community it webinar series - supporting remote workers

September 24, 2014 presented by… Johanny TorricoAbdul Musa

Community IT Innovators Webinar Series

Supporting Remote Workers

#RemoteWork

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About Community IT

Community IT Innovators partners with nonprofits to help them solve their strategic & day-to-day IT challenges.

Strategic Proactive approach so you can make IT decisions that support your mission and grow with you

Collaborative Team of over 30 staff who empower you to make informed IT choices

Invested We are committed to supporting your mission, and take care of your IT network as if it were our own

Nonprofit focus Worked with over 900 nonprofits since 1993

About the Presenters

Johanny Torrico

Director of Ongoing Support

jtorrico@communityit.com

@communityit

Abdul Musa

Network Consultant

amusa@communityit.com

@communityit

Agenda

• Scenarios

• Benefits

• Solutions• Prerequisites, Advantages and

Disadvantages

• Risks

• Best practices

• Solution selection

• Q & A#remotework

Remote work categories

• Someone working remotely…

– Full time

– Once, twice… a week

– Occasionally

• Field office staff

• Virtual teams

#remotework

Why remote work?

• Staff satisfaction

• Flexibility

– Staff can work in multiple geographic locations

– Accommodates different work schedules

• Work-life balance

– Allows for personal time, part-time work

– Eliminates commute time

– Enables work during inclement weather or

minor illness #remotework

Why remote work? (2)

• Productivity gains

– Focus on projects without interruption

– Work when most productive

– Improved collaboration between field

offices and headquarters

• HR benefit

– Increase recruitment and retention

#remotework

Why remote work? (3)

• Competitive advantage:

– Start new programs and initiatives

• Cost benefit

– Reduce need for office space and

equipment

– Reduce travel costs

• Environmental benefits

– Can reduce environmental impact #remotework

What has made it possible?

• Internet evolution

– Reduced costs, faster bandwidth speeds

– Increased adoption

• 2000: 43.1% of the US population was using the

internet

• 2012: 81% of the US population was using the internet

• Better remote access technology

• Evolving organizational acceptance of

remote work#remotework

Remote work: Global statistics

• 4.6 billion global

workforce

– 20% telecommutes

– 29% partial remote

– 10% full time remote

• Global remote work by

region

– Asia & Pacific 12%

– EMEA 7%

– Americas 5%Infographic: http://web.esna.com/blog/remote-worker-collaboration-infographic-2014 #remotework

Remote work: US statistics • 1 in 4 US workers work from

home at least some of the

time

• 65% of US employees

reported being more

productive when working at

home

• 64% of US employees said

they would sacrifice pay to

work from home

• Between 2005 and 2011, US

teleworking grew 73%Infographic: http://web.esna.com/blog/remote-worker-collaboration-infographic-2014 #remotework

Solutions

• End User:

– Tools

• Enterprise systems

– Remote access

– Communication

– Remote support

Prerequisites: End user tools

• Hardware

• Software

• Connectivity: Internet and Telephony

• Remote access technology

#remotework

Hardware Software Connectivity Remote Access technology

Workstation- Laptop- Desktops

External peripherals- Printer, scanner- Phone headsets- Monitors- Video/audio- Speakers

Office productivity- MS Office etc.

Enterprise applications- Accounting- Fundraising- CRM

Security- Antivirus- Connection software e.g. VPN license

Internet connection- Wired- Wireless

Telephony- VOIP phone- Mobile phone

VPNTerminal serverCloud

Prerequisites: End user tools (2)

#remotework

• Why allow for remote access?

– Facilitate communication

– Facilitate collaboration

– Provide seamless experience

Prerequisites: Enterprise systems

#remotework

Prerequisites: Enterprise systems (2)

Communication Collaboration Management

#remotework

Remote access solutions

• VPN

• Desktop sharing

• Cloud

#remotework

VPN

• Types: Hardware, Software, Enhanced

tunneling

Endpoint 1

Endpoint 2

Encrypted

Encrypted

#remotework

• Pros

– Secure

– Mature

– Scalable

– Relatively low

deployment cost

• Cons

– Setup can be complex

– Cost: Licensing costs for

large implementation

– Connection issues

• Blocked in some public

locations

• Can slow down end-user

internet connection

VPN: Pros and Cons

#remotework

Desktop sharing

#remotework

Desktop sharing (2)

• Native solutions

– Built into operating system platform e.g.

