Policy Reference

Category Computer and User Policies
Approval Date 07/2011
Scope All personnel who in any way access City systems and data using portable communication devices

Purpose

In today's world, portable communication devices are increasingly available, affordable, and able to be effective for business use. This policy proposes to(a) describe how the City's mission might be enhanced by proactively providing mobile access to the City's network resources to City employees in support of their job responsibilities (b) establish the extent of support to be provided and level of service to be expected in the use of mobile devices to access City system and data, and (c) establish the process for requesting access to the City's network from a portable communication device.

Policy

  1. Policy Statements
    1. Portable communication devices refers to smart phones, tablets, and other personal handheld devices with the ability to access the City's network resources.
    2. Revised IRS treatment of employee benefits (stipends) allows the provision of communications devices to employees needing mobile access to City's network resources without increased administrative burden on the company and the employee.
    3. There is an increasingly pervasive availability of no cost and low cost data communications plans for mobile network/internet access.
    4. Mobile device improvements increasingly provide reliable, consumer friendly, low cost, highly available and strongly adopted multifunction handhelds.
    5. Leading hardware and software vendors are moving to the development of mobile applications and solutions for both personal and business use.
    6. City owned handheld devices are still necessary for specific situation, primarily due to the level of confidential communications occurring or the degree of device support necessary for the employee.  
    7. Workplace access to email and resources on individually owned devices should be embraced and encouraged for those who are motivated to do so and would gain both professional and personal productivity by doing so.
    8. Near term and long term consideration needs to be provided for areas which are still evolving, including support for the deployment of city applications on handheld devices.
  2. Support for Mobile Access
    1. Tier 1: City Provided Device
      1. Employees with a greater likelihood of communicating information which must be protected and require work related voice and data communications to be available to them on a 24x7 basis.
      2. Will be fully configured and managed through a centralized management platform allowing a full level of service and support by ITS
      3. ITS supports Samsung and Apple smart phones.
    2. Tier 2:   Employee Owned Device
      1. Employees with a demonstrated business need to frequently access City network for basic data communication functions
      2. Device standards and stipulations:
        1. The device must be able to be synchronized "˜over the air' - OTA -   (via a data plan or Wi-Fi - no physical cable to the city computer)
        2. Access will be limited to the synchronization of email, calendars, contacts and task lists
        3. Employee must configure and maintain phone to meet minimum security standards including
          1. Strong password secured
          2. Secured and private (non-shared) use
          3. Ability to synchronize with full compliance to the  Email Archiving requirements identified in the City's Electronic Mail Policy
          4. Immediate reporting of lost or stolen phones
        4. Use of encryption a utility for encryption of  data stored on the phone and any data transmission that is available and compatible with the City's networked systems.
      3. ITS will provide OTA synchronization services via user account settings and provide written instructions for basic setup and troubleshooting
      4. ITS will only provide support to ensure the OTA synchronization services are available and give basic setup and troubleshooting instructions to users.
    3. Requesting Access
      1. Review the City's Provision and Use of Portable Communication Devices Policy (Policy 406, Page 20)
      2. If applicable, review information/requirements and  obtain supervisors approval and required signatures on:
        1. Authorization Form
        2. Mobile Device Support Agreement
      3. Review the ITS Mobile Device Policy Training Presentation
      4. Review requirements and information provided in the Mobile Device Support Policy (this document)
      5. Submit Authorization Form and Mobile Device  Support  Agreement with all required signatures to ITS. Please be prepared to provide the following information
        1. Service Provider
        2. Phone Number
        3. Phone Model
        4. Phone OS
        5. If a Blackberry, Is your phone synched to another Blackberry Enterprise server?