“The IronOrbit INFINITY Workspaces is ideal for professional graphics workstations used by engineers, architects, and designers across industries, from AEC to M&E to manufacturing. With Quadro performance from the cloud, on any connected device, professionals working from home can stay productive.”
Matt McGrigg, Global Director of Cloud Business Development, NVIDIA.
Future-Proof Technology Solutions
Fully customized, dynamic, modular, scalable, and secure Turn-Key solutions with GPU performance rivaling a physical workstation.
Digital Transformation →Workspace Virtualization
Business Optimization →Industry Optimized Solutions
Data Integration →Centralization and Management of Data
Hyperautomation → Adoption of AI and ML Technologies
Multiexperience →Implementation of AR and VR
Who We've Helped
Dant Clayton
Spending an average of $3,000+ on workstations, only having to replace them every 3-5 years just doesn't work anymore. The cloud offers unlimited upgrading and no more hardware refreshes.
Giroux Glass, best known for its work on the Grand Canyon Skywalk, has established itself as one of the nation's most respected glazing contractors since 1946.
“When COVID-19 started, we were able to provide latency-free workspaces to users with substandard home internet connections using IronOrbit. What started out as a move to optimize our business operations really ended up becoming a lifesaver for our organization.”
Mike Albitz
MSA Professional Services
“Even through using a hotspot on my phone, I can access everything I need. I was able to pull up a CAD drawing at a client meeting and we were able to look at it and get an answer right then and there!”
Jennifer Howe
SMMA & ACEC Massachusetts
“We deal with life and death issues. It’s critical for our IT environment to remain online and reliable. Especially now. We are grateful for all the hard work the IronOrbit team has done. They have really built us an incredibly stable network & virtual desktop system.”
IronOrbit Voted One of Orange County’s Top Work Places 2020!
A Few Reasons to Join the Team
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INFINITY
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The Benefits of Being Part of the Team
IronOrbit Team Members are highly motivated, highly intelligent individuals who are passionate about what they do. It's only logical to provide the same in benefits.
Remote Work Positions
401(k)
Health & Dental Benefits
Paid Training & Education
Paid Time Off
Take Their Word for IT
We'll let the team members speak for themselves.
Joining the IronOrbit Team is a great move both personally & professionally.
Tiffany Lockwood
Project Manager
“IronOrbit has empowered me to learn and grow in my career. IronOrbit has a collective innovative mentality to constantly improve not only technology, but our daily work life. I look forward to working with the IronOrbit team for many years to come.”
Jonathan Cruz
IT Support Specialist
“I enjoy the opportunity to help our customers have a pleasant experience with technology and ease their frustration when needed.”
Bobby Apodaca
Business Analysis & Planning
"I love working at IronOrbit because each day is unique & challenging. The technology’s fascinating and our team’s fantastic. It’s refreshing to be part of an evolving organization that enables and invests in its clients, employees, products, and services."
We deliver on our promises – and in the occasional times that we fall short, we admit it, take responsibility, make it right, and take all the necessary steps to prevent it from happening again.
Synergetic Greater Than the Sum of Our Parts
Our differences, rather than hold us back, make us stronger and more versatile as a whole. We collaborate effectively across groups and departments, working as one to demolish our goals and deliver consistent and ever-improving value to our clients.
Proactive Seek-And-Act, Not Wait-And-See
We always try to anticipate and resolve potential problems before they can affect our clients. We practice this in every area of our business – from development and operations to support and billing.
Innovative Always Improving & Evolving
We're always looking for ways to serve our clients better, whether it's becoming more efficient or developing new products or features altogether.
Reliable Results You Can Depend On
If you're in need of service, we are never more than a phone call or email away. We're here to help 24/7/365.
Empowering Helping Others Reach Their Full Potential
We believe in helping others to reach their full potential, whether they’re colleagues or clients. We do this through advice, training, technologies, services, or through delegation of authority – no cookie-cutter solutions here.
IronOrbit Was Created to Empower Companies Like Yours
Who We Are
IronOrbit is a privately owned and fully integrated Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Powerhouse. We are a Specialized Cloud Services Leader focused on planning, deploying and fueling Digital Transformations for major industries and verticals. IronOrbit innovates, develops, and produces comprehensive technology solutions, specializing in GPU-Accelerated cloud workspaces, for some of the biggest IT-related challenges facing modern businesses.
