Why DaaS is Essential For Hybrid Working
30th November 2021
Hybrid working is taking off. The number of adults that work from home for part of the week grew from 27 per cent in 2019 to more than 37 per cent in 2020 (and is continuing to grow). These changes are not only having a profound effect on how people live and work but also on the computing environments they require. Legacy networks are no longer sufficient. Hosted desktop – also called DaaS – is gaining in popularity. Firms want IT networking solutions that are amenable to flexible working relationships.
Why DaaS is perfect for hybrid work
During the pandemic, IT professionals learned that trying to manage colleagues from home was a near-impossible challenge. Instead of connecting to the business network via verified user endpoints, workers were logging on using their tablets, laptops and smartphones, all consumer-grade. Home routers weren’t the only problem. Firms had to suddenly open up their networks to outside traffic too, applying permissions in an ad hoc manner and hurriedly setting up passwords. IT teams often found it difficult to communicate, work across purposes and compound existing problems. Firms using DaaS, though, didn’t encounter this problem. That’s because third-party IT staff managed the transition, enabling users to connect to business IT networks, so long as they met basic minimum hardware requirements. DaaS vendors also took care of security matters, falling back on systems developed over many years before COVID-19 hit. Procedures based on advanced BYOD policies meant that it was trivial to secure the business network, even when users connected from devices outside of the office.
Future challenges
There are challenges, however. One is securing the network with advanced endpoint identity management. Firms need to be able to confirm that a user is indeed who he or she says they are. If they are not, they could potentially gain access to the entire network. DaaS might also run slowly for some users. Firms that are worried about lost productivity may need to invest in adequate-performance business laptops for team members. In summary, DaaS is virtually the only solution that allows businesses to offer both hybrid working arrangements to colleagues and weather the pandemic storm. In the current climate, conventional networks are almost unworkable. To learn more about DaaS, contact our experts today.
