3 tips for avoiding tablet management headaches

Network World - Tablets are a tricky proposition for many IT departments since the mobile devices boast many of the content creation capabilities of laptops but lack mature management and security software.

Employees who use their own or employer-supplied iPads or other tablet computers for work purposes could be unwittingly exposing company data to hackers if they don't take the proper precautions, either while on the company network or a public Wi-Fi network.

"Tablets are a lot different than laptops because most people don't bring their laptops to work and say, 'I want you to connect my laptop to the company's network,'" says Dan Croft, the CEO of wireless administrative services company Mission Critical Wireless. "Most laptops are going to be controlled and locked down by the company. But if a company is going to utilize tablets with corporate apps on it, there needs to be a certain level of control that an enterprise has while also recognizing that tablets will be used for both business and personal functions."

With that in mind, here are three practices that analysts and users recommend considering when your company first takes the plunge and either invests in tablets or allows workers to bring their own to the office.