The debate on whether IT should be an internal function, outsourced or a hybrid combination of the two has been going on for a while. There are strong arguments in favour of and against each one of them. So logically speaking, it would depend on a variety of factors, like business requirements, company size, whom one asks, blah blah blah..... right?

WRONG!!

In fact, in the light of my arguments below, I might even boldly describe the entire debate as ‘Rubbish’. But before I launch into another one of my inescapable arguments, let’s have a quick look at some of the pros and cons of IT as an outsourced service and as an internal function. Since this blog is primarily dedicated to small business IT, we won’t even talk about the hybrid combination model. The very idea of hiring an IT staff and then outsourcing that function can only make sense (I guess) in a large organisation.

Now let’s analyse these pros and cons for a small business that uses services such as;

• Google Apps for Work or Office365 for emails
  
• Salesforce or Insightly for CRM
  
• Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive or a NAS drive for files
  
• Cloud-based services for other applications and 
  
• Has BYOD or COPE framework deployed
  

Pros of External (Outsourced) IT

• With no expensive and eternally outdated hardware such as servers to maintain, the cost of outsourced IT function can become an unjustified expense
  
• Small business IT requirements are generally uncomplicated. Cloud-based services come with plenty of technical support and can work independently of other services. This eliminates the need to retain specialised expertise.
  
• SLAs for outsourced IT support are complicated and often come with lock-in contracts that can be very expensive to get out of. Cloud-based services do offer SLAs but usually don’t have long term contracts.
  

Cons of Internal IT

• The simplicity and ease-of-use of cloud-based systems do not always require a dedicated technical staff maintaining them. Moderate technical acumen within operations staff will more than suffice.
  
• With cloud services you have access to the expertise of wide range of IT specialists providing cutting edge technology at extremely affordable prices.
  
• Although far less frequent, cloud systems do have outages but the good thing about those times is the knowledge that there is nothing your staff can do and that some of the best engineers would be working tirelessly to get it back up and running without any excuses and overtime pay.
  

As far as the IT needs of any business is concerned, internal IT function has always been the first choice. Cost is the only primary reason why it is outsourced. Emerging cloud and mobile technologies are, however, radically changing this. You now, not just get better for less but amazing for a fraction and still don’t need an IT whiz-kid to manage it all.

This article was written by Austin D'Mello, Managing Partner of Vocatys, an emerging technology consulting company. If you liked this article please share it with your network. You can also subscribe to the monthly Vocatys newsletter by emailing us at [email protected].

In the world of tech support, the only thing more common than,

“Have you tried restarting your computer?”

is “Try disabling your antivirus.”

The primary purpose of an antivirus software is to protect your PC from computer virus and malwares. It is however, a well-known industry secret that its products don’t always protect your PC from viruses. As a professional IT consultant and the default IT guy to friends and family, I have helped clean viruses and malware from a numbers of PCs that were already running some sort of antivirus.

So if the antivirus isn’t always protecting you from viruses, what is it really doing?

Here are a few things I think it does, in some cases, really really well.

Annoying notifications
Constant pop-ups with sound notifications telling you it’s everything it does, like updating its database, scanning the PC, allowing or disallowing programs and the list goes on. But none of that compares to the noise it will make as it gets closer to renewing your subscription.

Blocking software installations/configurations
For a vast majority of software, it is not just recommended but required that you disable your antivirus before you begin installation. Installing something without first turning the antivirus off can be a grave mistake. I do speak from experience.

Randomly restricting Internet access
This one is a pretty cool feature. Everything could be working in perfect harmony but suddenly on one fine morning when you’re trying to check your emails or get online to read the news you can’t seem to connect. Your Skype is working fine so the Internet is not the problem. You restart your computer but still the same. Disable the antivirus and everything is back to normal. What happened? Your antivirus was updated last night and things got a bit weird is all.

Slowing your computer down almost to a halt
There are two levels of this feature. First one, is a general slowing down of your PC. It’s done so well, you’ll hardly notice. “It’s always been that way” you say, yet when others use your PC they seem a tiny bit frustrated.