IronOrbit, is located in beautiful Anaheim Hills, California and was founded in 1997 as an MSP. IronOrbit evolved into a cloud solutions provider offering comprehensive technology solutions for more than two decades.
Our Commitment
to You
We're committed to being your technology advocate.
We will listen to your needs and provide you with recommendations to help keep your company growing and your employees happy. Together we'll succeed in reaching your goals.
The Values We Live By…We ASPIRE!
ACCOUNTABLE We Deliver, or We Adapt
We deliver on our promises – and in the occasional times that we fall short, we admit it, take responsibility, make it right, and take all the necessary steps to prevent it from happening again.
SYNERGETIC Greater Than the Sum of Our Parts
Our differences, rather than hold us back, make us stronger and more versatile as a whole. We collaborate effectively across groups and departments, working as one to demolish our goals and deliver consistent and ever-improving value to our clients.
PROACTIVE Seek-And-Act, Not Wait-And-See
We always try to anticipate and resolve potential problems before they can affect our clients. We practice this in every area of our business – from development and operations to support and billing.
INNOVATIVE Always Improving & Evolving
We're always looking for ways to serve our clients better, whether it's becoming more efficient or developing new products or features altogether.
RELIABLE Results You Can Depend On
If you're in need of service, we are never more than a phone call or email away. We're here to help 24/7/365.
EMPOWERING Helping Others Reach Their Full Potential
We believe in helping others to reach their full potential, whether they’re colleagues or clients. We do this through advice, training, technologies, services, or through delegation of authority – no cookie-cutter solutions here.
Just a Few of the Industries We've Assisted
AEC Industry
The IT Director at SMMA knew the entire AEC industry was on the edge of a digital transformation.
The UCLA Library service encompasses thirteen libraries spread across campus. IronOrbit was able to provide IT resources to a constantly-changing user base.
Brown & Weinstein Tax and Financial Group is a financial services firm with several Southern California locations. IronOrbit centralized and streamlined their entire IT infrastructure.
Complete, Long-Term Data Loss Prevention. Lightning-Fast Restoration. Full system snapshots, enabling rapid restoration. Best-of-breed RPO & RTO of as little as 15 minutes and 2 hours.
Enterprise-level security comes standard. Ensure compliance just by moving to the IronOrbit cloud. IronOrbit complies by default with PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOX, and many other data control regulations.
Our INFINITY Workspaces solution provide busy business owners like yourself the freedom and flexibility you need. A complete ICT solution for all of your users. Whether remote or in-house, we handle everything for you. Allowing you the freedom to focus on more important things, like running your business.
Wonder What It’s Like to Work With IronOrbit? (Our Process)
Consulting
We listen to what our clients want to do with their IT systems, taking their organizational objectives and timetables into account.
Design
We formulate a solution that addresses our client’s concerns with their current IT environment but that also enables them to pursue their next-stage goals.
Implementation
We bring the required IT solutions online while being careful not to interrupt the client’s daily workflow.
Continuous, Caring Support
We pride ourselves on speedy response times and maintaining a high touch with our customers (24/7 US-based support).
Everything You Need to Get Your Business up & Running With the All-in-One ICT Solution
For a Fixed-Monthly fee, IronOrbit provides a turnkey solution that leverages the power of the cloud for the assets that matter most.
Microsoft 365 support, 24/7 IT support, Cloud Workspaces for ALL of your users. Fast, secure, backed up and future-proof.
Your digital transformation.
Blazing-Fast, All-Flash/SSD Hosting; Launch In 1 Second
Email Encryption, 2FA & MDM Add-Ons Available
UNLIMITED CPU, RAM & Microsoft Software Upgrades
24/7/365 All-Inclusive Support (W/ Engineering)
Highly-Secure, HIPAA, PCI DSS, & SOC 2 Compliant
99.999% Uptime Guarantee
We Know There Are Business Dangers Out There
Being Non-Compliant Can Damage Your Reputation
Don't leave your IT infrastructure to a single person. Rely on our team who is dedicated to protecting your business from threats.
Lost Productivity Is Wasted Money
If your system goes down for 1 second, you're losing money. Being with IronOrbit enables 99.999% uptime!
Transparent
Pricing
Get away from wasting money on constant hardware upgrades. We extend the life of all your current hardware thanks to our SMX Technology!
