First we called it shadow IT. Then it was rogue IT. Now, we refer to it euphemistically as business-managed IT (BMIT). No matter what you call it, the longstanding problem of business groups buying, building and deploying IT solutions without company authorization presents the same challenges to IT executives everywhere.

In some cases, it could mean that business-sensitive information is being used and shared without proper security controls, sometimes in external environments.  It often leads to fragmented architecture, a lack of integration and inconsistent and ineffective management of vendor contracts. It also increases overall costs, complexity and may create a “double standard” between IT and business-implemented solutions.  And it is a practice that is on the rise across a wide range of industries, as cloud technology has evolved.

No longer limited to resorting to stealth servers under someone’s desk, the business now has easy access to a growing number of Internet-based providers offering nearly unlimited IT capabilities in the public cloud. But we in IT also have more options than ever to turn this headache into a business-empowering opportunity.

It’s not like business leaders’ reasons for using BMIT aren’t good ones. They are under increased pressure to drive top line revenue ASAP. They want new capabilities, and more agile IT tools. At the end of the day, business leaders’ choice to use BMIT is about faster time to market and better control.

The good news is that enterprise IT organizations have also transformed with cloud technology, and new, in-house IT models and can now compete with outside cloud providers to give the business the capabilities it wants, at competitive cost and in shorter cycle times.

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