I know what you’re thinking now, “So he’s saying we shouldn’t use antivirus at all?? Is he nuts??”

You’re damn right I am! Well only about not using the antivirus bit. As for me being crazy, first here me out and see my suggestions below.

Online security starts with you
If you clicked on dubious links on emails or installed “free” software without verifying the source, you will be infected no matter how good your antivirus is. One of the main reasons antivirus is not just unsuccessful but also annoying, is that it’s trying to not just protect but also compensating for the operator’s lack of awareness. Be hyper alert while clicking on linking by checking where they are actually taking you. Also thoroughly verifying the source before downloading and installing software.

Operating systems and web browsers have come a long way
Apple’s Macs do continue to remain largely virus and malware free. Windows 7 and especially Windows 8.1 are generally very secure operating systems. They come with a host of integrated security features like built-in firewall and Defender (formerly Microsoft Security Essentials) the inbuilt windows antivirus. While browsers such as Google Chrome, Safari and Firefox are immensely secure and reliable, even Internet Explorer 11 is now extremely secure.

I gave up on expensive antivirus software many years ago. The idea of yearly subscriptions for a software that was causing more pain than gain all in the name of perceived security wasn’t working for me. Just to be clear though, giving up the antivirus is probably more suitable at a personal level rather than at a corporate level.

What’re your experiences with antivirus? Do you think not using antivirus is crazy or reckless?

This article was written by Austin D'Mello, Managing Partner of Vocatys, an emerging technology consulting company. If you liked this article please share it with your network. You can also subscribe to the monthly Vocatys newsletter by emailing us at [email protected].

There is a lot of talk about BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) and COPE (Corporate Owner Personally Enabled). Both broadly refer to scenarios where employees are allowed to use essentially personal devices for work. Quite a few large organisations have adopted one of the 2 or a combination thereby reaping their benefits.

Most small and medium sized business tend to avoid BYOD or COPE even though they are likely to benefit from them the most. One of the main reasons for that is security. The idea of employees carrying with company data out of the office where it cannot be controlled or monitored can be very unsettling.

Mobile Device Management (MDM)
It does what it says. MDM is essentially a software solution that can either be installed on-premise or delivered as a service through cloud. Generally using a simple browser based interface, it controls and protects data and settings on all mobile devices connected to the network. So in case any device is stolen or compromised, MDMs can wipe out all important data from that device within minutes. They also perform a number administrative tasks such security updates, configurations and settings remotely with minimal disruption to end users.

With meteoric growth of mobile devices within workplaces, MDM solutions are in high demand and therefore quite a few companies now offer MDMs to suit the needs of virtually any kind of business operation. We have listed 21 MDMs below that are well regarded and would suit small businesses with 10 employees to a medium sized company with up to 250 employees.

Absolute Manage MDM
Pricing
Contact sales
Environment
Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone
Company Spiel
“The features available with Absolute Manage MDM allow you to remotely manage the iOS, Android, and Windows Phone devices in your deployment. You can wirelessly (over cellular or Wi-Fi) configure, query, and even wipe or lock managed devices. Absolute Manage MDM is available as an on-premise installation or as a cloud-based solution.”

AirWatch (by VMware)
Pricing
Starting from USD $50 per device per year
Environment
Android, Blackberry, iOS, Windows Mobile
Company Spiel
“AirWatch® Mobile Device Management enables businesses to address challenges associated with mobility by providing a simplified, efficient way to view and manage all devices from the central admin console. Our solution enables you to enroll devices in your enterprise environment quickly, configure and update device settings over-the-air, and secure mobile devices. With AirWatch, you can manage a diverse fleet of Android, Apple iOS, BlackBerry, Mac OS, Symbian, Windows Mobile, Windows PC/RT and Windows Phone devices from a single management console.”