We Assist Business Owners
CLIENT STORY
G&C Corporation
"It was crazy! We had servers all over the place. Different applications everywhere, it was chaos. We chose IronOrbit because they could streamline the operations. They would be on call for us and be there in the event of emergencies. So it was time to move forward."
David Kurrasch, the CEO and founder of K-Co Products, shares the one thing he did to free up more time so that he could focus on growing his business. K-Co distributes innovative products like the popular Monkey Hook and the Little Big Shot.
"A lot of times I'll be at home and think, 'Man, I forgot to take care of this’. With IronOrbit I can walk into any room at home, open my laptop, and I'm suddenly at work. I can take care of whatever it is and not have to worry about it anymore. I can be anywhere in the world and be at my desk. I don't have to back-up anything because it's already backed up."
Now, more than ever, business owners need easily accessible and dynamic computing, communications, and collaboration capabilities. Put simply, IronOrbit INFINITY Workspaces (hosted desktops), are your computers in the cloud. And they are optimized for what business owners need to accomplish.
Your applications, your files, your operating system – even your personal desktop shortcuts and settings – it’s all there for you. INFINITY Workspaces are faster and more powerful than your laptop or desktop computers and can be accessed securely via any internet-connected device.
Your All-in-One ICT Solution.
Technology &
Cloud Innovations
Check out our blog for the latest in the cloud and
GPU-Accelerated Workspaces That Leverage the Computing Power of the Cloud.
AEC GPU-Accelerated Workspaces
Many AEC firms are gravitating towards IronOrbit’s industry optimized and GPU-Accelerated INFINITY Workspaces. Powered by NVIDIA’s virtual GPU technology, they are quickly becoming an industry standard for graphic and compute-intensive applications. Slow internet speeds, bandwidth limitations, outdated hardware, and bulky, costly workstations are a thing of the past.
IronOrbit’s INFINITY Workspaces are tailored to fit your business, workflows, and requirements for a seamless experience with 3D rendering, visualization, and any BIM or CAD applications.
Wonder What It’s Like to Work With IronOrbit? (Our Process)
Consulting
We listen to what our AEC clients want to do with their IT systems, taking their organizational objectives and timetables into account.
Design
We formulate a solution that addresses our client’s concerns with their current IT environment but that also enables them to pursue their next-stage goals.
Implementation
We bring the required IT solutions online while being careful not to interrupt the client’s daily workflow.
Continuous, Caring Support
We pride ourselves on speedy response times and maintaining a high touch with our customers (24/7 US-based support).
The BIM/CAD Cloud Your Architects & Engineers Will Rave About
For a Fixed-Monthly fee, IronOrbit provides a turnkey solution that leverages the power of the cloud for the assets that matter most.
Computing Capacity & Speed
Mobility & Flexibility
Scalability & Agility
Cybersecurity
Business Continuity
Backups & Disaster Recovery
Cost Savings & Predictability
Enhanced Productivity
Real-Time Collaboration
Synchronize Architectural Projects From Concept to Construction
The Perfect Cloud
Built for BIM and CAD to deliver a smooth, seamless, GPU-Accelerated experience for architects, engineers and construction professionals.
Cloud Journey
Moving to the cloud is the single most powerful decision you can make to optimize your business, drive innovation and advancement, while facilitating growth and reducing costs long term.
Safe & Secure
We standardize multiple levels of security, which are unparalleled in the industry. Your entire infrastructure is protected by state-of-the-art technology at Tier 4 Data Centers and surveillance.
Continuity You Can Count On
Our Business Continuity features Enterprise-grade backups and disaster recovery with data centers strategically placed throughout the US & Canada, with reliable 24/7/365 support.
NVIDIA Quadro augments our ability to deliver an agile, flexible, and scalable solution for real-time collaboration from anywhere on any device. Inherently secure mobile and remote access, combined with high-powered GPU technology, enables us to truly deliver future-proof designs without limitations.
“The IronOrbit INFINITY Workspaces is ideal for professional graphics workstations used by engineers, architects, and designers across industries, from AEC to M&E to manufacturing. With Quadro performance from the cloud, on any connected device, professionals working from home can stay productive.”
Matt McGrigg, Global Director of Cloud Business Development, NVIDIA.
