'OS on a stick' not taking flight in Asia

Launching operating systems from USB sticks has not proven popular in Asia despite its touted benefits for mobile workers, observe market insiders, who point out that with the associated security issues and proliferation of cyber attacks, adoption of these devices will fall.

"OS on a stick", in which an operating system is stored on a USB device, is adopted generally by mobile workers who want to be able to work while on the move and need a laptop, Graham Titterington, Ovum's principal analyst, told ZDNet Asia.

There are other benefits to "OS on a stick", he added, noting that it enforces a high degree of separation from the rest of the host machine. It is also highly portability, being small and light, and is easy to conceal from third-party searches such as airport security checks, he said.

But while thin OS is attractive for users constantly on the move and seeking a mobile and controlled computing companion, it has yet to take off "like a firestorm" in Asia, said John Ong, South Asia regional director of Check Point Software Technologies.

He explained that smart devices such as atom-based netbooks and Android tablets are inexpensive and offer more computing power and capabilities compared to the typical "OS on a stick".

Asia is also a wired continent, Ong added, citing countries such as Singapore where it is easy to find an Internet café or public areas where users can access Internet-connected computers. Hence, there is little need to carry around an OS-embedded stick, he said.

Ang Poon-Wei, senior market analyst of enterprise infrastructure at IDC, added that users who often carry their laptop around would probably not be interested in "OS on a stick" devices.

"It's about traditional versus new ways of working," Ang told ZDNet Asia. "It doesn't make sense to buy another device when you already carry one around."

Rise of cyberattacks, security issues
According to Ong, with the rise of targeted attacks, IT managers and business leaders are unlikely to allow the proliferation of "OS on a stick" devices among their users.

He explained that IT managers are already "stretched to their limits" trying to manage large systems and information repositories. Giving end-users another device, with yet another set of operating system and software, calls for more "administrative headaches", he said.

Also, since such devices provide another avenue to data theft, a company's security infrastructure will need even more capabilities to lock down computers that use these devices to connect to the network to access corporate information, Ong added. This is regardless of whether the end-user is "innocently unaware" of information leakage or malicious users with temporary physical access to the networked computers, he said.

Ang noted that "OS on a stick" devices also contain security risks similar to that a smartphone. "If your phone is lost and data is not encrypted, people will be able to access it," the IDC analyst said.

However, he maintained that new technologies "will always have security concerns".

That said, he pointed to "OS on a stick" as the way forward, in spite of the associated challenges in execution and user mentality. He added that it is important companies are aware of "OS on a stick", understand how the devices work, and roll out proper security policies on how they should be used within the organization.

"The chain is only as strong as its weakest link," Ang said. "Make sure you have security policies that people care about once the device is used in the organization, and this could work out."