Supporting employees' personally owned devices is a bear because you don't have the control that you do over company-owned property. Taming the beast requires diplomacy, flexibility, and a willingness to adapt.

Back in the good old days of the 1980s and '90s, it was easy for IT managers to say "No dice," when employees came looking for help with their personal computer equipment. Back then, the devices were simpler and their capabilities were limited. But the rise of PDAs, WAP phones, and organizers with e-mail functions that employees use more and more to conduct business has steadily eroded the reasons for denying support.

Many arguments favor the denial-of-support strategy, and we have all cited most of them in previous lives. These include, but aren't limited to: "We don't have budget/resources/staff/time," "The lawyers won't let us," "You're not supposed to do that," and our personal favorite, "You'll learn more by doing it yourself."

Helping hands

Although we never argue the value of a do-it-yourself education, learning to use new equipment truly is easier withh the help of a coach. It's time for IT departments to face up to the reality that a lot of employees use their own devices for company business, and because heading off a problem is easier than cleaning up a mess, it may be time to re-examine the timeworn policy of "You bought it; you support it."

Supporting the wide range of mobile devices available today can seem like an insurmountable challenge. Although these tools vary greatly in capabilities, that diversity gives you a distinct advantage when determining the level of support you're going to provide.

For simple pocket organizers, such as those offered by Casio and Cybiko, offering replacement batteries may suffice. Complex devices such as Palms and PocketPCs, on the other hand, can quickly