“Even through using a hotspot on my phone, I can access everything I need. I was able to pull up a CAD drawing at a client meeting and we were able to look at it and get an answer right then and there!”
Jennifer Howe – VP, President of ACEC, Massachusetts chapter
Giroux Glass, best known for its work on the Grand Canyon Skywalk, has established itself as one of the nation's most respected glazing contractors since 1946.
As architects of business transformation, our cloud solutions are designed and optimized around the unique demands of your AEC firm. Our INFINITY Workspaces are customized to improve workflow efficiency across all departments. We strive to provide an enhanced user experience that boosts productivity and fosters collaboration. The fixed monthly fee stabilizes and reduces overall IT costs, while increasing competitive advantage and building sustainable profitability.
IronOrbit Is Your Key to Driving Development & Advancement in Architecture, Engineering, & Construction
Your teams will design and build more effectively because they can collaborate and focus on their projects. On the backend, procedures and processes will be streamlined with the peace of mind knowing your data is backed up and secure in Tier 4 data centers. On the front end, your teams of talented professionals will enjoy a seamless GPU-driven experience that is always available from anywhere on any device.
INFINITY Workspaces are designed to provide the same or better GPU performance compared to physical workstation. IronOrbit develops fully customized, dynamic, modular, scalable, and secure Turn-Key solutions that fit specific user profiles within the AEC industry.
Our Key Initiatives include:
• Migrate traditional workstations to fully digitized, cloud-based workspaces
• Provide AEC specific solutions that boost efficiency and reduce TCO
• Tailored GPU-Accelerated DaaS Products for every user profile
• Committed to perfecting the UX in adopting and utilizing DaaS solutions
“The IronOrbit INFINITY Workspaces is ideal for professional graphics workstations used by engineers, architects, and designers across industries, from AEC to M&E to manufacturing. With Quadro performance from the cloud, on any connected device, professionals working from home can stay productive.”
Matt McGrigg, Global Director of Cloud Business Development, NVIDIA.
Who We've Helped
Dant Clayton
Spending an average of $3,000+ on workstations, only having to replace them every 3-5 years just doesn't work anymore. The cloud offers unlimited upgrading and no more hardware refreshes.
Giroux Glass, best known for its work on the Grand Canyon Skywalk, has established itself as one of the nation's most respected glazing contractors since 1946.
Designed & Built for Creative & Technical Professionals
We Speak Your Language
What Our Clients Say
“When COVID-19 started, we were able to provide latency-free workspaces to users with substandard home internet connections using IronOrbit. What started out as a move to optimize our business operations really ended up becoming a lifesaver for our organization."
Mike Albitz
MSA Professional Services
“Even through using a hotspot on my phone, I can access everything I need. I was able to pull up a CAD drawing at a client meeting and we were able to look at it and get an answer right then and there!”
Jennifer Howe
SMMA & ACEC Massachusetts
“The customizability & scalability of the platform have made it easy for us to add employees & expand as needed, as well as attract & retain the best engineering talent with a work-from-home option.”
Matthew Harper
VP of Technology, Dant Clayton
The "All-in-one"
IT Solution
INFINITE UPGRADES
Unlimited hardware and software
upgrades. Microsoft 365 & more.
INFINITE COMPUTING
A dynamic platform that scales to support your workloads when needed most.
UNMETERED BANDWIDTH
Unlimited data transfer in and out for
no additional charge. Includes backups & Internet usage.
SECURITY & COMPLIANCE
IronOrbit complies by default with PCI DSS,
HIPAA, SOC, & many other data control
regulations.
BACKUP & DISASTER RECOVERY
Daily offsite backups & snapshots to a
dedicated DR facility. Rapid recovery
w/ RPO & RTO as low as 2 hrs.
24/7 US-BASED SUPPORT
Dedicated support teams w/ SLA of down
to 10 seconds response time, 15 minutes resolution time.
“The IronOrbit INFINITY Workspaces is ideal for professional graphics workstations used by engineers, architects, and designers across industries, from AEC to M&E to manufacturing. With Quadro performance from the cloud, on any connected device, professionals working from home can stay productive.”
Matt McGrigg, Global Director of Cloud Business Development, NVIDIA.
Future-Proof Technology Solutions
Fully customized, dynamic, modular, scalable, and secure Turn-Key solutions with GPU performance rivaling a physical workstation.
