Olympics Organiser LOCOG Embraces BYOD
EXCLUSIVE: LOCOG is using a BYOD scheme to help its mobile workers run the Olympics, with Good Technology brought in for security
The London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) is allowing members of its 14,000 staff to use their own devices or those supplied by official sponsors such as Samsung, TechWeekEurope has learned.
LOCOG has enlisted the services of Good Technology to secure its extensive mobile workforce, which will help stage 26 Olympic and 20 Paralympic sports during the course of the Games.
Staff will receive secure access to email services, calendars, contacts and applications as well as extra protection against lost or stolen devices, as part of a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) project.
Olympics BYOD
LOCOG reportedly evaluated several options, but was seemingly swayed by Good Technology’s ‘containerised’ approach, which separates sensitive data contained in the application from the personal data saved on the same device.
“Being part of such an important event is an honour and something the whole team is proud of,” said Andrew Jacques, general manager for EMEA at Good Technology. “Staging the Games is a huge challenge and we are delighted to be supporting LOCOG by securing its team of mobile workers.”
The majority of staff will rely heavily on mobile connectivity and LOCOG hopes that by embracing a BYOD strategy and permitting them to use their own gadgets, they will be more productive and efficient.
“London 2012 will be the first Games to be impacted by the consumerisation of technology, our team expects IT services that work around them,” said Gerry Pennell, CIO of LOCOG. “Good Technology’s secure, containerised solution means we don’t have to compromise on devices or security – we were impressed that in just four hours it integrated into our wider corporate IT infrastructure and gave us exactly what we wanted.”
Pennell told TechWeekEurope recently that he believed the consumerisation of technology was the biggest challenge facing an IT department today and said the rise of the smartphone influenced much of LOCOG’s planning for London 2012.
The organising committee has set up a partnership between operators and BT to improve mobile coverage across the Olympic Park as well as setting up the world’s largest high-density Wi-Fi network at the site.
The site’s IT operations will be controlled from the Technology Operations Centre (TOC), which is monitored 24 hours a day.
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