System Admins are not stupid hacks (generally) pt.2

Continuing on from my past post, I am going to be addressing the remaining points to the Wall Street Journal offers to work around your IT department.

6. HOW TO STORE WORK FILES ONLINE
This is really an extension of #5 and #1. You are taking a file that would otherwise be simple to keep track of and spreading it all over, making every cpu it touches, and service that hosted it included into the scope of e-Discovery.

7. HOW TO KEEP YOUR PRIVACY WHEN USING WEB EMAIL
I actually am a fan of this is theory, but would rather the suggestion was to email from their own private phone that is not connected to the work network. I have a data plan on my phone and receive emails on it continuously through out the day, none of which is on the company pc's so I don't have to worry about it. Simple and elegant.

8. HOW TO ACCESS YOUR WORK EMAIL REMOTELY WHEN YOUR COMPANY WON'T SPRING FOR A BLACKBERRY.
Outlook web access, otherwise figure out how to get them to buy the blackberry, as forwarding your emails makes your email accounts and all their sorid contents subject to eDiscovery. Seriously you you don't want them to know about those Casual Encounters posts on Craigslist now do you?

9. HOW TO ACCESS YOUR PERSONAL EMAIL ON YOUR BLACKBERRY
I actually am less concerned about this one, viruses for your blackberry via email? Maybe when they aren't running a custom embedded os, until then I am less concerend about this, and like how BB deals with the personal emails showing up in their own mail box. I figure they pay for the plan, and your very unlikely to hurt anything so whatever.

10. HOW TO LOOK LIKE YOU'RE WORKING
The suggestion they have is exactly what I have to say

Get back to work.

I would like to summarily say that the real trouble here is the decision to not take up your issues with the IT department to seek a working solution that meets your needs and the companies needs is the biggest mistake you can make. Any C level manager following the advice the WSJ offered up is very likely to get his company in hot water, and the cause of many IT Departments nightmares. If you approach your IT department you may be surprised to find that they wanted to implement a solution to your problem, but have been unable to generate any interest in getting a solution (vpn for instance) implemented. You may find that it is management preventing IT initiatives from getting complete, or even started. So really strike up a conversation, you will be surprised in many cases to find lucid and friendly people that would like to help you find a work flow that works.