More Tips for IT Managers Dealing with More Remote Workers

by Seth Noble |  Blog |  Mar 26, 2020

As promised, here are additional tips that might be helpful for IT managers and business owners who are adapting to an increase in the number of remote workers.  Also see the tips in part one, if you missed them.

• Step Up Security Monitoring
  Security WILL be compromised by rapidly scaling up outside access, so step up virus scanning and perimeter traffic monitoring.  It will take a while to figure out what new "normal" traffic patterns should look like, so start now.
• Review and Adjust Bandwidth Controls
  Changing demands on corporate WAN links requires changing how bandwidth is prioritized.  Carefully review network quality of service controls and application bandwidth throttles, communicate with stakeholders, and adjust accordingly.  Keep monitoring and listen to user feedback for ongoing changes.
• Don't Skimp on Backups
  Make sure your disaster recovery procedures stay robust.  It's easy for automated processes to get left behind when making large-scale changes.  Check that everything that needs to get backed up still is, especially considering that a lot of critical data may now be distributed across remote systems.
• Have a Repair Plan
  When hardware breaks, whether it's a server in the data center or a take-home device, how will it get fixed? Some retail service locations (like Apple stores) are closed and shipping is taking longer.  Make sure you and your users know what to do with broken equipment.

If you need a way to handle large file data transfers between your remote workers, don't hesitate to contact us.