Bring your own device (BYOD) is probably not a policy decision your company implemented. Rather, it was more likely an employee habit that crept up on you. BYOD refers, of course, to the increasing likelihood that employees are using their own mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers at events and on the road.

It's been a headache for some companies – it makes the challenges of security even steeper – but it's also been a blessing. Many companies haven’t attained true mobility in the workplace, and they've shattered the boundaries of the traditional office.

Doing it right, however, is the tricky part, as companies that have launched successful BYOD programs will tell you. (The companies that haven't been successful will probably tell you even more vociferously.) There's a steep learning curve to the process, and the idea goes beyond just the four walls of your building, your campus or your state.

Many companies are stuck in part one of the process: empowering their increasingly mobile workforce to stay more productive, while at the same time keeping company data secure. But even after you clear this hurdle, there are more.

The increasing amount of global wireless network traffic is endangering new BYOD programs, simply because there's too much traffic, and slow data speeds and dropped calls are becoming the norm. Many companies are struggling to cope with this “heavy traffic” and still keep their eye on their mobility goals.

But it's not just about national mobility. If your company does business abroad, you'll know that this adds an extra complicated element to a BYOD program while you try support your employees in foreign countries with very different wireless networks, providers and rules. To this end, many successful companies are taking the time to make sure that their mobile networks support IPv6 mobility, the dominant communications protocol for wireless Internet traffic as of 2012. 

Sound complicated? Networking giant Cisco (News - Alert) hopes to help. The company has prepared a new video series designed to help companies get on their feet with efficient and effective BYOD. The series includes a technical design workshop, TechWise TV from Cisco Live! in London, a three-part mobile video series and a design guide to help companies attain device freedom without compromising their IT networks.

For more information about the series, click here.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2012, taking place Oct. 2-5, in Austin, TX. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. For more information on registering for ITEXPO click here.

Stay in touch with everything happening at ITEXPO. Follow us on Twitter.