Seems like just about everyone wants to carry a smartphone for work these days, but it is not easy to find security and management software to support the habit, reports NetworkWorld's Ellen Messmer. 

At the clothing outfitter Patagonia, a lot of top managers have been requesting support for iPhones that they purchased themselves, Alex Yanez, telecommunications engineer for the company, said. Patagonia pays for the accounts of the 150 or so employees using smartphones, but setting up management controls, particularly in the areas of billing and inventory management, is complicated.  

Android phones present a special challenge because there are few security and management products available for them, Yanez said. Security is problematic primarily because of the programs employees download.

Perkins+Will, an architecture firm, is dealing with similar issues. Downloading patches for users can be a long, tedious job. 

"It can be a pain. You have to notify the user if they don't already know, and a wireless upgrade can take hours," said Sherri Houmadi, mobile device manager for the firm. What's more, the IT department has found itself in the business of repairing broken phones.

For more:
- see Ellen Messmer's article at NetworkWorld

Related Articles:
Why smartphones will rise in the enterprise (slideshow)
Vendors work on security tools for smartphones
The iPhone 4: What's in it for you?