Telecommuting is not a new concept. It’s been around since the late 1980s and definitely by the 1990s. However, widespread use of remote work, effectively renamed in the pandemic, didn’t really come into full application until 2020. Once a tremendous part of the workforce in most industries had to be separated from the office, multiple tools came into play to make productivity still happen. Today, identity access management has become critical in both access to these tools and managing ongoing use of them.
Remote meeting tools, as well as, on the security side, increased firewall defenses, multi-factor authentication and user provisioning software have all added to the IAM world for the network administrator. In fact, with cloud user provisioning, it has become extremely effective as well as cost efficient for the employee’s workplace, wherever it may be physically located.
The Benefits of Cloud-Managed Remote Work
- First, companies have the option now of downscaling and removing significant sunk expenses associated with facilities. It costs a lot of money every month to provide staff dedicated workspaces in an office that essentially has to run and function 24/7.
- By off-shifting people to working in their own facility or home, millions are saved monthly. All of it can be managed by remote cloud IAM tools as well as single-signon (SSO) authorities.
- Secondly, cloud management and cloud platforms negate the problem with employees using their own devices. As long as the company provides a viable laptop and equipment, or the employee’s equipment matches the specifications of the company, people can connect.
- And, more importantly, their cloud access ensures that whatever is being used isn’t passing along vulnerabilities to the main network. This is managed through single sign-on tools, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and cloud role provisioning as well as access segmentation.
- Most importantly, productivity overall has skyrocketed with remote work. While management grouses about feeling disconnected from staff and far more meetings have to happen online for the same communication, companies have definitely reported that productivity in actual work delivery increased dramatically with remote work. And effective cloud tool management makes that possible, regardless of whether the employee is at home in the same town as the office or halfway across the world.
Shifting the Paradigm
Taking advantage of remote work and keeping is secure with effective IAM monitoring is as much about changing business culture as it is changing the technical tools people use to access to get their work completed. The cloud resources are already in place and proven, IAM being one of them.
It is culture that needs to catch up and adapt to the new paradigm, especially for companies that want to take advantage of the lean efficiencies available with remote work.
Final Words
Remote Cloud Computing has emerged as a transformative force in the realm of information technology, revolutionizing how businesses operate and access their data. As organizations increasingly rely on cloud-based services and remote work arrangements, the importance of robust Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions becomes ever more evident.
IAM plays a crucial role in ensuring data security, protecting sensitive information, and granting appropriate access privileges to users across diverse environments. With the continuous growth of remote cloud computing, the need for comprehensive IAM strategies will only intensify.
As technology evolves, IAM solutions must adapt to meet the challenges of an interconnected world, providing seamless and secure access while safeguarding against potential threats. Embracing innovative IAM approaches is paramount to enhancing the efficiency, productivity, and overall security of remote cloud computing, thus paving the way for a more connected and secure digital future.
