Since implementing a “Bring Your Own Device” policy about two years ago, the number of smart phones in use at Howard County’s Department of Technology and Communications department has grown from 268 to 1,579.
Howard County CIO Ira Levy stopped by February’s Columbia TechBreakfast to update folks on everything his IT department has in the works (including “full virtualization” of the county’s data center).
But if there’s one thing Levy should be congratulated for, it’s this: no more corporate-liable devices (read: no more mandatory BlackBerry phones), which saves HoCo’s DTCS $350,000 each year, he said. Employees within Levy’s IT department — there’s about 100 of them — are now given stipends to purchase mobile devices.
Of course, BYOD policies can expose government workers to greater cybersecurity risks, but it’s a challenge Levy’s department continues to work on.
“It’s a constant struggle to figure out the best way to secure your data,” he said.
Watch Ira Levy’s full presentation at Columbia TechBreakfast:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhMFAjQX0RM]
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