As the mobile attack landscape continues to expand, bring-your-own-device (BYOD) management is under greater scrutiny than ever. Unlimited device choice, as BYOD theoretically offers, can expose education institutions and their support organizations to more complexity and greater security risks. So provisioning a set of devices that your users can choose from is a good middle ground.
Offer a Choice of IT-Provisioned Devices
All end user devices should be owned and managed by IT under a program where you offer users a choice of devices. In this way your organization can still benefit from standardized support and security features.
IT should work with departments to identify key user roles and their needs. For example, application and data intensive tasks such as course development and records management require powerful desktop PCs. While faculty and students will need more compact, rugged, multimedia optimized tablets and ThinkPad notebooks.
- Most education institutions may not be thought of as commercial enterprises, but procuring business-grade devices for support and admin teams will give them access to better technical support services, security features and connectivity options. For example, ensure that all users can connect efficiently to displays and projectors because devices have the right connection ports. Or benefit from prioritized technical support and on-site servicing available with our business-grade PCs.
- For students and teachers, provision with devices built specifically for education use. These have enhanced collaboration features and are toughened for classroom use. For example, laptops with keys that are mechanically anchored so they can't be removed. Convertibles that promote interactive learning with touchscreens, multiple cameras and digital pens. Lenovo has a range of education devices suitable for any budget, both for Windows and Chrome operating systems.
- Audit user roles to get user input on preferred device types. Today there are many types of device available, each with their own advantages for different roles - whether hybrid devices for interactive classroom learning, simple notebooks for schools on a budget, or powerful workstations for courseware developers and IT labs. Ensure you have the latest information from leading PC providers on what's available for your institution.
- For classroom users, we recommend Windows 10 in S Mode - a special version of Windows 10 which prevents users from downloading programs outside of the Microsoft Store. By preventing installation of non-verified programs, it also has the effect of speeding up the device so that it loads faster - and stays that way. For administrators or courseware developers, or labs using specialist software, Windows 10 Pro is still the right choice. Either way, both Windows 10 in S Mode and Windows 10 Pro have a range of learning and collaboration tools that every education institution should consider.
