Monitoring and Managing Devices for Your Distributed Workforce

The rise of cloud computing, the move to Software as a Service (SaaS), and the continuous increase in the abilities of tablets and smartphones, has created a paradigm shift in the way IT does its business. It used to be IT could lock down the infrastructure, put up a firewall, and you could control employee access, monitor compliance, and maintain security.

Today, you not only need to manage laptops and devices used by a highly distributed workforce, you also need the capability to do your job away from the office by managing remotely. Let’s look at the challenges to properly monitoring and managing your mobile workforce (sometimes called off network monitoring), and how to overcome those challenges successfully and efficiently.

The Challenges of Off Network Monitoring

In today’s global and cloud environment, leaving the office and network doesn’t mean leaving behind corporate data─your job doesn’t end when your workforce leaves the office. Nor does your leaving the office mean your work is done. You are still responsible for the security and monitoring of all your systems.

IT managers need to be able to access and manage devices anywhere in the world, at any time. Routine maintenance, updates, and patches all need to be done in a timely manner for security and compliance. This can be a problem when it is not possible to wait until the employee – or you – are back in the office.

If you are worried about issues caused by remote and mobile device usage, you are not alone. A recent Information Week Strategic Security Survey revealed the following results:

• 64% were concerned about sensitive data being accessed when the device is lost or stolen.
• 59% felt that it was likely that infected personal devices would be connected to the corporate network.
• 37% were afraid of malicious apps being downloaded by a user.

It’s a serious, and potentially costly, issue. It is estimated that over $7 billion was spent in 2015 for desktop and mobile solutions. Unfortunately, that money was often spent on programs that did not integrate IT functions, nor solve the problem of how to manage a device that is not in-house.

How Kaseya Addresses These Challenges

Kaseya comes from a Sioux Indian term meaning “to secure, to protect,” and that is exactly what Kaseya’s Virtual System Administrator (VSA) does. Kaseya VSA allows you to manage security, compliance, auditing, and more, from one centralized console, even if your users – or you – are remote and off the corporate network. You simply install an agent on the devices manually, or let VSA detect devices and automatically install the agents. No other software, no extensive installation processes, and no further action needed for Kaseya to work.

Kaseya gives you:

• Control of all IT assets – network, desktop, peripherals, and mobile, whether they are local or remote, on network or off – through one central console
• Geographical independence with the ability to work anywhere at any time – even if you or the user you’re supporting is off network
• Automatic patching and updates for equipment and software, including third-party applications – even if the device is sitting on a counter at home. You no longer have to rely on users or wait until the end of the work day to keep devices up-to-date
• Near instantaneous remote connections – reliable even if the device being accessed is in an airport or on the employee’s kitchen counter
• Separate corporate from personal data by placing it in an encrypted area on mobile and remote devices, keeping it secure and giving you the power to locate and wipe data from stolen or lost devices, or from devices of de-provisioned users, wherever they are – without disturbing personal data

Now that’s remote!

No matter what market segment you are in, Kaseya VSA will work for you just as it has for thousands of mid-to-large enterprises, financial services, healthcare providers, education systems, government and military institutions, and over half the top MSPs.

Learn more about how Kaseya gives you peace of mind through effective centralized management by downloading The Time-Strapped IT Pro’s Guide to Getting More Done – Manage Remotely and Seconds Matter: Resolve Issues Quickly with Remote Desktop Management today!