutions providers attempt to be all things to all business clients. Broad programs covering cloud security, disaster recovery, business continuity, and even management of mobile devices. This results in a solution that may be enough to comply with relevant regulations but is lacking in terms of effective management of mobile devices and even worse off when it comes to preventing a basic security attack.

With natural and man-made threats facing them on a daily basis, IT managers need to take a different approach. They should look for separate solutions that feature comprehensive metrics and are customized for each desired purpose. For example, a separate solution for management of mobile devices and disaster recovery is recommended. Each should feature a program designed to measure its effectiveness. For example, device management programs should include cost savings analysis reports.

Organizations must determine which threats they are most vulnerable to, be these financial or security-related. By selecting a customized solution for each issue, they break a complex environment down into manageable components. If they regularly measure the effectiveness of the programs, they will always know how well they are addressing their exposures.