Businesses of the not-too-distant future may very well find their employees are walking data devices, complete with computerized "smart clothes," high-tech "geeked-up" cars and an arsenal of gadgets designed to communicate with anyone or anything, anytime and anywhere. But while such technological advancements would undoubtedly increase data mobility, allow greater worker flexibility and enhance business communications, they will also likely create a new generation of data management and information security issues that would be perilous to ignore.

High-tech devices are evolving in ways that may ultimately redefine where business data may be found and must be tracked. Company leaders worldwide will need to adapt accordingly to ensure they stay abreast of all avenues by which sensitive business data might—intentionally or unintentionally—be compromised.

Likewise, as employees become less fettered to desks and as business communication devices take on myriad new forms, companies must ensure that all relevant and required data finds its way into the enterprise data warehouse.

No one knows for sure what the future of data storage and communication will look like, but the following technological gadgets and trends are already redefining the boundaries of business communication.

Cell phones as money
The line between cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and other technological devices is blurring as more companies offer increasingly smaller devices with increasingly broader capabilities. Today's PDAs offer a dizzying array of functions, including data storage, Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, Internet access, text messaging functions, and slots and ports to add memory and connect external storage devices, webcams or other peripherals.

In the future, that list of functions will likely grow considerably longer. Such devices are even poised to replace your credit card and your wallet. In Japan and parts of Europe, it is already possible—through a technology called "Near Field Communication"—to make purchases using your cell phone's handset to "beam" money from your account to a merchant's.

With each new PDA feature comes additional opportunities and risks. Many companies around the globe already struggle with increased and changing regulatory demands from their governments regarding customer data security, e-mail and text message storage and retention, and internal oversight of employees' data access and communication methods. The future likely holds more, not less, regulatory red tape on these topics.

Flashy flash drives
External hard drives have gone from bulky, wired contraptions with little storage capacity to veritable fashion accessories with enormous memory capabilities. One company offers an inflatable flash drive with a balloon that expands as it is "filled" with data. Another offers designer "data friends"—tiny data storage devices that come packaged in whimsical dolls and plug into the USB port.

Every day, technology manufacturers are releasing drives in new forms, including bracelets, necklaces, key chains and knickknacks. While such offerings are fun and convenient for many, they add a layer of complexity to the issue of data storage and security. As computer equipment ceases to look like equipment at all and larger amounts of data may be transported, companies will need to be increasingly vigilant about tracking data and protecting it from theft, loss or misuse.

Wristwatch browsers
The Internet has changed the way we conduct our personal and business lives, from e-mail to online banking to Web-based business transactions and personalized dashboards that display current, customized information on virtually any topic. And wireless technology is making it possible to monitor and react to business happenings from anywhere in the world using traditional computing devices such as laptops and PDAs, and even non-traditional devices such as wristwatches with browsers on their "faces" and eyeglasses with built-in displays to project information to the wearer.

Wireless technology will likely continue to create new opportunities to connect people, information and systems in increasingly fast and flexible ways.

Computerized clothing
Several major clothing and electronics companies are exploring ways to make and market computerized clothing. Such clothing would likely integrate existing entertainment and communication devices or add new technical functions. Other researchers are working to create high-tech clothing that could, for example, track the wearer's blood pressure and other vital signs or monitor the breathing patterns of children with cystic fibrosis.

Companies that are not accustomed to tracking their employees' wardrobes beyond the corporate dress code may someday find themselves redefining what "smartly dressed" might mean to their company and its data warehouse requirements.

Hot, wired cars
Automakers are learning that technology can be the ultimate accessory. And technology such as the Bluetooth wireless connectivity specification will likely make on-board computers, integrated GPS systems and LED displays the cup holders and vanity mirrors of the future.

In his book Geek My Ride, author Auri Rahimzaeh offers do-it-yourself tips to readers who want to enhance their vehicle's techno-cachet by, among other things, installing a PC for gaming or general-purpose use, building a car-to-car data network, and incorporating video conferencing and video surveillance technology.

Admittedly, such modifications are for "extreme" car and technology enthusiasts and will likely never enter the mainstream, but the book underscores the fact that computers, and therefore data, can turn up almost anywhere. Increasingly advanced technology will only reinforce the necessity that company stakeholders must examine all routes in which data might enter or leave their facility, including in an employee's or visitor's personal car or via a company-owned vehicle.

New tools and technologies will surely enable the data of the future to go where no data has gone before. But with increased mobility and flexibility come added complexities and greater risks. Enterprises that can successfully incorporate the good and mitigate the bad, while at the same time follow regulatory requirements, are destined to live longest and prosper most. T

Lori Janies is a Minneapolis-based writer.

Illustrations by Randall Nelson

Teradata Magazine-September 2007