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Personal Macbook Air for Work Use

J

jeddouglas

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 13, 2012
245
60
Inverness, UK
I have my own 13" MacBook Air for personal use. I have just started a new job and would like to use the MBA on my work Windows network via the Microsoft Remote Desktop App, but my new employer has concerns regarding security of the network i.e. me potentially importing a virus to the network via the MBA.

My previous employer allowed me to do this and I never had any issues. Does anyone out there know what the risks are?

My new employer has offered to get me a new MacBook for work purposes only. Whilst this is a tempting offer, it seems in my view to be unnecessary and I would prefer not to be lugging around two MacBooks. Would I be better getting them to invest in Parallels software for my current MBA? Would this be secure?

Any advice would be much appreciated.
 
Many companies are very concerned about employees mixing personal and business computing. So, you are not alone. Personally, I would keep the two worlds separate: only use the company provided computer for business, and don't use your personal computer for company work.

If you don't want to lug around two laptops (espically on business trips), buy an inexpensive 2017 iPad for $300. It will probably meet most of your personal computing needs away from home. Your MBA can stay at home for more complex personal computing tasks.

Warning: With your work related needs met by the company laptop, you might find that you don't need a personal laptop at all and that an iPad is more than enough computer for your personal needs......then you can start a thread on this forum about how an iPad replaced your laptop, and the trolls can tell you how you can't possibly replace a laptop with an iPad because you can't write in Xcode or run giant CAD software. Never mind that you never had any intention of doing this stuff on your personal computer in the first place.
 
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Mainsail said:
Many companies are very concerned about employees mixing personal and business computing. So, you are not alone. Personally, I would keep the two worlds separate: only use the company provided computer for business, and don't use your personal computer for company work.

If you don't want to lug around two laptops (espically on business trips), buy an inexpensive 2017 iPad for $300. It will probably meet most of your personal computing needs away from home. Your MBA can stay at home for more complex personal computing tasks.

Warning: With your work related needs met by the company laptop, you might find that you don't need a personal laptop at all and that an iPad is more than enough computer for your personal needs......then you can start a thread on this forum about how an iPad replaced your laptop, and the trolls can tell you how you can't possibly replace a laptop with an iPad because you can't write in Xcode or run giant CAD software. Never mind that you never had any intention of doing this stuff on your personal computer in the first place.
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My company gave me two phones, one being an iPhone. I became tired of carrying around a third (personal) phone, so I just gave in and started using the company iPhone. Good enough!

And I agree about the iPad...only thing I would add is that if OP thinks they might use the iPad as a laptop replacement, get a Pro with Smart Keyboard. After getting the 10.5, my MacBook gets no love nowadays!
 
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jeddouglas said:
I have my own 13" MacBook Air for personal use. I have just started a new job and would like to use the MBA on my work Windows network via the Microsoft Remote Desktop App, but my new employer has concerns regarding security of the network i.e. me potentially importing a virus to the network via the MBA.

My previous employer allowed me to do this and I never had any issues. Does anyone out there know what the risks are?

My new employer has offered to get me a new MacBook for work purposes only. Whilst this is a tempting offer, it seems in my view to be unnecessary and I would prefer not to be lugging around two MacBooks. Would I be better getting them to invest in Parallels software for my current MBA? Would this be secure?

Any advice would be much appreciated.
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Use what they gave you and be grateful they are making accommodations.
 
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Keep your work and personal equipment separate. I've learnt (and seen others learn) painful lessons for violating this mantra. The exception is if you are a sub-contractor and its understood that you will use your own hardware and software but even so you should have a concrete and agreed upon process for exchanging data and/or working on their network.
 
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After a merger, I once found myself working for a company that used HP products exclusively and had moved IT to Ireland, which for me in Hawaii allowed about 2 hours a day of service. As I already had an HP scanner in the office, I suggested to IT that they install the drivers so that I could use it with my new HP laptop. Their incredible reply was that "We can't allow HP software on our network." I found this rather mind boggling as the laptop had a version of Windows that was loaded with HP bloatware. I then put in a requisition through IT for a new scanner and bought the exact same model. Of course the Irish IT people were perfectly OK with the new scanner and happily installed the same drivers. This anecdote certainly gelled my personal opinion of remote IT help. It sounds like the OP may be working for the same company.
 
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BrianBaughn said:
Knowing nothing about how your employer's remote access is configured I wouldn't be able to debate security concerns.
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Sorry, but I am not entirely sure. A VPN I suspect. The network is fairly small with a maximum of 4 users.
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Kanunu said:
After a merger, I once found myself working for a company that used HP products exclusively and had moved IT to Ireland, which for me in Hawaii allowed about 2 hours a day of service. As I already had an HP scanner in the office, I suggested to IT that they install the drivers so that I could use it with my new HP laptop. Their incredible reply was that "We can't allow HP software on our network." I found this rather mind boggling as the laptop had a version of Windows that was loaded with HP bloatware. I then put in a requisition through IT for a new scanner and bought the exact same model. Of course the Irish IT people were perfectly OK with the new scanner and happily installed the same drivers. This anecdote certainly gelled my personal opinion of remote IT help. It sounds like the OP may be working for the same company.
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No, definitely not. We don't have our IT in Ireland.
 
I work for a quite a large organisation with approximately 8000 users. While a 'bring your own device' approach is being considered, as it stands no personal equipment is allowed on our corporate network. I wouldn't want to use my own kit anyway, my work laptop is running 8 hours a day while constantly being docked and undocked for meetings etc. If it fails I put my feet up and wait for a replacement. If it was mine I would be getting out the credit card to buy a replacement, no thanks.
 
