Australian ICT Framework and Mobile Device Management - Essay Example

?Australian ICT Framework and Mobile Device Management Inserts Inserts Grade Inserts Submission Australian Governments Enterprise ICT framework Information and computing technology policies and frameworks help in the consolidation and rationalization of information technology processes, which is achieved through increment in flexibility, decrement in cost, and enhancement of assets in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The legal frameworks aid reliability in the procurement processes of service provision in all the different Australian governments, i.e. the federal, state and territorial governments. This also helps in underpinning enterprise architecture in the entire Australian government (Saha, 2009). The current ICT infrastructure in Australia requires improvement to help achieve the creation of a whole-of-government Australian Public Service (APS) ICT career structure, which entails training and development programs for information technology professionals. ICT improvement also helps in developing and maintaining an information technology whole-of-government strategic workforce plan. ICT policies and frameworks help in the effective management of government and private data, and the protection of the government data from unauthorized accesses and misuse (Hart & Diane, 2007). The need for ICT legal framework and policies is to regulate the different types of governments, and create an easier way to monitor them. Every Australian is entitled to freedom of information access as per the Freedom of Information Act 1982, which guides the legislative basis of the release of government information. However, some of the information needs privacy and confidentiality, and hence demands protection. This ensures that the unauthorized access of information is reduced, whereby the necessary precautions are applied to strictly allow for classified information access to authorized or accredited personnel only. The main principles of the Australian enterprise ICT framework and policies is the need to know, which is applied to all official information, and the need to protect government information. This ensures the proper information access platforms and protects the divulgement of information within the government or from a foreign government. There is the enhancement of legal proceedings through privileged information access to legal professionals in the justice and legal system of the government (Hart & Diane, 2007). The presence of information technology Acts and policies provides the necessary foundation and benchmarks for the Australian governments to facilitate the smooth functioning of the country’s ICT sector. There are whole-of-government ICT policy frameworks guided by the Financial Management and Accountability Act (FMA) of 1997. The ICT Customization and Bespoke Development policy outlines compliance requirements for FMA Act agencies, and strengthens government arrangements for ICT Customization and Bespoke development. The Australian government has the legal enterprise ICT framework for enhancing and ensuring e-security. There is the core Cyber Security Requirement Policy for ICT driven proposals that requires agencies to access and address cyber security risks, and ensure that all businesses prepared through ICT-based proposals comply with the Australian government’s Cyber Security policies. This is aimed at achieving core cyber security for the smooth running of agencies and the government at large, through a smooth and safe flow and storage of information (Saha, 2009). The ICT Strategic Workforce plan is a core policy that entails the current expertise and capabilities of the APS ICT workforce, and the agency capabilities required in the delivery of government priorities. It guides the shift of ICT short term objectives and factors into medium and long term goals. There is also the Opt-Out policy for the whole-of-government ICT arrangements that has changed the opt-in self approvement by agencies into the whole-of-government ICT arrangements. This necessitates and ensures that agencies seek approval from the Expenditure Review Committee to opt-out in contracted or agreed arrangements (Hart & Diane, 2007). The Australian Teleworking policy for ICT staff guides the reforming of the ICT workforce in the Australian public service through appropriate training of ICT professional staff into agencies, and ensures that agencies retain ICT-skilled labor. Teleworking increases quality and quantity of ICT applicants and retention of best workers and new workers who have high technology expectations. It reduces agency and government overhead cost and expenditure on workforce recruitment, facilities and utilities. It also promotes equity in employment options for disabled people, and other individuals with caring responsibilities. Teleworking increases opportunities for agencies to share cost processes and infrastructure, in addition to the creation of critical infrastructure and processes to sustain disaster recovery, as well as business stability in the event of a disaster (Saha, 2009). There is the Australian Government Data Centre Strategy 2012-2025 which was endorsed as a whole-of-government avenue for reproach in future data center requirements. It objects primarily on the development of an ICT investment approach for reduction of data center costs within the stipulated period. The state government of Australia has developed a strategy for the transition of Australian agencies from Internet Protocol version 4 to version 6, which has increased end-to-end security and an automated address allocation for internet-enabled devices. FMA Act agencies are implementing the Portfolio, Programme and Project Management Maturity Model (P3M3) for assessment of their organizational capabilities in commissioning, management and realization of benefits from ICT-enabled investments (Hart & Diane, 2007). The Australian government has the Portfolio Panels for IT Services Policy which guides the IT Services panels and limits the portfolios to a maximum of three IT services panels each, and requires each of the IT services to have a multi-agency access clause. The Australian Government Open Software Policy 2011 requires agencies to take open source software into consideration during software procurement. These policies are important in controlling agencies and embracing technological evolution in the agencies, businesses, and