Amtel
Pricing
Contact sales
Environment
Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone
Company Spiel
“Amtel simplifies field services mobility management with a complete set of integrated, cloud-based solutions for secure communications, mobile device security, apps and expense management. Our award-winning enterprise class mobile lifecycle management solution is used by organizations worldwide for: securing mobile devices; protecting mobile access to enterprise data; providing a secure corporate communications channel for field employees on mobile phones and tablets; and taking control of apps and expenses for corporate and BYOD devices.”

BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 (by BlackBerry)
Pricing
Starting from USD $19 per device per year
Environment
Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone
Company Spiel
“BlackBerry® Enterprise Service 10 (BES10) is the only solution you need for secure device, application and content management, with integrated security and connectivity, for BlackBerry®, iOS and Android™. Deploy, manage and control both corporate and BYOD device users through a simple unified console. Perfectly balance end user and enterprise mobility needs without compromise.”

XenMobile (by Citrix)
Pricing
Contact sales
Environment
Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone
Company Spiel
“Citrix XenMobile is a comprehensive solution to manage mobile devices, apps, and data. Users have single-click access to all of their mobile, SaaS and Windows apps from a unified corporate app store, including seamlessly-integrated email, browser, data sharing and support apps. IT gains control over mobile devices with full configuration, security, provisioning and support capabilities. Flexible deployment options give IT the choice to manage XenMobile in the cloud or on-premise.”

Dell Mobile Management
Pricing
Contact sales
Environment
Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone
Company Spiel
“Dell Mobile Management enables you to manage and provision access to smartphones and tablets from any device with a browser and internet connection. It also manages applications and content on the devices. With Mobile Management, employees can self-enroll their devices for instant provisioning of corporate access and automated policy enforcement.”

Excitor MobiControl
Pricing
Contact sales
Environment
Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone
Company Spiel
“Excitor MobiControl is a comprehensive enterprise mobility solution for managing your entire fleet of mobile assets across all operating systems. The centralized, web-based management console provides visibility and control of your corporate, shared and personally owned mobile devices.”

MaaS360 (by Fiberlink, an IBM company)
Pricing
Contact sales
Environment
Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone
Company Spiel
“MaaS360 lets you provision, secure and manage your mobile devices, apps and content—all from a single portal—while minimizing risk to your organization. We make the complex world of mobility simple by giving you a global mobile infrastructure without the burden of a large financial investment.”

GO! Enterprise MDM (by Globo)
Pricing
Contact sales
Environment
Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone
Company Spiel
“GO!Enterprise MDM  provides organizations of any size, real-time visibility and control over a variety of mobile devices regardless of operating system, liability, carrier, or email platform. Whether On-Premise or On-Demand (hosted), GO!Enterprise MDM provides a number of features including policy creation, compliance management, device statistics, audit tracking, app management, file distribution, and report generation, all from a single administrative console.”

Good MDM
Pricing
Contact sales
Environment
Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone
Company Spiel
“Good provides mobile device management (MDM) to support the complete device lifecycle. IT can easily control device settings on any managed device – corporate liable, BYO or COPE – , and ensure safe access to proprietary business information. MDM is a basic capability for enabling enterprise mobility, and is included in Good for Enterprise, the Good Collaboration Suite, and the Good Dynamics Secure Mobility Platform."

Kaseya
Pricing
Contact sales
Environment
Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone
Company Spiel
“Kaseya’s VSA solution provides MDM capability that extends robust IT policies and automated configuration settings to mobile devices by treating them as computers rather than souped-up cellular phones.”

LANDESK Mobility Manager (by Landesk)
Pricing
Contact sales
Environment
Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone
Company Spiel
“LANDESK Mobility Manager helps IT administrators provide mobile workers access to the content and applications they need, while safeguarding corporate information. Mobile access must be easy for the professional outside the office, but IT teams must be able to control that access to information successfully.”

Desktop Central (by ManageEngine)
Pricing
Contact sales
Environment
Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone
Company Spiel
“Desktop Central is an integrated desktop & mobile device management software that helps in managing the servers, laptops, desktops, smartphones and tablets from a central point. It automates your regular desktop management routines like installing patches, distributing software, managing your IT Assets, managing software licenses, monitoring software usage statistics, managing USB device usage, taking control of remote desktops, and more. It supports managing both Windows and Mac operating systems. It enables you to manage your mobile devices to deploy profiles and policies, configure devices for Wifi, VPN, Email accounts, etc., apply restrictions on using camera, browser, etc., and to secure your devices like enabling passcode, remote lock/wipe, etc. You can manage all your iOS and Android smartphones and tablets.”