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madgibbon said:
I work for a quite a large organisation with approximately 8000 users. While a 'bring your own device' approach is being considered, as it stands no personal equipment is allowed on our corporate network. I wouldn't want to use my own kit anyway, my work laptop is running 8 hours a day while constantly being docked and undocked for meetings etc. If it fails I put my feet up and wait for a replacement. If it was mine I would be getting out the credit card to buy a replacement, no thanks.
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How does BYOD ever benefit the employee?
 
jeddouglas said:
Looks like the consensus is to keep personal and work Macs separate, unless anyone else has any other suggestions?
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Yep. Vote separate!

I worked for a large multi-national as an external contractor with nearly 400'000 employees and their IT is locked down tight. Even though I was allowed to bring my own laptop/phone on site, I was not allowed to connect it to their network. They issued me a standard laptop that had firmware and USB ports locked down.

In your case, take the new MacBook and be happy that it gets used instead of your personal device.
Personal time use is a growing distraction at work anyways and besides the inflitrating virus issues, employers are more concerned with you wasting time on their dime.
 
Yup. Separate devices. Companies rarely fairly reimburse for use of personal devices and, let's face it, if there are security issues, chances are pretty good its gonna come from their network rather your personal device.

Let them give you a MacBook they are happy with - and while I'll agree with the concept of then using an iPad to access your personal stuff, rather than lug around 2 notebooks, depending on what it is you want to do on the personal device (and recognizing you have a perfectly fine MacBook at home), I'd be less inclined to blow the wad on an iPad and get yourself a basic Android tablet at significantly less. Apps and connectivity to iCloud pretty much of a wash, and really, why are you having to blow big cash to make your employer happy?
 
jeddouglas said:
Any advice would be much appreciated.
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A few important things to consider... work related documents on your machine are the property of the company, and there is the possibility that legally the authorities can confiscate your machine if there's every any reason to do so. For the love of God get them to give you a PC laptop. It would just be so much easier, and your machine will last a heck of a lot longer.
 
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If your company uses VDI, then any device is just a remote monitor. All work and data is on the remote servers hosting the VDI session.

My company uses VMWare Horizon for our VDI infrastructure. Works beautifully with my iPad Pro 12" 1st Gen. Even works with my iPad Mini 4. Just much more cramped on the space.
 
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Reidan said:
If your company uses VDI, then any device is just a remote monitor. All work and data is on the remote servers hosting the VDI session.

My company uses VMWare Horizon for our VDI infrastructure. Works beautifully with my iPad Pro 12" 1st Gen. Even works with my iPad Mini 4. Just much more cramped on the space.
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Thanks for your response. That is similar to what I did with my previous Employer using the Microsoft Remote Desktop App on my own MBA (also tried it with my iPad mini 2, but as you say, a bit cramped). I take it there is minimal security risk in doing this?

Note my Employer is now proposing about just giving me a PC laptop :(.
 
Personally, I always recommend *NOT* using personal devices for work. Many companies require that such devices be enrolled in their device management program, which means they can remotely erase your personal device if they so choose.

Also, depending on what work/industry you're in, they might have contractual requirements with *their* customers to ensure employee systems are locked down, with up to date antivirus, firewall, etc. For your personal system, they can't guarantee that.

Lastly, by allowing work stuff on your personal device, you open yourself up to basically be responsible for work stuff 24/7.

My work doesn't provide work cell phones, but requires we be on call 24/7 for a week once a month. So I have to have my work email on my personal phone. But I always turn it off (disable the account in iPhone Email settings) when I'm not on-call. Partly because my work email is so "busy" that I'd be "PING"ed constantly. Partly because I don't even want the POSSIBILITY of having work stuff come up off-hours when I'm not on-call. (They do provide minor compensation to account for work use of a personal phone.) I seriously considered getting ultra-cheap/basic service for an old iPhone I had sitting in a drawer, and using that phone exclusively for work, and my main phone exclusively for personal use, but that was too much hassle.
 
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Rocko99991 said:
This. Again, what upside is there to an employee to use his own equipment?
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The *ONLY* upside I can think of is "only have to carry one device". I've had jobs where I had a work-provided phone in addition to my personal phone. My current and previous job both have/had work-provided laptops. When on-call, and I go somewhere I want my laptop with me, I've had to carry two phones and two laptops. Kind of unwieldy.

But I'd rather that than put my personal devices at the whim of my employer.
 
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i work on a startup, and i use my MBA for all.
it would not work to have 2 devices.
 
As many others have posted, accept the work issued MacBook (most employers would have pushed a windows machine onto you) and keep your personal Mac at home. While you may have preferred development tools on the personal Mac that work does not supply, its more than likely that you are a smart individual and will be able to adapt to the tools provided by your employer. Putting work files onto personal machine opens up all kinds of legal issues, better to just not to go down that hole.
 
CrystalQuest76 said:
As many others have posted, accept the work issued MacBook (most employers would have pushed a windows machine onto you) and keep your personal Mac at home. While you may have preferred development tools on the personal Mac that work does not supply, its more than likely that you are a smart individual and will be able to adapt to the tools provided by your employer. Putting work files onto personal machine opens up all kinds of legal issues, better to just not to go down that hole.
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You must have missed my last post. My Employer now just offering a PC laptop.
 
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