And providing an alternative solution that may be just as workable (albeit with training), such as storing data on SharePoint/NAS/fileservers and emailing links rather than using exchange as a filesystem is just as valid an alternative as your encrypted laptops, and are just as "right" for a given company as using USB keys are wrong.
Companies are seldom democracies, and as I think both scenarios illustrate, there indeed can be a "wrong". That having been said, I certainly hope that striving to make users more productive is an overriding goal... but one that shouldn't sacrifice some semblance of structure. -sc -----Original Message----- From: Charlie Kaiser [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, May 29, 2009 7:58 PM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: RE: Amusing One could also argue that if employee behavior frequently compromises stability/safety/etc., then the underlying architecture may be inappropriate for that business. A more "useable" paradigm might be in order. For example, instead of usb keys or VPN (to use your example), perhaps local cached copies and whole disk encryption for a take-home laptop might be a better alternative. Of course, there are always SOME no-nos; "Sorry; I can't let you hook up your kid's trojan-infested laptop to our network". :-) While we all strive to build safe, secure networks, methinks that sometimes we as IT have a tendency to lose track of the non-IT user's perspective. Gawd knows it's easy enough to do. We know a lot more about it than they do, but all they want to do is their work. I've always thought IT worked best when nobody realized it was there... :-) *********************** Charlie Kaiser [email protected] Kingman, AZ *********************** > -----Original Message----- > From: Steven M. Caesare [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Friday, May 29, 2009 4:26 PM > To: NT System Admin Issues > Subject: RE: Amusing > > I think when employee behavior compromises the ability to > maintain a stable network and/or effectively > store/manage/recover stat within the constraints (financial > or otherwise) that the company imposes, it's "wrong" for that > organization. > > > > Would you say storing critical data on USB keys instead of > the redundant and backed up file server is "wrong" even if > employees find it convenient to not have to VPN in? > > > > I would. > > > > -sc ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~