Digital Transformation → Workspace Virtualization
Business Optimization → Industry Optimized Solutions
Data Integration → Centralization and Management of Data
Hyperautomation → Adoption of AI and ML Technologies
Multiexperience → Implementation of AR and VR
Who We've Helped
Dant Clayton
Spending an average of $3,000+ on workstations, only having to replace them every 3-5 years just doesn't work anymore. The cloud offers unlimited upgrading and no more hardware refreshes.
Giroux Glass, best known for its work on the Grand Canyon Skywalk, has established itself as one of the nation's most respected glazing contractors since 1946.
“When COVID-19 started, we were able to provide latency-free workspaces to users with substandard home internet connections using IronOrbit. What started out as a move to optimize our business operations really ended up becoming a lifesaver for our organization."
Mike Albitz
MSA Professional Services
“Even through using a hotspot on my phone, I can access everything I need. I was able to pull up a CAD drawing at a client meeting and we were able to look at it and get an answer right then and there!”
Jennifer Howe
SMMA & ACEC Massachusetts
“The customizability & scalability of the platform have made it easy for us to add employees & expand as needed, as well as attract & retain the best engineering talent with a work-from-home option.”
Matthew Harper
VP of Technology, Dant Clayton
Designed & Built for Creative & Technical Professionals
We Speak Your Language
The "All-in-one" IT Solution
INFINITE UPGRADES & USAGE
Unlimited hardware & software upgrades, including Windows, Microsoft 365, and more.
MODULARITY / SCALABILITY
Modular, Future Proof, and Purpose Built to Scale Up
or Out as needed.
DISASTER RECOVERY & BUSINESS CONTINUITY
Dedicated facility for daily offsite backups/snapshots; Rapid recovery RPO & RTO. as low as 2 hours.
MORE COMPUTING FOR LESS
More Powerful infrastructure for better Builds & Designs, and Faster GPU’s
SECURITY & COMPLIANCE
Default Compliance with PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOC, & many regulatory compliance standards.
24/7/365 US-BASED SUPPORT
Dedicated teams with aggressive SLAs – 10-second response & 15-minute resolution time.
There is no denying the impact COVID-19 has had on us over the past couple of months. The coronavirus has managed to work its way into every conversation, news headline, and social media post.
The coronavirus is a pandemic according to the World Health Organization. The threat of the virus spreading
has changed the way we live. We have to prepare ourselves for the upcoming months. Canceling large events and gatherings is one way to mitigate the spread of the virus. Sports, schools, churches and many businesses have closed. Or they avoid interaction with the public. Social distancing is the new mandate. Government officials have urged us to not congregate in large crowds. Stay at home if possible. Many companies are sending emails to employees asking them to work from home if possible. Companies that aren’t set up to work remotely are scrambling to make it happen. What was once an option has become a necessity.
This article will provide some options on how to deliver a great work from home experience. None of these technologies are new. If used in combination they will ensure a better work-from-home experience.
Let’s start with the one that can take on many forms and methodologies: BYOD. Bring your Own Device. Gartner defines BYOD as allowing someone to use a personally-owned device to access a company’s resources. This could be the company’s email. It could be actually installing a VPN client on their home computer. Each company has a different take on the level of access granted to non-company assets.
The “Bring Your Own Device” concept has been around since 2004. It is not a new trend. What is new is the popularity of using personal mobile devices on the job. The security risks of allowing access to corporate resources has discouraged some companies from adopting a BYOD policy.
Bring Your Own Device
In this post by Remote.CO you can get a sense of the varying level BYOD plays at different organizations. BYOD had its start in the mobile device world. Companies were tired of purchasing cell phones for employees. Employees were tired of carrying around 2 phones. Employees carried their personal phone and the locked-down, outdated one provided by the company. Since then, companies have other ways of getting business data secured on personal devices.
Mobile Device Managers
Microsoft Intune and VMware Airwatch are MDM programs that help protect corporate data on personal devices. Employees have access to an Enterprise app store where they can consume their internal data while using their device of choice. The employee first opts in to install the MDM agent on their device. The list of devices with current modern Operating Systems is no longer limited to only smartphones. Once the agent is installed, the company can push down a profile that allows the device to be managed. Both Intune and Airwatch have a robust set of policies available for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. What degree of enforcement the company has on the phone will vary on the company and device type. Once the agent is deployed, and the configuration of Security baseline is set, the device can be actively monitored and secured. This could mean enforcing Bitlocker encryption for Windows 10 devices or managing Filevault on macOS with Intune.
