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The Dawn of BYOD – The Reasons

April 30, 2012

For those working in business IT there is one term that is sure to be cropping up on your radar more and more frequently; for those who work outside of IT departments you’ll be familiar with the ideas behind it – in fact you may be responsible for its prominence – even though you may be less aware of its name. The concept is BYOD or Bring Your Own Device.

What is BYOD?

BYOD is the latest trend in workplace IT deployment and one that all businesses are going to have to address whether they embrace it or not. In short the term refers to an idea in which employees in businesses and organisations are permitted, or indeed encouraged in some cases, to make use of their own devices for their job, in place of any supplied by their employer. Recent surveys have suggested that as many as 80-90% of employees could already be using their personal devices – officially or not.

In practice, the idea can manifest itself in many ways; from workers actually bringing their own devices into the office workspace and accessing local networks on site, to workers using their devices outside of the local network (from home or on the move) utilising cloud services, such as email and cloud documents, or remoting onto the local networks using virtual private networks (VPNs).

The concept began life as BYOC (bring your own computer) but has broadened and gathered pace with the abundance of portable non-PC devices that are now commonplace amongst the general public. Meanwhile, the growth in cloud computing services and the prevalence of VPN services have provided the means by which these devices can connect and integrate with in house systems.

Why BYOD is Taking Off

The principle drivers behind this momentum in BYOD are the recent advances in high end mobile/portable technology and the availability or accessibility of this technology to the general public. There has been a very real trend in the last few years, arguably led by the proliferation of the iPhone, for high powered devices to be delivered in a way that makes them usable by less ‘tech-savvy’ members of the public, beyond just professionals in the work place and traditional ‘geeks’. The idea that your mum or your gran now has a smartphone and can take part in a video call wherever they are represents the way in which complex IT functionality is now omnipresent for so many of us. All of this power can be accessed on the move, in any location, as long as there is a 3G signal or a wireless network (of which there are now plenty), and with the growth of the smartphone and tablet markets this is only going to increase the private uptake of such technology. In short most people are in possession of devices which are not only far more powerful than ever before but are far more portable.

The effect that this has on the workforce is fairly profound as more and more people become increasingly aware of such technology and its possibilities. Although many may not necessarily understand the workings of the devices they use, they do fully understand the functionality they can access and the potential of this functionality within the context of their work place. As a result, they can become frustrated with the pace at which business can respond to and invest in these opportunities which they often have on tap at home.

Adopting BYOD not only allows employees to realise this potential to the benefit of their business but can also have the beneficial side effect of boosting those employees’ morale and motivation. They can be made to feel empowered and able to add greater value in their role – no longer held back by legacy IT policy. Moreover, users of BYOD will be more familiar with how to get the best out of their own devices and so are more likely to be able to hit the ground running without the need for extensive IT training.

Allowing staff to use their own devices, even where a business is prepared to invest in subsidies for them, can reduce the overall level of IT spend. Organisations will require less investment in their own hardware and devices where private devices can be used in their place and some firms may even find that they need to pay for and install less software as users can end up making use of their existing software more often.

The second part of this article, highlights some of the challenges faced by companies who are adopting BYOD policies and how Cloud Computing and VPN can help overcome these.

Posted, by moore in VPN. Tags: Business, byod, cloud computing, security, technology, VPN

The Dawn of BYOD – VPN & The Cloud

There are two technologies in particular which are in themselves becoming integral to IT operations and that are subsequently supporting the growth in BYOD – they are cloud computing and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). Whilst there are many technology trends that are pushing the adoption of BYOD policies, these two are providing businesses with the key tools they need to overcome some of the challenges that BYOD brings with it.

Connectivity and Interoperability

The key to BYOD’s success is also one of its biggest hurdles and that is the variety of devices and platforms that it introduces into the IT systems equation. Users will be hoping to connect from a broad range of devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones, running all manner of operating systems including the more traditional Windows, Mac OS and Linux alongside the newer kids on the block in the mobile sphere: iOS, Android, Windows Mobile and Blackberry for example.

For organisations where the workers need to connect to the local network, VPN is the key. Tunnelling into a local area network across a VPN can allow users to access the files and/or control the applications on local (office) machines that they need for their daily work regardless of the device they are using, and their location, as long as they have an internet connection.

