Cloud computing applications can provide employees with a secure and effective means to use their personal IT devices at work without compromising their organisation’s security levels according to Advanced 365, a managed services and Cloud computing provider.

With smartphones, tablet computers and non-PC notebooks now everyday items in many households, there is a growing reluctance amongst employees to use outdated IT systems in the workplace. This has led some organisations to allow authorised staff to use their own IT device to perform their role. Whilethis shift in attitude is being welcomed by end users it has understandably raised questions amongst IT managers.

“Many organisations still insist that employees only use recognised and secure IT devices on their company’s infrastructure. However as tech savvy office workers seek to use the latest mobile IT devices in preference to using aging company PCs and laptops, network security concerns are inevitably resurfacing,” says Neil Cross, managing director of Advanced 365. “To address this challenge, it is essential that organisations ensure that their employees have authentication, identity verification and security applications installed on their IT devices before allowing them to access their corporate network.”

Developments in Cloud computing technology are now providing an opportunity for organisations to address these security fears without losing control of their desktop environment, even if they can’t directly control the device being used by the employee. These Cloud services, such as Microsoft’s Office 365 (currently in beta testing), allow users to access their company network and applications such as email over a secure internet connection as and when they require for a monthly fee. Alternatively, organisations can opt for a more integrated approach by utilising applications such as VDI, Citrix or online portals such as Microsoft SharePoint to deliver their business applications via a secure controlled environment.

“While Cloud computing technology can reduce the pressure that IT teams are under to maintain hardware, and potentially reduce costs, working with a trusted partner that has the breadth of skills to understand these new and more complex environments is now more important than ever,” says Cross.