McAfee EMM (an Intel company)
Pricing
Contact sales
Environment
Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone
Company Spiel
“McAfee Enterprise Mobility Management (McAfee EMM) manages and secures the mobile workforce. McAfee EMM delivers a simplified, streamlined way to enable productivity with confidence in a world where users, and their devices, go everywhere and anywhere.”

Microsoft MDM
Pricing
Contact sales
Environment
Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone
Company Spiel
“By delivering unified application and device management, both on-premises and in the cloud, you can support BYOD (bring your own device) initiatives by empowering people to work from the devices they choose while providing consistent access to, and protection of, corporate applications and data.”

MobileIron
Pricing
Contact sales
Environment
Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone
Company Spiel
“MobileIron’s MDM capabilities enable IT to secure and manage mobile devices across multiple operating systems, providing secure corporate email, automatic device configuration, certificate-based security, and selective wipe of enterprise data for both corporate and user-owned devices. The MobileIron Client, Mobile@Work, works with MobileIron Core to apply policies and configure email, Wi-Fi, VPN, and security certificates. It creates a clear separation between personal and business data. Should the end-user leave the company or if the device is lost, IT can selectively wipe all corporate data on the device. The MobileIron Platform allows IT administrators to apply granular controls based on a variety of parameters such as device-type, device-ownership and employee role. With this granular policy framework, the IT administrator can both alleviate end-user privacy concerns and lessen the organization's burden of complying with a wide range of privacy laws.”

Mobile Control (by Sophos)
Pricing
Contact sales
Environment
Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone
Company Spiel
“Mobile Control provides an easy way to manage all your smartphones and tablets. Whether you deploy corporate devices, or your employees bring their own (BYOD). Our EMM solution handles them from the initial setup and enrolment, right through to device decommissioning. And our fully web-based console allows administration from any location on any device.”

SOTI MobiControl
Pricing
Contact sales
Environment
Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone
Company Spiel
“With the explosive adoption of consumer smartphones and tablets into the enterprise, enforcing corporate policies and best practices while supporting diverse user requirements can be a tough balancing act. Revolutionize your mobility strategy by managing corporate and employee-owned devices with SOTI MobiControl.”

Symantec Mobile Management
Pricing
Contact sales
Environment
Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone
Company Spiel
“Symantec Mobile Management (SMM) is an MDM platform that enables enterprise-wide mobile email and application rollouts, safeguards mobile data and devices and provides visibility and control of the mobile environment. The suite delivers integrated single sign-on functionality across in-house and third-party apps, leveraging popular authentication methods including LDAP, SAML, and Kerberos.”

MatrixMobile MDM (by Tangoe)
Pricing
Contact sales
Environment
Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone
Company Spiel
“MatrixMobile MDM is a comprehensive monitoring, management, and support software and service suite for mobile devices and applications in the enterprise offering complete control of the device lifecycle—from device setup to decommissioning. Mobile device management provides organizations with unmatched visibility and control of any managed device, whether corporate or individual liable, ensuring safe and secure access to invaluable corporate resources.”

SAP Afaria (by Sybase, a SAP company)
Pricing
Contact sales
Environment
Android, Apple iOS, Blackberry, Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone
Company Spiel
“SAP Afaria's software platform delivers centralized control of all mobile devices and tablets including iPhone, iPad, Android and BlackBerry, as well as the apps that run on them. With keeping technology in mind, SAP Afaria offers Enterprises the flexibility to deploy on premise or partner hosted.”

Read more:

• http://www.computerworld.com/article/2497055/mobile-device-management/mdm-tools-features-and-functions-compared.html
  
• http://technologyadvice.com/mdm-byod/smart-advisor/?tmp_opt_hme_var=rst_at_end