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INDUSTRY NEWS


17 June 2008

Firms 'Adopting Employee-Owned Notebook Schemes'


A growing number of organisations are implementing programmes that allow employees to use their personal notebook computers for work, but many are mistakenly doing so in the hope of reducing their costs, it has been claimed.

Research from Gartner revealed that the total cost of ownership (TCO) for a properly-managed virtual machine (VM) running on an employee-owned notebook is no less than that of a well-managed notebook provided by the company.

In fact, it warned that the visible costs are greater because of the notebook allowance (a compensation system) that will be paid to the user in most schemes involving employee-owned laptops.

Brian Gammage, vice president and fellow of Gartner, said: "Successful employee-owned notebook programmes have the potential to improve user productivity, create a clearer boundary around IT responsibilities and pass some IT costs to the user."

However, in cases where management of the VM on the employee-owned notebook ranged from 'moderate' to 'base', total annual cost savings ranged from nine per cent to 44 per cent, when compared to the TCO of a well-managed notebook.

A recent report by Gartner indicated that new pricing plans and evolution of technology are prompting many organisations to invest in notebooks with embedded wireless broadband (3G) functionality for their remote workers or medium and extensive business travellers.<br/>

© 2006 Adfero Ltd.

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