the whole of the Australian government. Additionally, there is the Australian Government Cloud Computing Policy that provides whole-of-government direction to the Australian Federal Government agencies on the use of cloud computing services. This facilitates technology evolution and change, and enhances the sharing of ICT infrastructure to reduce costs for the agencies. The Intellectual Property Principles for Australian Government Agencies policy helps in the management of internet protocol by Australian agencies, where they are responsible for implantation of the Statement of IP principles. This enhances the overall ICT security in agencies and the whole of Australian government, with IT monitoring made easier (Saha, 2009). The data facilities panel is a part of the Australian whole-of-government Data Centre Strategy, which provides agencies with improved means to procure data center facilities. The Data Centre Migration Services Panel assists agencies in the movement of their ICT infrastructure to new data centers. Additionally, there is the mandatory Microsoft Volume Sourcing Arrangement (VSA) that provides pricing and licensing guidelines for the supply of Microsoft products to FMA Act agencies and the Commonwealth Authorities Act (CAC Act) 1997 bodies (Hart & Diane, 2007). Green ICT Policy for a Large Enterprise Executive Summary This policy paper is designed for a large enterprise, whose e-waste management is a challenge. It explores on the current ICT policy and gives the alternatives, with the environment as the basic concern. The paper evaluates the available options with regard to the reduction of the effect of e-waste on the environment. The current technology trends involve or necessitate upgrade and drive the accumulation of e-waste in large enterprises and put the environment to great pollution risks. The paper seeks to redress e-waste management, and endorses a healthy way of waste disposal, with a simultaneous endorsement of technology shift (Kouns& Minoli, 2011). Introduction Though the global evolution in technology is a huge milestone, there comes a tagged significant impact of the technology devices on the environment. There is a need to control the effects of technology on the environment and human life. Information technology and telecommunication equipment improper disposal pollutes and chokes the environment, which calls for an environmental friendly ICT policy for regulation. These IT devices include personal computers, laptops, mobile phones, printers, scanners, worn-out servers among others. The disposal of these used IT items in landfill sites creates million tonnes of material that could have otherwise been recovered and recycled to relieve the environmental burden and pollution (Kouns& Minoli, 2011). Overview This green ICT policy is aimed at reducing the e-waste burden through wise and guidelines choices. This policy should be considered in such a large enterprise to help in safe disposal of e-waste. The current ICT policy is doing quite well in the reduction of e-waste and disposal though there is a need to do more. Changes in technology have brought about new innovations and new models, without providing ample avenues for the disposal of existing IT machinery (Pinto, 2008). Currently, there is a regulation policy that is working well to ensure that green ICT is endorsed. However, there is an overwhelming competition in the ICT sector of production and work places that brings about advanced IT gadgets and equipment. The replacement of office computers and other gadgets leads to the accumulation of waste in the enterprise stores, which can be rather avoided or reduced by this policy. The change in the ICT policing is necessitated by the rampant growth and innovation in technology, with a rather dangerous replacement and disposal of older IT equipment in landfills and rather insufficient recycling plants (Kouns& Minoli, 2011). Discussion The shift in technology necessitates measures to reduce the amount of e-waste and embrace new technological innovations, simultaneously. The current policy needs redress to prevent an overwhelming e-waste presence in the enterprise, that is likely to consume a lot of space and increase the transaction costs at large. The alternative to this policy is the systematic shift in the enterprise technology through improvement of the current systems into the new versions without replacement of the original equipment. This can be effected through system installations of new technology innovations into the old system for upgrade (Kouns& Minoli, 2011). The enterprise should use the available recycling avenues or most conveniently, start an organizational recycling plant. This will dully help in the effective indirect disposal of organizational e-waste that is environmental friendly. The removal of the e-waste bulk from the enterprise’s stores and other storage facilities creates and frees more space for production, which could be rather idle. This policy is environmentally friendly and cost effective, as well as competitive and challenging to other organizations using landfills for e-waste disposal. This new policy eliminates extra costs to the enterprise that arise during data migration, and also eliminates the worries of data loss (Pinto, 2008). Though the policy is environmentally friendly, it encourages the replacement of existing IT systems, and hence indirectly pollutes the environment through waste from the recycling plant. The policy proposes the modification of the current production processes, the use of renewable energy and material, looking at a green packing option through reduced use of packaging material, creation of biodegradable IT components and peripherals, inventory management, and recovery and reuse of IT equipment and gadgets through a recycling plant. The policy also proposes an integrated IT waste management system for the enterprise, whose waste may be quite overwhelming due to the size of the organization (Pinto, 2008). ICT equipment that is not in use in the enterprise may alternatively be donated to schools, hospitals or other facilities to help in the reduction of the e-waste bulk in a useful way. Data center bills are bound to kip soaring with the increment of IT devices, such as new processors and servers, due to technology innovations. This may lead to unsustainability in the enterprise transaction and production costs, which are dangerous in the highly competitive business world, and