Security -- it’s the fundamental necessity when companies allow bring your own device (BYOD) policies among employees. Cisco (News - Alert) has developed one of the most advanced borderless networking systems in SMARTnet that allows employees to not only embrace BYOD, but to continue to add devices. As a result, the company has been able to embrace an influx in smart devices being used by their workers without putting the network or other users at risk.

Since being implemented four years ago, more than 95 percent of the devices used at Cisco are BYOD versus company issued, according to this InformationWeek report. The company's policy even states that all smartphones and tablets are to be BYOD. Officials report that overall, the devices were previously only a minor portion in the total cost of ownership (TCO), and making the move to BYOD had little to do with the cost of the actual device.

This strategy has actually increased the capabilities of the mobile workforce. In addition to increasing the device count to 98 percent, the amount of users has grown to 51 percent with a reduction in support volumes by at least 53 percent and the cost per user cut by 30 percent. In all, the biggest cost savings had obviously been in the support end, which has a lot to do with Cisco's SMARTnet, a service that has increased user satisfaction by as much as 33 percent.

This solution helps to maintain the network in addition to covering IT infrastructure, and it's an available to other companies. With it, clients get access anytime, anywhere with Cisco's technical assistance center (TAC). Other benefits include the support of self-help communities, tools and resources; operation system software updates; options to replace hardware; and proactive diagnostics like Smart Call Home.

This feature brings users into the BYOD unified work space environment safely and effectively. At the end of the day, SMARTnet and Smart Call Home allows employees to become more productive while lowering service calls. Companies can stay on top of the problem by addressing problems much earlier, while they are still in the network. There is a lot of innovation in that particular area with strong ties to iOS on the back end.

SMARTnet can help detect when there is a problem and “call home.” This eliminates the many steps users were previously taking to come up with a solution for their device. By keeping it within the network, all output from the device, including the trouble ticket, is sent together, often without the user’s knowledge. This eliminates a headache for the user and is a fairly prevalent option in the data center environment.