In today's world, technology is on-the-go... and there are no trends to show that this on-the-go tech culture will be slowing down. According to a poll conducted by Gallup, in 2017 43% of Americans said they spent at least some time working remotely. Working remotely is becoming more and more popular, whether it is a part of company culture or for special circumstances
We want you to know that it's okay to go remote, and that working on your devices outside of the office can still be safe and reliable. Whether it's a common trend in your organization or not, the ability for employees to access their work remotely is always good for unexpected, on-the-go work.
Here are some things to think about when configuring your IT environment for remote work.
VPNs
A VPN, or a virtual private network, is a way to connect to a remote site securely while using a standard Internet connection. The most common remote access VPN used today is secured via Secure Socket Layer or SSL. This is essentially security technology that protects your data as you pass between the web server and different browsers. Your VPN can be configured to tailor your organization's needs and make working remotely efficient and protected without your employees having to take any extra steps.
CORRECT CONNECTIVITY
There are a few steps every business should take to ensure users can connect remotely. First, you must ensure a remote access VPN is licensed and configured properly on your firewall. Your IT team should also ensure an SSL certificate is purchased so it can be used for the remote access VPN for added protection. Doing this will limit many common cyber threats.
On the remote employees side, they must have a reliable Internet connection as well as a home network. It is typically fine to work in places such as coffee shops, but users must be aware that they could experience a poor connection from time to time as those networks are used by many outside devices.
OTHER SOLUTIONS
Remote solutions are going to look different for every organization, as it varies based on the type of IT environment a company is utilizing. For example, other business-class solutions that would allow for employees to remotely access their work are Citrix NetScaler and Microsoft Remote Desktop Gateway. If you are currently using Citrix for published applications or desktops, the Citrix NetScaler option might work best for you as it would be a straightforward process that would allow for SSL-encrypted remote access to Citrix resources. If your company uses predominantly Remote Desktop Services, the implementation of a remote desktop gateway will allow for remote access by the user.
If your employees are encouraged to work from home if needed, make sure your organization is protected while doing so. If remote work isn't as common for your employees, it's still an important aspect to focus on so that if the opportunity arises the user is protected. Life happens, and sometimes there are no other options than for a user to work remotely. Make sure your organization is prepared.
If you're curious about more ways to collaborate with your team from anywhere through technological tools, reach out to our experts for a consultation.