Although many applications have releases which support most operating systems it can be a real headache rolling out an application suit across such a variety of platforms. However, the all-conquering concept of cloud computing can offer a truly interoperable application solution. More specifically Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings, such a Google Docs or Microsoft Office 365, together with cloud storage, allow workers to operate within the cloud and therefore seamlessly between the office and on the go. Again, the only condition to use these services is that the user has an internet connection.

Security

Arguably the greatest challenge faced by organisations embracing BYOD is that of security; ensuring that personal devices aren’t compromised in themselves and don’t pose a security threat to the rest of the network. Allowing BYODs introduces many more vulnerabilities at various steps in the network and so there are many ways in which these risks can and need to be addressed.

The first step is to reduce the risk of the personal device being compromised in the first place. This is particularly pertinent where employees are bringing their own device in to connect to the businesses LAN. To achieve this, some organisations have conditions of use which require that the user’s device has specific anti virus and management software installed before it can be allowed onto the network. However, the risks can also be reduced by ensuring that personal devices are only allowed to connect to the local network via a VPN rather than a direct connection, even when the user is on site.

Using a VPN is a must for users in remote locations as the secure tunnel of a VPN prevents any information being intercepted in transit. It can be tempting for employees working off-site (or even on site) on personal devices to email documents, for example, backwards and forwards but the security of such communications can never be guaranteed.

What’s more that approach requires that at least some work data is stored locally on the personal device – a cardinal sin in terms of data protection. Again both VPNs and cloud solutions can negate the need to store local data. Using a VPN will allow the worker to operate on the local network, accessing, working on and storing everything they need on there, rather than on their own device. Secure cloud services on the other hand can be used to provide collaborative workspaces where users perform all their work in the cloud so that colleagues, wherever they are, can access it. However care should be taken to check the security measures used by cloud providers before signing up to such services whilst the user must also ensure that someone who misappropriates a device can’t then easily access their cloud account (through lack of device security and stored passwords etc).

All this, plus implementing measures such as improved secure wireless networks in the work place, may result in greater spending on IT security and connectivity, but this should, as mentioned above, easily be offset by the direct and indirect financial benefits experienced elsewhere across the IT budget and the business as a whole.

Posted, by moore in VPN. Tags: Business, byod, cloud computing, security, technology, VPN

How to Stay Secure When Working the Move – Part 1

Data is a very valuable commodity in our modern world to both business, driving effective marketing and business strategies, and unfortunately to the criminal world, facilitating crimes such as identity theft and fraud. Keeping your own business data secure and private is therefore a serious concern in business but for many businesses there is the additional responsibility of protecting the data of their clients and customers. However, with many organisations finding efficiencies in allowing employees to work on the move or from home, off-site security has become a vital consideration.

Not only is data security a must for businesses whose competitors would benefit from seeing their sensitive information but it is a legal obligation under the data protection act where businesses are responsible for obtaining and storing third party data, e.g., customer details. The Data Protection Act is designed to keep the personal details you obtain as a business secure. By failing to adhere to it, not only would you be risking the bad will that data leaks may bring to your business and the financial consequences thereof but also regulatory action which will usually result in very hefty corporate fines.

Most businesses have secure networks on site and should certainly have robust procedures in place to ensure that they meet their security obligations but the Achilles heel is often where employees are working off-site on portable devices. Not only are portable devices at risk of falling into the wrong hands but any communication back to the office is vulnerable to being intercepted by prying eyes.

It is therefore always advisable to avoid storing sensitive data on portable devices unless it is absolutely necessary but due to business needs there are occasions when information you wish to keep secure may need to be accessed on the move. Luckily there are however a number of measures that you can take to prevent this information getting into the wrong hands.

Wireless Network Security

Wireless networks are now almost ubiquitous but unfortunately they also offer snoopers their easiest opportunity to intercept any information your transfer across them. The first precaution you should take is to ensure that your devices’ settings are configured to always ask your permission before joining any new networks. You will then be able to vet each one before connecting to it and so you won’t find yourself automatically connected to unsecured, untrusted networks. For extra precaution you could go one step further and actually disable your wireless adapter and then only re-enable it when you are in range of your trusted networks.