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure
VDI technology has taken many forms over the years. In its purest form, VDI is accessing a virtual machine over the network from a client or web-browser. This enables companies to have virtual machines always available on the internal network. These virtual controlled Existing management systems control these machines. Security tools protect the company provided applications and data. Having a proper VDI solution for employees to use can be a major advantage. Especially if they need to travel or work from various locations and/or devices. If a company already has VDI in place today, the process of deploying new virtual desktops is easy. It only takes seconds to accommodate new users.
VDI began as a technology installed on-premise or in a company’s private data centers. Later VDI transitioned to the cloud. The major VDI players Citrix, VMware and Microsoft all have major cloud offerings. This is called DaaS or Desktops as a service. Citrix and Microsoft host their DaaS offerings within Azure. VMware can host desktops in AWS, Azure, and the IBM Cloud. Google Cloud is coming soon.
The ability to leverage cloud-based virtual desktops has great advantages. Especially in certain situations like Disaster Recovery. Traditional VDI takes longer to procure and deploy new hardware. DaaS has some extra benefits like less IT overhead. This is because the cloud provider manages more components.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a means of which a computer user is granted access only after successfully presenting 2 or more pieces of evidence (factors) to an authentication mechanism. These are usually having to do with knowledge (something only the user knows); possession (only the user has it); and inherence (like fingerprint voice scan, or retina scan).
Let’s discuss the use of a multi-factor authentication solution. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a subset of multi-factor authentication (MFA). It ensures you can pass multiple criteria for identity. This includes something you know (password or security PIN). It also includes an object like a security token or fob. Finally, something physical that is specific to you (fingerprint, retina scan, facial recognition). A 2FA solution would offer only 2 of these mechanisms to prove your identity.
We’ve all had to input our email or phone number when signing up for an account online. Using a mobile banking app is a good example. An authentication mechanism can be a one-time-password sent to you via text message. It could be using your phone’s builtin face or fingerprint reader. These are ways to prove your identity.
The FBI warns MFA solutions are not completely foolproof. Still, it’s the best way to thwart cyber-thieves from stealing your data. Having a second form of authentication proof is safer than only having a long password. Most modern smartphones and laptops have a built-in fingerprint or smart card reader. There are several key players in the MFA space. The top leaders include Okta, Microsoft Azure MFA, and Duo (recently acquired by Cisco). Duo uses a simple cloud-based 2FA approach. Their system integrates with various types of applications. When a user attempts to gain access, a VDI or VPN provider sends a push notification to your smartphone. The user acknowledges the push notification on their smartphone. There’s no need to enter a second password or copy a 16-digit PIN for verification.
The order from management is to stay at home. Do not come to the office for the next 2 weeks. Work remotely until government and health organizations deem the coronavirus has been contained. Don’t worry about a report or project plan saved on your office desktop. Embrace VDI technology.
Do Your Work, Anywhere, and on Any Device
If you’re new to working from home, make sure your technology is in order. One important aspect of working remotely is communication. Make sure you have the bandwidth needed to support your tasks throughout the day.
The order from management is to stay at home. Do not come to the office for the next 2 weeks. Work remotely until government and health organizations deem the coronavirus has been contained. Don’t worry about a report or project plan saved on your office desktop. Embrace VDI technology.
VDI means working from a virtual desktop every day. Your data is always available, accessible from wherever you are and protected. Your data is more secure now than it ever was when kept on-premises. The data is backed up across different geographic regions within the cloud. There is no need to worry about catastrophic power or network outage at your local data center. It’s also always on and provides a consistent experience whenever you need to access it.
Maybe you don’t need a full Windows Virtual Desktop to get your work done. You just need access to a handful of SaaS apps like Salesforce.com. An Okta or other MFA solution can help authenticate you from an outside connection. This allows you to gain entry to those specific internal resources without the need to install a VPN client.
Or, what if all you really need is to access your corporate email and files on your phone while safe at your home? Having your smart device enrolled in your company’s Mobile Device Management solution can provide the access you need while keeping the business data secured.