may easily lead to the collapse of the enterprise (Kouns& Minoli, 2011). Recommendation This policy recommends the donation of ‘dormant’ IT equipment and the setting up of a recycling plant for recovery and reuse. This clearly eliminates e-waste since the IT equipment are reused, dully fixed and improved as per the current technologies. The policy has ICT environmental impacts as the main concern, and hence these are best recommended alternatives that will help in the reduction of e-waste environmental pollution (Pinto, 2008). Implementation The enterprise should conduct an internal research on the required technology improvements and conduct an audit. Only the needed new IT equipment should be prioritized to reduce the bulk, and cost. IT-needy institutions should be identified for donations. The process is recommended at the start of a new financial year for proper budgeting and resource allocation (Kouns& Minoli, 2011). Conclusion There is fast evolution in technology that necessitates regulation policies and framework to help in e-waste management, and facilitate the embracement of new technology innovations without polluting the environment. This policy can be a milestone in creating a green ICT environment for the enterprise, if endorsed and appropriately implemented (Kouns& Minoli, 2011). Mobile Device Management (MDM) Software Applications A mobile device management (MDM) software is an application that helps in managing, monitoring, securing and supporting mobile devices. It is used by service providers such as mobile operators, businesses, organizations, or enterprises, to help in the effective distribution of data, device applications, and configuration settings for the diverse mobile devices. These mobile devices include smartphones, tablet computers, mobile POS devices and mobile phones. Mobile device security is the necessity to control user access and protect personal data on the device or storage of the device, in the case of misplacement or theft. The risk of intrusion for mobile devices is high, and the recommended or best security inconsistent (Johnson, 2011). MDM application helps in the configuration of a bulk of settings such as third-party cookie blocking, the Stanford mail, VPN access, calendar or contacts. It eases and ensures secure access to private data using personal iPhones, iPod touch or iPad, and allows for the setting and installation of preferred privacy control settings on personal mobile devices. There is a rapid expansion in the utilization of portable devices in the business and enterprise sector, with technological growths and innovations introducing diverse mobile devices, mobile applications and operating system models. This necessitates changes in the enterprise ICT sector, for the efficient management of these diverse devices and applications, such as creation of more room per employee and the establishment of networks, such as Wi-Fi. Mobile devices are able to perform most of the tasks performed by PCs and laptops, and hence enterprises must blend-in and embrace the new technological innovations. MDM application ensures that end users are able to use plug and play data services through automatic detection of network devices, and sending network settings for instant connection and usability. The application automatically keeps the history of the devices and is designed to send setting strictly to previously unset network subscriber devices (Johnson, 2011). The mobile device management application is critical in the management of mobile devices in an organization or enterprise, whereby it helps in identifying and controlling mobile devices entering the enterprise or organization premises. It enables enrollment, configuration and deployment of mobile devices through user-friendly enterprise activation. The Air Watch MDM application is a single management console, which enables enterprises to handle the multiple challenges arising from mobile devices through the creation of comprehensive, simplified and user-friendly solution without compromising security. It ensures quick device enrollment in enterprise environments, configuration and update of device settings, enforcement of security policies, and enhance secure mobile access to corporate or enterprise resources and information. The Air Watch web-based (HTML5) console easily integrates with presented systems and can be easily accessed from any point in the enterprise (Oliver, 2008). The Air Watch console is designed to support multiple domains within a single organization groups, and enable each diverse single group to have different device applications, content and profiles. Mobile device management applications have profiles that allows for the definition of settings, policies and restrictions for mobile devices without the requirement of user interactions. Air Watch dashboards grants the administrators quick views into the real-time information deployment, and a view of high-level graphical view of their deployment and a comprehensive list of all enrolled devices. The administrators are able to relate to client’s information from any spot in the console, which has user names displayed (Oliver, 2008). In conclusion, mobile device management is a core in any organization or enterprise for an easier management of the multiply available devices. It ensures the individual freedom to technology without compromising the security of other employees, or the enterprise at large (Johnson, 2011). References Hart, D & Diane, S 2007, Information Systems Foundations: Theory, Representation and Reality, China: ANU E Press. Johnson, M 2011, Mobile Device Management: What You Need to Know for It Operations Management, Schlo? Holte-Stukenbrock: Emereo Pty Ltd. Kouns, J & Minoli, D 2011, Information Technology Risk Management in Enterprise Environments: A Review of Industry Practices and a Practical Guide to Risk Management Teams, New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. Oliver, M 2008, Mobile Device Management for Dummies, New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Pinto, V 2008, "E-waste hazard: The impending challenge", Indian Journal of occupational & Environmental Medicine,Vol 12(2): p 65-70. Saha, P 2009, Advances in Government Enterprise Architecture, Mankato, USA: Information Science Reference. Unhelkar, B 2011, Green IT Strategies and Applications: Using Environmental Intelligence, Advanced and Emerging CommunicationsTechnologies Series, New Delhi: CRC Press. Read More