When you do choose to join a network, you should only select networks that are trusted and that are secure. The fundamental security of a wireless network takes the form of encryption on the data transferred across the network and the use of key to access the network and that data. The standard protocols that you should look for when joining a network are WPA & WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access) and you should be able to see a padlock (or equivalent symbol) next to the network’s name if it is encrypted, when it appears on your list of available networks. To join secure networks you will still need to have been told its key, although once you have joined for the first time your device will then store the key for you for future occasions.

Known wireless networks can have higher levels of security where they have restricted their access to a specified list of known devices. This is done by creating a list of those devices’ MAC addresses (their unique identifiers) in the settings of the access point/router. You would therefore need to submit your MAC address to the network administrator before joining such networks.

Just because a network is secure however doesn’t mean it is safe; you should only use networks that you trust and where you know and trust the other users. A secured network in a cafe for example where the cafe give the key to all customers is not necessarily trusted.

Part 2 of this article will highlight the other security measures that should be used to keep business information secure, including basic protection for mobile devices and the use of VPNs to communicate with the workplace.

Posted, by moore in VPN. Tags: Business, security, VPN, wifi

How to Stay Secure When Working the Move – Part 2

Having discussed why it is vital that business information is kept safe and the measures that should be used to do so whilst using wireless networks on the move, the second part of this article focuses on the other security tactics that mobile workers can employ.

Portable Storage

Portable devices which are used as storage and for transmitting sensitive information between locations, such as portable hard drives, memory sticks or even CDs and DVDs, should always be encrypted and require a password to un-encrypt. Some of the highest profile data leaks in recent years have occurred when such devices have fallen into the wrong hands and it easy to make a mistake by misplacing a portable device but harder to justify not securing it in the first place.

Laptops

As with portable storage, the first step to staying secure is to ensure access to your laptop is password protected. With modern security you can even use advanced techniques with biometric security measures such as finger print recognition/scanners to ensure that only the specified owner can access the laptop and its contents.

It is also vital that your laptop, as with all PCs, has a firewall in place, to prevent unsolicited access from the outside world, and up to date anti-virus software installed (running regular scans) to prevent and detect any malware trying to access information on your device.

Moreover, it is advisable that printer sharing is disabled, as this can present a vulnerability which hackers can then exploit, whilst local folders on the laptop should only be shared (i.e., have status of shared) if they really need to be (because shared folders will become visible to anyone on the network who can see your PC). As with portable devices, individual partitions, folders or files can be encrypted to provide a final layer of security. Although this can be laborious to set up and use, it is essential if you have sensitive data which could be at risk from prying eyes.

Mobile Phones

More and more business is being conducted on mobile phones than ever before and the widespread adoption and even popularisation of smartphones means that vast numbers of employees now have the capability to work effectively on the move wherever they are. With the array of new smartphone functions and the shear amount of sensitive business and personal communication that is conducted through them, the risk of information leaks has increased however. Again, the first security step, in case the phone is misplaced, is to set up a passcode lock so that the phone locks itself when inactive and then requires a passcode to unlock. As with portable storage devices, mobile phones are perhaps easier to lose than bulkier laptops and tablets, while the fact that they are used more often in all parts of peoples lives, both business and personal, means it is even more advisable that smartphones are not used to store sensitive business information unless absolutely necessary.

It is also worth re-iterating the risk of accessing, intentionally or otherwise, unsecured wireless networks on mobile phones too as they are often not considered to be as vulnerable as a laptop, for example. However, with the proliferation of smartphones, cyber-criminals are becoming more effective at taking advantage of such security lapses to access your device’s data so considering wireless security is a must.

Secure Email & Cloud Storage

Email security has improved significantly in the last couple of years. All the major webmail services such as Hotmail and Gmail now offer the option to encrypt the information the information that you transfer via email. To check whether your email is secure, look for the “https” at the start of the page’s web address, when viewing your emails through an internet browser, which indicates that the information you send is encrypted. Your internet browser will also show you a padlock symbol somewhere alongside the address bar to confirm that the security certificate for the website is active (this verifies that the information is being sent to the appropriate server when you transmit it). You not only need to look for this when logging in but also on every subsequent page if you are transmitting sensitive information via email.

Even when encrypted, email should not be relied upon as being entirely secure because you are always at risk (to some extent) of communications being intercepted and you cannot necessarily guarantee the level of security that is in place when your recipient receives the email.