Deciding how to start a remote work enablement plan for your team can seem like an overwhelming task. Like other challenges, it can is not so daunting when done in small steps. Better yet, it is a good idea to bring in experts who can design a solution that works best for your business.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach. While there are many ways to enable employees to work from home, there is only one that is perfect for your needs.
Many adversities are beyond our control. It is helpful to focus on those things we can control. We can take steps to prepare for the uncertainties ahead. We can do what is best for our employees and our loved ones.
Using the cloud to work remote is less to do with “social distancing,” and more to do with benefiting your company. Being on the cloud will democratize opportunities for you across the board. You’ll see that remote work is not so much a challenge to overcome, but a business advantage to achieve.
Check out IronOrbit INFINITY Workspaces! The Ultimate Remote Work Tool!
As the threat of a coronavirus pandemic wipes away trillions of market value dollars, the largest mass exodus from the traditional office is underway.
The coronavirus threat pushes the question, “Are we ready to have our employees work from home?” Organizations want to do whatever they can to help contain the spread of the virus.
One of the top healthcare conferences of the year HIMSS canceled at the last minute. Everyone knows why. The canceled HIMSS conference was only the first of a series of conference cancellations this month. How many more conferences are going to be canceled. Only time will tell. A click survey online shows that Google, Intel, FaceBook and Twitter have canceled many of their conference plans. The South by Southwest, or SXSW Conference, has not yet buckled under pressure to cancel.
Andrew Keshner reports in a MarketWatch article that, “As the Coronavirus spreads, companies are increasingly weighing if they should, or even can, have workers do their jobs from home.” The article goes on to announce that Twitter told its 5,000 employees around the world to work from home. The BBC News reports Twitter’s head of human resources Jennifer Christie said, “Our goal is to lower the probability of the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus for us – and the world around us.” Twitter has been developing ways for employees to work from home. Their mandate moving forward is to enable anyone, anywhere to work at Twitter. Twitter’s began moving to a more mobile workforce before the coronavirus. Now, many companies are taking steps to enable employees to work from home. Asian-based organizations, the ones that could, have already implemented work-from-home options. Several giant multi-national companies such as Citigroup have restricted travel to Asia.
The Best Advice: Plan and Prepare
The media seems to report on the idea that there are only 2 states you can exist in. One is ignorant bliss. The second is a state of panic. There’s a wide territory between those two extremes. People should not panic. They should be aware of what’s going on, have an appropriate level of concern, and respond. People need to consider what’s going on so that they can take action. Managing risk is an important part of life. It’s also an important part of leading a business. Understand the risk. Understand what might happen, and make decisions to keep business moving.
Centers for Disease Control, or CDC, has announced they can’t contain the coronavirus. So that means we’re down to implementing mitigation strategies. This means the CDC is going for non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). This translates to things like closing schools. Mitigating strategies also include preventing people from attending large gatherings. If necessary, issue self-imposed quarantine orders. If self-imposed quarantines don’t work, CDC will issue a contained quarantine order. This means there’s no choice in the matter.
The CDC recommends that companies encourage telework. “For employees who are able to telework, the supervisor should encourage employees to telework instead of coming into the workplace until symptoms are completely resolved. Ensure that you have the information technology and infrastructure needed to support multiple employees who may be able to work from home.” There have been technologies enabling employees to work remotely for some time now. And the interest has grown over the years. It has been a matter of just deciding to offer that flexibility to your employees. Managers have to determine the ratio of working in the office with working at home. It’s more of a leadership decision rather than any limitation of the technology. But the coronavirus threat will certainly act as a catalyst accelerating the adoption of remote collaboration tools. Most companies will be forced to have their employees stay home. Microsoft has announced free upgrades. Office 365 users can now make full use of the video conferencing and recording features of Microsoft Teams.
Businesses can replace in-person meetings with video and increase networking options. Now is a good time for businesses of all kinds to start preparing. If you don’t have the infrastructure already in place, start planning it. Most organizations are not prepared for wide-spread enablement of remote departments. Many are still evaluating requirements and solutions. Workers can work as effectively at home than in the office. Research indicates employees are even more productive working from their home offices.
Moving to The Cloud Has never Made More Sense Than Now
Cloud technology and remote workspaces enable organizations to be flexible with their staff. It’s also an attractive incentive while recruiting talented employees. Astute business leaders want to be in a better position to offer remote collaboration tools to their employees. They want to establish parameters in which work-from-home culture thrives. Jennifer Howe, VP of SMMA an architectural firm in Boston, and acting president of the ACEC Massachusetts said,” Remote workspaces are invaluable these days. You can’t recruit and retain talent without that kind of flexibility.”
