Making the most of digital workspace transformation – Part 1
As working practices and norms continue to change and develop, and the debate about what works best rages on, the ability to adapt your business’ working methods quickly is growing in value. Of course, quick reactions shouldn’t come at the expense of business collaboration, or security. So, how do you clear this delicate obstacle?
The right technology and processes can make an enormous difference. Modern operating systems and software, such as Windows 10, continues to evolve and offer increased levels of flexibility for businesses and private users alike. The rise of the cloud further boosts this, with remote collaboration now near-seamless, as opposed to just a few years ago, when working from home could be challenging. This rate of development is showing no signs of slowing down.
As long-term partners of Microsoft, and experts in the use of technology like Windows 10, Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Azure, we’ve been trusted by many public and private organisations to help prepare them for the challenges presented by changing work habits. We achieve this through a distinct, four-step process we call the digital workspace quadrant.
Getting a sense of what you need to meet your unique needs should always start by taking a closer look at where your business currently stands. What technology do you currently use? How much do you pay for it? Are you using it to its full potential? Programs like Microsoft Teams can offer massive advantages to a business if used properly. We’ll take a close look to see what value can be extracted from existing tools, before looking at new ones.
From here, we’ll start to work with you to define and build your business case for change. To do this effectively, we’ll involve employees from across your business, in order to get a sense of their unique challenges, insights and ideas.
By combining this knowledge gained from your team with comprehensive audits on your technology, infrastructure and existing skillsets, we’ll pick out the ideal technological solutions for your challenges.
From here, our deployment and management expertise comes into play. We’ll make use of deployment tools like Windows Autopilot to ensure any new device delivery goes smoothly, without any setup time necessary.
We’ll also work to make device management significantly simpler. Windows Autopilot enables legacy app containerisation, which allows older Windows apps that are no longer supported to carry on running within the latest version of Windows 10. This means that, if you have an essential piece of bespoke software that’s out of date, you don’t need to immediately replace it, or jeopardise your wider security in the process.
Any technological or cultural change is a big step for a business to take, especially at a time when working culture is evolving so quickly. At XMA, we’ll work with you to make it as simple and painless as possible. From enabling new hybrid opportunities to making the most of existing tech and infrastructure, with our expert support and quality products from major vendors like Microsoft, digital workspace transformation can be that little bit easier.
To learn more about our digital workspace quadrant process, and how we can help you make the most of workplace transformation, keep an eye out for part two of this series, which focuses on keeping security high without restricting access.
Making the most of digital workspace transformation – Part 2
As widespread digital workspace transformation continues to progress, and the working standards of individuals and businesses continues to evolve, keeping pace is increasingly important. If a business is behind the curve, it becomes ever more difficult to attract and retain talent. But with the desire for remote and flexible working being higher than ever, how can you meet this need without jeopardising your business security and continuity?
XMA can help you with this. In a previous blog, we looked at how we can use an effective planning and deployment strategy to help your business embrace new ways of working. In this second blog, we’ll be looking into the ways we can help you keep control of your network, without ever laying your hands on the devices your team uses.
When people work remotely, it’s likely that the range of devices available to them will go up. For example, some people might have a powerful PC at home, while others might prefer to work from a personal tablet or phone occasionally. While this boost to staff convenience is hard to ignore, it does raise several major security concerns. As these devices are outside your management control, they could be an ideal access point for hackers and viruses. As a result, many businesses are choosing to restrict access to managed devices only.
Whether you choose to allow a varied range of devices to use your network, or supply specific machines to each member of your team, we can help. Sophisticated endpoint and access management systems, enabled by Windows 10 technology, allow you to retain control while enabling an enormous level of flexibility for your teams. This will let you simplify automated provisioning, configuration management, and software updates for every single device that uses your network, regardless of operating system.
Device management is just part of the battle. Alongside close and customisable control over access, based on your specific needs and wishes, we’ll also develop a robust and personalised data security and risk management policy. This will consider the sensitivity of your data, how much access is required for each individual, and much more.
Using the latest software and zero-trust techniques from Microsoft, including Windows 10 Authenticator for two-factor authentication, we can start to create an environment that enables digital workspace transformation, without jeopardising security for the sake of access.
Enabling cultural change is naturally important for a business, especially right now, but doing it in a way that’s sensible, safe and suitable for you is incredibly important. It’s not something to be rushed, you need to pick the right path for you. Our team will help you to pick the right path, and use the best technology from Microsoft, along with other major vendor partners, to make it a reality.
We’ll be continuing our blog series on digital transformation in the weeks to come, so keep an eye out for part three. If you’ve not read the first part, or would like a reminder, you can find it here
Migration to Nutanix hyperconverged infrastructure enables university do more with less.
Canterbury Christ Church University has been able to consolidate its IT infrastructure into just a single rack in each data centre.
Faced with a budget shortfall to refresh servers and storage, Christ Church University was forced to get creative, but found that a hyperconverged solution did more than just solve its cost conundrum.
The conversation around the shift to remote working is constantly ongoing, and we have all seen first-hand the positive impacts on businesses. This includes anything from improved collaboration and productivity, through to better mental health and wellbeing. Technology has been a key enabler in supporting the move to remote working.
Technology adopted during lockdown to enable employees to work remotely has shaped not just organisations during lockdown, but strategic business planning moving forward. We have already seen announcements from large enterprise technology organisations, shifting their working model to remote, either entirely or in part.
The productivity benefits of working from home centre around the loss of the need to commute. With the average person’s work commute at 60 minutes each way, this has saved on average a staggering 10 hours per week spent mostly in the car, on the train or bus. As a result of this, the European Environment Agency’s data confirms large decreases in air pollutant concentrations, of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations, largely due to reduced traffic and other activities, especially in major cities under lockdown measures.
Reductions of around half have been seen in some locations, for example:
- In Milan, average concentrations of NO2 for the past month have been at least 24 % lower than the month prior. The average concentration during the week of 16-22 March was 21 % lower than for the same week in 2019.
- In Rome, average NO2 concentrations for the past four weeks were 26-35 % lower than for the same weeks in 2019.
- In Barcelona, average NO2 levels went down by 40 % from one week to the next. Compared with the same week in 2019, the reduction was 55 %.
- In Madrid, average NO2 levels went down by 56 % from one week to the next. Compared with the same week in 2019, the reduction was 41 %.
- In Lisbon, average NO2 levels went down by 40 % from one week to the next. Compared with the same week in 2019, the reduction was 51 %.
(European Environment Agency, 2020).
After achieving and analysing this reduction in pollution, will the Covid-19 lockdown result in real progress to tackle climate change?
Whilst addressing long-term air quality problems requires ambitious policies and forward-looking investments, the Covid-19 lockdown demonstrated the capability we must vastly reduce our emissions. When the noise of airplanes and traffic was gone, it helped us understand and have empathy for the effects of climate change on future generations. The lockdown also demonstrated to employers that employees can effectively work from anywhere with best placed technology, and in turn contribute toward a greener and more sustainable future.
Is your business set up for remote working?
XMA have been supporting businesses throughout Covid-19 to achieve efficient digital workspaces. Get in touch to discuss your Digital Workspace now.
Reference: European Environment Agency (2020). Air Pollution. Available at: https://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/air-pollution-goes-down-as [Accessed: 24.08.2020]
Monitoring by Hotjar