If you want to use cloud storage to store your files so that they can be accessed anywhere on the move, you will again need to look for the “https” and padlock symbols as indicators that the information you transfer is being encrypted. In addition, each storage provider may offer further levels of security when it comes to how the data is encrypted, where it is stored (private servers) and how much of it is visible to staff at the storage company so it is worth comparing providers across the market.

VPN

The most secure method of interacting and communicating with your work place whilst on the move is by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) which creates a secure ‘tunnel’ across the internet. These can be used to not only to allow you to store all data securely on shared drives/servers ‘back at the office’ but even to log on to the work place network in its entirety as if you were logging on from your desk.

Data can vulnerable when being accessed, transferred or swapped with those shared servers but that is when VPN can be used to create a secure tunnel through which the information travels, encrypted and safeguarded against interception.

Businesses will have often have their own VPN implementations for use by roaming employees but there is plenty of free or affordable software on the market which also allows individuals or small businesses to access the technology.

There are plenty of procedural and technological solutions to help keep your work, business details and personal details secure and by taking a few basic steps you should really be able to minimise the chances of becoming a victim to cyber-crime. With technologies such as VPN becoming more affordable, flexible and commonplace it really is a good time to take stock of what you and your business are doing to stay secure.

Posted, by moore in VPN. Tags: Business, security, VPN, wifi

Working From Home Part 1 – The Benefits

All successful businesses should constantly be looking to become more efficient and get the most of their most important asset, their staff. But in these austere times the efficiency of your business has become even more pertinent and businesses are having to think “out side of the box” to ensure their survival. One option that is becoming increasingly feasible with advances in technology is that of working from home.

Flexible Hours – The first benefit of working from home that comes to mind for many employees is the chance to work flexible hours. Although the two don’t by definition go hand in hand, staff who are removed from the constraints of the office may be able to work hours that then fit more conveniently with the rest of their time pressures, such as childcare. They may as a result be more inclined to work longer hours and are likely to display higher levels of morale.

Childcare – In addition to the idea of working flexible hours, simply being at home to look after children can in itself be hugely beneficial to parents and may actually negate their need to request flexible (and potentially awkward) working hours from the employer in the first place. In which case there is more chance staff with children will be available when they are needed most.

Fewer Days Lost to Illness – Every business loses a frustrating number of days to illness each year and many of these absences may be due to the effort needed to get to the office when not feeling well. Allowing employees to work from home may encourage more to produce some level of output rather than take a day off. In addition, some of the worst offending illnesses like colds and flu are spread in the workplace. Home workers will be less likely to pick these up and be absent as a consequence.

Less Commuting – The bane of many employees’ working day is the long commute to and from work. By avoiding this daily toil employees may drastically improve the morale of their staff and as a bonus find that they are more inclined to put a few extra hours in here and there, putting to good use the time they’ve saved.

Flexible Location – In an age when companies are operating more often from multiple locations it can be strategically beneficial to base an employee at their home so that they can then respond to the demand to be in one particular office as and when it arises – particularly if their home is located between work sites.

Greener – An increasing concern for both employees and businesses is the impact that they have on the environment. Allowing staff to work from home can not only increase their morale as they lower their carbon footprint but also improve the green credentials of the business and therefore its brand – making it a more attractive place to work and increasing brand appeal to clients.

Fewer Distractions – In a busy workplace, noise, distractions and interruptions are all inevitable factors in reducing the productivity of staff. For years it has been seen as unavoidable but working from home can provide a way of factoring out these issues. Most firms who have utilised home working report that productivity rises significantly as a result.

Business Continuity – Ensuring that an organisation can continue to function successfully in adverse scenarios is a concern for any business, and although it may be lucky enough wide scale disasters there is always the threat of localised disruption, from a PC not working to a power cut. Whatever the risk, allowing staff to work from home spreads the risk and provides another option/contingency to keep operations moving smoothly.

Equal Opportunities – There are millions of workers in the UK alone who either have special requirements in the workplace or have certain disabilities that make a conventional workplace less conducive to a productive day. By allowing staff to work from home a company is not only becoming more accessible to a wider talent pool but in some cases reducing the costs that may be associated the special adaptations that some staff may require.

Location Neutral – Firms allowing home working can also access the best talent regardless of its physical location. If there’s a developer in the Outer Hebrides that can offer a very specific coding skill he can still be employed even if the firm’s office is in Plymouth.

