This trend has forced IT managers into an attitude change, the analysts said.

"There's pressure on IT managers in two directions," Hall said. "It's becoming necessary to be less resistant to mobility because it's no longer whether mobility is a good thing. It's a matter of how to do it. But there's still the nightmare that the CEO drops his BlackBerry in a cab with a download on it of the merger plan. With the legal climate, that's not only a business risk, but it also could be a legal risk."

As a result, IT managers are spending more of their time managing mobile devices and protecting against loss and theft. Hall said his company was typical of the resistance to mobile devices from IT shops.

"My company fought the BlackBerry for a long time," he said. "Ultimately, management said, 'This is silly. We need them.'"

"I wouldn't say IT is always doing it with a smile on their face," Kerton added. "But they realize if they don't get in front of this tornado, they'll be swept up by it. IT managers realize that if they sit back, people will bring in their own devices and IT will have to fix the problems."