A recent article on the Fortune website calls it the “world’s largest work-from-home experiment.” There are millions of businesses all over the world trying to stay productive amidst this growing crisis. The article goes into detail on the level of upheaval for companies. This is particularly true in Southeast Asian countries. “One of the most unsettling factors for employees is the rapidly-changing impact of the virus. It is prompting daily changes in corporate directives. We’re seeing that kind of impact in the states as more and more cities declare a state of emergency.
A giant experiment is underway to see how well new technologies can enable successful mass remote working for employees.
Managers worry the exodus from the office will lower productivity. There have been many studies done to support that the exact opposite is true. Productivity doesn’t go down. It goes up. The 2017 Stanford University Research is often quoted. That study found a 13% increase in productivity. A study conducted at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office showed remote workers had a 4.4% increase in output. The consulting firm Deloitte did a recent survey that found 82% of white-collar workers using flexible work options.
Unlike companies that are designed from the start to hire work-from-anywhere employees, traditional in-office companies have to decide how this will work. Management has to set parameters on how remote work happens.
What Does Remote Work Look Like?
Unlike companies that are designed from the start to hire work-from-anywhere employees, traditional in-office companies have to decide how this will work. Management has to set parameters on how remote-work happens. They have to communicate to their employees what the expectations are. How will the team stay in contact with each other throughout the day? What is the level of responsiveness needed? Does your staff need to access robust programs like Autocad, Maya 3D, or Adobe After Effects? If so, then how, on a technical level, is that going to happen? For example, GPU hungry programs will need to be hosted on a virtual server. The work-in-progress files will have to be stored in some central location. This is also something that isn’t accomplished overnight. Now is a good time to start having those discussions.
The worst thing you could do is not do anything. Business leaders shouldn’t ignore the situation as it continues to escalate. Ask yourself, if this continues, would your company be able to operate productively. To what extent will your company be forced to stop its activity altogether?
At some point, we are all going to enter the coronavirus tunnel and make it through to the other side. The collective experience will force us to redefine the way we work. We will consider how we interact with each other. Who operates as a self-starter? Who needs closer supervision?
Alvin Toffler was a writer, businessman, and futurist He envisioned the digital revolution long before it happened and foresaw the remote workforce as an inevitable 21st Century trend.
The idea of remote work is not a new one. It goes back 50 years. Futurist writer Alvin Toffler wrote about remote work in his 1980 book THE THIRD WAVE. “When we suddenly make available technologies that can place a low-cost “work station” in any home, providing it with a “smart” typewriter, perhaps, along with a facsimile machine or computer console and teleconferencing equipment, the possibilities for home work are radically extended.”
Cloud technology enables a home computer…a “low-cost workstation” as Toffler calls it, or any mobile device for that matter. The home computer, smartphone, or tablet essentially serves as a dumb terminal. The processing power actually comes from a virtual desktop. For all practical purposes, it’s just like working from your office. You have access to the same emails, the same software applications, and the exact same files.
Right now, the coronavirus is forcing us to reconsider work-from-home scenarios. Moving personnel to a more comfortable and safer work-from-home environment has its benefits. For some businesses, this means building some kind of infrastructure.
I’d like to close with a question posed near the end of the Forbes article. “If you are an employer and you have the power to offer greater freedom to your workers, should you not being thinking about how to do so?”
It’s possible to divide a single physical server into multiple virtual private servers (VPS).
These virtual private servers are similar to independent physical servers: they both have a defined amount of processing power (CPU) and storage capacity (RAM and HDD or SSD), which are used to host IT solutions such as applications and virtual desktops.
However, while a physical server’s resources are determined by its hardware, a virtual private server’s resources are determined by a form of software called a virtualization platform; and this provides a VPS with the flexibility to contain as many resources as one-fourth of a physical server (if a business doesn’t need a full physical server and doesn’t want to pay for one) or that of multiple physical servers (if a business has an application or website that needs more processing and storage resources than what is contained in a single physical server).
The cost-efficiency and flexibility of hosted virtual private servers are what causes many businesses to select them over solutions like hosted dedicated servers and hosted terminal servers.
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