Elizabeth Leigh
Chief executives and business line managers that use shadow information technology services are taking large risks against having convenience and efficiency, IO technology evangelist Brian Fanzo writes in an article for the company’s Data Centers blog.
Fanzo describes shadow IT tools as cloud-based software and platforms offered as a service.
He described how those technologies run outside of an enterprise’s IT governance framework — often unapproved by IT management — and including applications such as Google Apps, Basecamp and Dropbox.
Mobile employees armed with connected smartphones and tablets are increasingly looking to those tools, Fanzo notes.
He also sought to underscore how possible information theft, data destruction or service disruption should be priorities for chief information officers.
“Beyond the security threats, shadow IT keeps CIOs awake at night for the resources that it can demand,†Fanzo says.
“As CloudTweaks explains, when unauthorized applications have one foot in the shadows and one foot in the sunlight, IT personnel are asked to support technologies they have neither tested nor approved,†he added.
