Although mobility is the future, there are various factors one should consider before deploying a mobile solution in the chemical industry. In Part 1 of this blog series I explored the factors of Connect and Consume. Part 2 explored Create and Consider. This final blog in the series will explore Control.
Control
The implementation of a mobile solution introduces new risks for a company. Critical data which was securely controlled on internal platforms is now available on mobile devices raising many, potentially dangerous, issues. To ensure the safety of critical information, IT departments must have complete control over all devices during the entire lifecycle of the device. This begins in the provisioning phase. Companies need to configure and set up devices so appropriate security policies are established and can’t be tampered with. Next, during the production phase companies need to be able to remotely manage, track, and maintain all devices. Devices need to constantly be backed up to internal servers to enforce compliance with security policies. This is especially important in industries that deal with hazardous materials. This can also be done by scheduling logon reports, which indicate what information is accessed and by whom. Finally comes the critical phase of decommissioning. This involves either remotely ‘killing’ the device or swiping it clean and redeploying it. Successful decommissioning is key to the security of important company data. Stories of mobile devices sold on eBay loaded with corporate data are all too common. Phones are also very easily lost or misplaced leaving corporate information vulnerable to theft. In these cases, it is important to be able to remotely ‘kill’ the device and clear it to ensure no critical data is stolen. After all the data is safely wiped clean off the phone, IT also needs to take into account the time and efforts needed to correctly reimage the device so it receives all functional images and appropriate applications and security settings. Having a strong IT department that can handle all these phases in a mobiles life cycle is essential in deploying a successful mobile
solution.
Although there are countless benefits that come with deploying a mobile solution there are some key factors that should be considered beforehand. These so called five “C’s” of mobility which I explored in this blog series are just some of the large factors that should be considered when deploying a mobile solution in the chemical industry. There are many other factors, case specific, which need to be considered to successfully deploy a mobile solution.
Use the comment place below to comment on your thoughts on mobility in the chemical industry and feel free to leave further tips or factors for your industry peers. Or join the conversation at @SAP4Chemicals
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