Effective home working is within easy reach of most businesses, by employing the right technology, such as unified communication packages (including VoIP and Video Conferencing), the barriers to effective communications between home workers and office based employees are being torn down. Moreover, by using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) a Business VPN Provider can give staff access to local office networks to do their job as if they were physically sat at their office desk, wherever they are based.

With all businesses looking to become more efficient in the current demanding climate, working from home could be the ideal way to squeeze those margins. Not only can it reduce the overheads of both large and small scale enterprises but it can create more productive and motivated staff. In fact repeated studies have shown that staff are more productive when working from home and some find they are also prepared to put in longer hours. What’s more, by providing the option to employees, businesses should find that they become more competitive in attracting the best talent in their industry.

For the benefits of working from home for small business see Working From Home Part 2 – The Benefits for Small Business.

Posted, by moore in VPN. Tags: Business, Home working, Small business, unified communications, VPN

Working From Home Part 2 – The Benefits for Small Business

Whilst any business can benefit significantly from the factors mentioned in the first part of this article*, depending on the demands of the individual company, there are some advantages which are particularly salient for small business. These businesses are ultimately reliant for their success or failure on a small number of individuals so ensuring that they are happy motivated and fulfilling their potential, whilst overheads are minimised, is paramount, and working from home can be a key strategy.

Lower Overheads – Central offices on some scale may be essential for bigger business but small nimble enterprises can find themselves lumbered with unnecessary overheads where office space is not vital. If the infrastructure and utilities in an office or factory space are not integral to the business’s operations, working from home can eliminate rent as one of the biggest overheads a business runs. What’s more, the capacity of facilities in a home office may be scaled more appropriately to match and respond to an enterprise’s size of operations so that it’s not inefficiently paying for fixed unused capacity in a rented space.

Longer Working Hours – A benefit that is particularly relevant for self employed workers, but can aid any small business, is the fact that working from home allows you or your workers to be more flexible to work longer hours and respond to the demand of work loads and the business a whole, as and when it fluctuates. Individuals running a small business, and their employees, will often find that they are required to be more flexible and rarely work a conventional 9 to 5. Working from home, this can be achieved with less impact on the rest of their lives.

Work When Creative – With smaller workforces, the creativity and initiative of each individual employee has arguably a greater impact on the success of that business, than organisations in which they are another small cog in a big wheel. Employees who work from home can be more in control of working when they’re feeling at their most creative or motivated; so that if they have a great idea for a presentation at nine o’clock in the evening they can work on it there and then – without waiting to get into the office the next morning.

Bespoke Working Environments – Every member of staff is an individual and will have their own ideas as to how they work best. By working from home they can create their perfect environment to be at their most creative and productive. If it helps, for example to have candles burning and classical music playing in the background then they can have that without subjecting their colleagues to it.

With the availability of affordable technology, such as unified communications (VoIP phones, instant messaging, email etc combined) and video conferencing (even on mobile devices) the infrastructure needed to work efficiently and effectively from multiple locations is no longer the sole domain of bigger business with bigger budgets. A VPN Provider can even set you up on secured shared networks so that your business can benefit from the cohesiveness of a virtual office without the overheads of a physical one. For a small business to remain dynamic and competitive in a challenging environment that could make all the difference.

*For the benefits of working from home for business in general see Working From Home Part 1 – The Benefits.

Posted, by moore in VPN. Tags: Business, Home working, Small business, unified communications, VPN

What is a VPN?

The initials VPN stand for the term Virtual Private Network. The aim and simple concept of a Virtual Private Network is that it provides users with the ability to access a private network (and therefore individual computers and servers on a private network) from a remote unsecured point outside of that network, without compromising the security of the private network itself.

In effect a VPN creates a tunnel through unsecured networks, which clients can use to access their private network without interference from the rest of the unsecured networks. As VPNs therefore have to transmit private information across unsecured networks such as the world wide web, they need to ensure that the data exchanged across these networks is kept secure by employing a combination of encryption on the data packets and authentication to allow access to only those users with permission.

Using these secure data packets VPN services can therefore be used to transmit any kind of data, including voice, media such as video and conventional data. They are also available from any kind of connection including 3G and DSL meaning that VPNs can be established from any device with a connection to the internet.

