Since COVID-19 has changed the way we do business, some people have seen their jobs move to being remote. Even industries that were based on collaboration, have taken a turn towards working from home. So, is remote work viable long-term for your company, and is it here to stay?
There is no clear answer, but at the moment, enterprises are pivoting to a work from home model. Remote work is a trend that might be here to stay. That being true means some things — both for workers and for their employers. Here are some things that 2021 will bring in relation to working from home — and how IT departments are going to have to plan for the added network strain.
Your network will have to be reliable and secure to handle remote work for your enterprise
With remote work, employees have the option to choose where they want to work and have options available for internet service. That means your enterprise network has to handle remote work reliably and securely. This might be a strain on your IT department if you don’t already have a plan of action on how to scale your network capabilities. First, though, that means you’ll need to assess your network so you can understand its capabilities — and where it needs to grow.
If you haven’t yet, do a network assessment of your existing network. This will help your IT better understand its limitations and where it needs to scale as your need for remote work capability expands.
Building an infrastructure vs finding an infrastructure
Connectivity is critical for remote work, from Zoom meetings to working on shared documents in the cloud — lots of data needs to move through your network for your company to succeed. Here’s something a lot of non-IT people don’t realize, networking isn’t a one-time thing. For it to work there has to be an ongoing effort provided by network engineers to analyze problem areas and prevent disruption before it becomes a problem.
This problem is complicated even more by the need for on-site access. Sure, your workers are at home –but there’s a good chance that your servers are still in your offices. That means you’ll have to have someone still go there and see them in person — not convenient, especially if it involves a lot of person to person interaction. On top of that, given that the pandemic has not passed, some restrictions can inhibit in-person access to buildings as well.
That’s why we often recommend organizations look at a colocation partner. When you decide to move towards a colocation data center it takes a huge weight off your IT department’s shoulders. You get expert end-to-end help — not just when you’re setting up your network, but with the upkeep and troubleshooting for any issues that may arise.
Data Foundry is a reliable data center provider — so your workers can stay connected — remotely or in-person
Data Foundry offers a great opportunity to move your data needs off-campus. We provide you with a team of network engineers, all with tons of expertise in how to assess networks, give recommendations, and even manage day-to-day operations. They’re well versed in network security and can provide monitoring and support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Our Texas 2 data center is a 60-MW, master-planned, and state-of-the-art data center that allows for remote hands capabilities, keeping teams in touch with their equipment and data from a safe distance. Interested in learning more?
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