Windows Remote Desktop (Terminal

Services), Apple Screen sharing

• Third-party solutions

– CITRIX XenServer, VNC, TeamViewer,

PCAnywhere#remotework

Desktop sharing (3)

• Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

– Hosts desktop environments on remote

servers

– Provides access to the same desktop from

any location

– Relatively expensive

– Often used in call centers and in sales

teams#remotework

• Pros

– Easy to use

– Mature

– Low

maintenanc

e

• Cons

– Setup can be complex

– Costs: Hardware,

licensing and support

costs

– Bandwidth intensive:

screen refresh eats up

bandwidth

Desktop sharing: Pros and Cons

#remotework

Cloud

#remotework

Cloud (2)

• Often browser-based and cross-

platform

• Common cloud info Systems

– Email: Office 365, Google Apps

– Files: Box, Google Apps, Office 365

– CRM/Databases: Salesforce, Zoho

#remotework

• Pros

– Easy to use

– Easy to setup

– Scalable

– Lower costs

• Low

deployment

costs

• No hardware

support costs

• Cons

– Evolving technology

– Recurring cost model

– Multiple credentials

– Connection challenges

for international staff

Cloud: Pros and Cons

#remotework

Communication solutions

• Chat: Gchat, iChat, Lync

• Telephony

– Simple: Forward calls, remote voicemail retrieval

– Advanced: VOIP handsets, Voicemail to email transcription

etc.

• Videoconferencing

– Desktop-based: Skype, Lync, Google hangouts

– Dedicated system: Polycom, Cisco, BlueJeans

• more expensive, require A/V hardware such as TV screens,

cameras, speakers, conference room speakerphones

• Cloud videoconferencing solutions such as WebEx and BlueJeans

are making dedicated videoconferencing more affordable#remotework

Remote support tools

• Platforms that will require remote support

– Operating systems: Windows, OS X, Linux

– Mobile devices: iOS, Android, Windows Mobile

– Applications: Productivity apps, custom apps

• Remote support tools

– Native tools: Windows Remote Desktop Services,

Windows Remote Assistance, Apple Screen sharing

– Third-party tools: GoToAssist, TeamViewer

– Browser-based: Chrome remote desktop, LogMeIn,

join.me#remotework

Risks

• What are some of the remote work

risks?

• How do we manage these risks?

Risks

• Data security risks

– Increased data loss risks

– Increased potential hacking targets

• Compliance and Privacy risks

• Increased costs:

– With massive adoption, support and ongoing

costs (hardware and licensing) also increase

#remotework

Managing Risks

• Security

– Two factor authentication

– Network access control systems

• Screen device for updated virus definitions and operating

system patches before allowing access to the network

– Password policy: length and expiration

– Prevent cached credentials

– Restrict access from multiple devices

– Monitor remote access

#remotework

Managing risks (2)

• Standardization

– Provide prerequisite equipment and software

for easier management and better control

– Automate patching and maintenance

• Remote management

– Wipe data off devices when necessary

– Set data to expire

#remotework

Best practices

What are some best practices for

remote work solutions?

Best practices

• General

– Provide help/how-to documents for remote access

– Bandwidth management strategies

– Avoid caching credentials

– Use complex passwords and change them regularly

• VPN solutions

– Beware of DNS changes that can slow down end-

user web traffic

– Subnet configuration

#remotework

Best practices (2)

• Desktop sharing solutions

– Set remote session display settings for low

bandwidth environment

– Use wildcard SSL certificates

• Cloud and browser-based solutions

– Customize url for signing on to applications

– Use Single Sign-On systems to reduce

multiple credentials when possible#remotework

How to choose a solution

#remotework

How to choose a solution

• Organizational fit

– Does operating environment allow it?

– Policies:

• What are the current HR policies regarding

remote work? Will they need to change?

• How does it fit into your other IT policies such

as acceptable use and BYOD policies?

#remotework

How to choose a solution (2)

• Costs:

– Do you pay for the internal infrastructure only?

– End-user equipment

• Analyze needs: What systems need to be

accessed remotely?

– Access information systems from outside the office?

– Connect field offices?

– Facilitate collaboration?

– Provide new service or enable new

programs/initiatives? #remotework

How to choose a solution (3)

• Pick 3 potential solutions based on

criteria

• Identified needs

• Budget

• Cost benefit analysis

#remotework

How to choose a solution (4)

• Present to decision makers

– Develop budget

• Deployment costs (year 1) as well ongoing costs for

licensing, subscriptions and support (years 2 to 5)

– Outline the benefits for the organization

• Competitive advantage

• Productivity boost

• Staff satisfaction

• Recruitment and retention tool:

– Outline risks: financial and IT security risks#remotework

How to choose a solution (5)

• Implementation plan

– Beta test solution: vendor demo or trial

– How soon can it be implemented?

– When do you roll it out to reduce

disruption?

• Schedule full deployment for a “slow” time of the

year

• Re-evaluate solution after a couple of

years #remotework

Questions?

#remotework

October 23, 2014presented by… Steve LongeneckerMatthew Eshleman

Community IT Innovators Webinar Series

IT SecurityNew and Emerging Best

Practices

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