Consequently the technology is invaluable for people on the move who need to access and store information on a fixed location private network and is, as such, a vital business tool in companies where workers are required to operate away from a central office location. Staff can use VPNs to communicate with their colleagues as well as logging on to their own profiles on their work network to access private files, shared files on the private network, emails and business resources – as if they were physically sat in the office.

The tool has also grown in popularity with users in locations where there are certain restrictions on their freedom to access all content on the internet, such as China. VPNs can be used to establish a private connection to private networks in unrestricted locations so that a user can effectively browse the internet as if they were in that unrestricted location.

For many VPN clients the preferred solution may be to open an account with a VPN provider rather than simply purchase or acquire of-the-shelf VPN software so that they benefit from the extra services that many VPN providers will supply their clients with. These can include technical support, advanced security protection, malware protection and monitoring software.

In terms of the mechanics of establishing a VPN, they can utilise technology such as Internet Protocol Security (IPSec), SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) to encrypt the data packets and establish the secure ‘tunnel’ through which they pass. SSL VPN (and TLS VPN) are particularly useful when IPSec has problems with IP Address translation. Each end of the tunnel must also be authenticated with the access points able to use either passwords or biometrics to identify the user. Once authenticated, connections can be maintained without the need for further authentication if digital certificates are stored.

There are various technologies which are explained in more detail elsewhere that can be used in the actual routing of the VPNs such as Multi Label Protocol Switching (MPLS) to build Internet Protocol Virtual Private Networks (IPVPN), but the variety of the technologies means that there are numerous possible solutions for VPN clients whether they want a software based access point, restricted network access and/or mobile access etc.

Virtual Private Networks can therefore be a real necessity to any business, regardless of the scale on which they operate, particularly if they are likely to have staff working away from the office, whether they are on the move of simply working from home. A good VPN program can ensure that staff are able to work with full benefits of a virtual office whatever their location.

Posted, by moore in VPN. Tags: Business, IP VPN, MPLS, Networks, virtual private network, VPN

How the Internet can help Remote Working

There are a number of ways that the internet and advancements in internet technology has helped businesses. These include ways that make it easier for businesses whose employees are not always in the office or are in multiple offices. Some of these are outlined below.

VPN

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, and allows people all over the world to work on the same network if necessary, thus helping businesses who operate globally. With VPN people working at different sites can log onto the same network. So, if a company has an office in London, New York and Beijing, they can all be connected and employees can all work off the same network. This means that businesses can have a much more joined up approach all being able to access the same files and information where necessary.

Laptops

There has been a massive increase in the popularity of laptops in recent years. In business this simply means that employees can have their own laptops that they can take with them wherever they are. With a desktop computer it can only be used when in the office, something that is not a problem with a laptop. So, if someone is on the train for example, they will be able to work. This means that having to travel between meetings doesn’t mean lost work time. For businesses where it is necessary, employees can work in more than one office at different times. This is again something that is particularly useful for international companies. Those who work across different countries can work on planes and from their hotel room – in fact, pretty much anywhere in the world using the same laptop. This means a lot less wasted time. It can also be used in meetings and means people can work from home where necessary.

Hot Desking

If people are in and out of the office it is not always necessary to have a specific desk for each employee. If each member of staff has a laptop it means there can be several desks which they can use when necessary. So one day a desk can be used by one employee and another day it can be used by another. So when such an employee is in the office they will just work at one of the free available desks. This saves space and therefore office rent and other savings. It is, though, only workable if there is never a time when everyone is in the office at the same time.

Sharing Computers

There is also the option of employees sharing computers. A VPN server will allow each employee to have a specific login and password, which they can use to log into any available computer. This means that each employee does not need an allocated desk and computer. In some cases it is not ideal that all employees can access everyone else’s files and the same information as each other. However, this does not have to be the case. Networks can be set up so each user can also access what is relevant to them. This will not work, though, if the number of staff in the office on a particular day outweighs the number of computers.

Andrew Marshall (c)

Posted, by moore in Security, Small Business. Tags: internet, laptops, remote working, VPN

Drawbacks of Working from Home

Many love the idea of working from home. It can be more relaxing, more flexible, and save on travel times and costs. This has led some businesses to allow employees to work from home, either some of the time or permanently. There are potential drawbacks though, both from a business’s point of view and from an employee’s point of view.

