Never before have we seen the flood to remote access like in the last few weeks, and IT admins are feeling the pressures of supporting a new remote workforce. In an instant, they have had to go from making sure we could log into our computers from the office, to making sure we could log into our computers…from our home…then connect to a VPN…then still receive our phone calls and emails…oh, and all of this had to be done without any time to prepare.
The Problems
When the rush to work from home began there were some initial backend problems. The first was the firewall. This often-overlooked piece of hardware is now the cornerstone of keeping companies running while the government is restricting normal commerce. Firewalls provide VPN services so employees can access resources remotely, they provide a layer of security between the business and the outside world, and they provide for secure websites so clients and vendors can log in. In simplest terms, a firewall is really a computer with a specific task, and the computer is sized a specific way when purchased. One of these ways is the number of concurrent users on a mobile VPN. This is a number that provides a limit to the capacity of users the firewall can contain at a given time. Most companies when buying these devices never accounted for the entire workforce needing remote access! So suddenly many of these devices were found to be undersized and network administrators had to quickly react to the increased demand.
The second issue that came up was how to properly configure the VPN connections. Access to resources needed to be readily available while also keeping some type of security in place. Many of these connections were set up incorrectly, and network administrators started to see traffic from school websites and gaming applications. After first scratching their heads they realized what was happening. Some employees, it turned out, were using the company-issued devices to facilitate remote learning for their children! With the flood to learning from home, laptop and PC inventories quickly dropped leaving voids in the marketplace and parents unable to source proper equipment for their children, so they instead used their own work computers. This caused security and performance issues on the devices and additional work for the IT administrators.
The third issue that crept up was how to secure the new remote workers and their connections. Multi-Factor Authentication suddenly jumped to the forefront of many IT administrator minds and how to properly secure the connections. So many companies found themselves rushing to find products that would work within their existing structures to secure access.
The Residual Effects
In addition to the immediate issues, there will be residual effects to this shut down problem in the stability of company finances. I want to ask business leaders to provide some grace here. The IT departments may not have had all the tools in place prior to this. This scenario was never planned for. No one ever predicted a thriving economy would be shut down, leaving us all to scramble to figure out next steps.
The amount of malware that will be brought back onto networks will be staggering. When devices leave a network, they lose many of the protections they once had, opening the doors to the attackers. The amount of ransomware that is going to spread and wreak havoc is beyond calculation. It is inevitable that we will see either data loss or financial loss coming from this.
We also have no way of estimating the security issues that will surface because of increased phishing attacks. Our focus has been shifted elsewhere, providing a perfect opening for malicious links to make it into our inbox, waiting for us to click.
The Reflections
While many people are enjoying or hating a slowdown in their job responsibilities, many in the IT field are busier than ever trying to maintain this new remote workforce. They are doing this while not able to get the funds needed to accomplish what is being asked of them or being able to source the products needed. Everyone in IT is considered an “Essential” worker by every state (isn’t everyone really essential?), but that does not mean it is just business-as-normal. These folks are fighting an uphill battle. With suppliers and manufacturers not responsive or not able to meet the demands placed on them, we are seeing major supply chain issues that the hard-working people in IT have to navigate daily.
In short, the marketplace was not ready for this shutdown. I think that in theory, governments just assumed that the technology was in place for people to work from home and shop online. But that was not the reality. Theoretically the technology existed, but it was not implemented. And it was not simply possible to shut down supporting businesses in an inter-connected economy without there being residual effects.
We have seen failures of promises made by companies like Amazon and not honoring the services customers paid for like two-day shipping. We have seen delays in getting responses from suppliers because not everyone is actually working from home and responding as normal. We have seen employees unable to work because their day care has shut down and it is too hard to do a conference call while a toddler is throwing a fit over being told no.
To everyone in IT, JSCM Group thanks you and acknowledges what you are doing. You never work normal hours anyway, and now you are pulling together projects and applications that, in some cases, are figuratively taping systems together. You are doing true yeoman’s work and trying to hold together what is left of a great economy. You are keeping these companies up and making sure people are still getting paid. You all deserve a pat on the back and a giant party at the end of this.
The truth is that hospitals, governments, pharmacies, and first responders could not do their jobs without you providing the resources to keep everything running behind-the-scenes. I know many of you even have to work in hospitals where it is a risk to yourself and your family. Many of you are never thanked and always overlooked. We see you, and we appreciate your efforts and sacrifices. You might have been called a nerd in the past, but it is that dedication and passion that is keeping us all running. Thank you.