FOR A BUSINESS

Harder to Judge Performance

The first potential negative as far as employers are concerned is that working from home can give employees the option of getting lazy. It may be easier to get away without doing as much work when you are out of the office. It can be too easy to get distracted, for example by the television or by children. Being out of the office makes it more difficult for businesses to judge how employees are performing – how much work they are doing and how well they are doing it.

Solution: This depends on the industry, but having employees submit time sheets at the end of each day is a good idea. It is then possible to know what employees have been doing and how long it has taken them.

Security

If people have to use the company computer when out of the office security can be an issue, especially if they are using their personal computers to connect to the company network. Personal computers may not have the required security, for example firewalls and antivirus software. Without the right security it may be possible for data to be interpreted and sensitive information hacked into. If data is transferred over a wireless network security problems are even more likely.

Solution: Having minimum security standard for employees using their personal computers and making sure they stick to it is a good policy. Using a VPN, or virtual private network, is also an option. A VPN encrypts data as it is being transferred and therefore can ensure a business’s computer network remains safe.

FOR EMPLOYEES

Separating Work and Home Life

Some prefer to keep their work and home lives separate, something that is hard to achieve if working from home. When you work elsewhere family time can begin when the working day ends. Working from home can make it feel like you never get away. There is a lack of variety as you are in the same place during the day, in the evening and at the weekends. This can lead to a feeling of boredom.

Solution: It is a good idea to be strict with your time and have set working hours. Although this may have to vary to some extent it gives you a rough structure to your life. Maybe go for a walk at the beginning and end of your working day to put a gap between your work and home life.

A Lack of Company

When working at home you could be on your own all day and this can get lonely. It can also make your job more difficult; there is no-one to bounce ideas off and no-one to ask if you are finding a task problematic.

Solution: There is no obvious solution to this. If you are not happy in this environment then working at home may not be for you.

Constant Interruptions

Being interrupted can be particularly problematic if you have children at home and this can make it difficult to get your work done. This can lead to having to work longer hours just to get the same amount of work done. Whenever someone knocks on the door or rings your phone you have to answer it, leading to more wasted time.

Solution: If possible have a room that is exclusively your office. Make it clear to your family that work time is work time and they shouldn’t distract your unless absolutely necessary.

Posted, by moore in Small Business. Tags: Business, employment, working from home

The Security of VPN

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. The easiest way of explaining the secure VPN is by using the example of how it can work for a business, although many of the same principles can be applied to networks within other organisations.

How do Businesses use VPN?

Businesses often use VPN to connect their employees when they are not working in the same office, so can’t be connected via a wired network. This could be if they are working across a number of offices or if they need to access the company’s network from their personal computer or a laptop when they are on the move. With IT playing such an important role in business today this can be crucial to the running of some businesses. With many not always working in the same location it is no good if people can’t access anything from the network when they are not in the office.

A Secure Network

A network must be secure otherwise it can be compromised. For businesses this could include competitors gaining access or confidential information about customers being illegally accessed. A virtual private network helps to make a network secure while allowing access to employees wherever they are.

What is a VPN Client?

A VPN client is the software that users can use to connect to the virtual private network and each user installs it onto their own computer. They can then log onto the network via the VPN client, usually allowing them access to anything they would have access to if connecting to the server from the office.

How does VPN make the Network Secure?

With a virtual private network, data is sent across a wireless network, meaning potential for it being intercepted. It is therefore important this data is not compromised. VPN makes the data transfer secure by using encryption. Data is transferred from the VPN server to an individual’s VPN client in data packets.

A data packet is effectively a group of data and contains a header component and a payload. A header component is essentially the title given to this data packet, while the payload is the actual data. The header and payload is encrypted so anyone who does manage to intercept it will be unable to decipher what it actually means. When it is received by the VPN client it will then be decrypted into its original form, making it understandable for the recipient.

The advantage of VPN is that employees are able to access data from a company’s network securely without anyone else being able to intercept and make use of this data. It means that any employees who have access to a computer and the internet will be able to access the company’s network, something that can massively improve efficiency in some businesses. Without a VPN there would be the possibility of security being compromised.

It is, of course, not just businesses who can make use of VPN for a secure network. Organisations of all types, from governments to schools, can use it in similar ways.

Andrew Marshall (c)

Posted, by moore in Virtual Private Network, VPN. Tags: security, virtual private network, VPN

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