Making your Olympic game plan
Making your Olympic game plan |May 2012 | Business Connections
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Be Prepared: how will your business handle the Olympic crowds?
Making your Olympic game plan Rob Greenslade
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22 May 2012
London 2012 will last for six weeks, with organisers predicting crowds of up to 500,000
Entrepreneurs
people each day. By now, organisations in London and other Olympic locations should have plans in place for mitigating the potential impacts on their business, most of which will likely include an element of flexible working. However, while many businesses will already have a remote access solution in place, the key question is whether these existing solutions can maintain the necessary level of performance and security when challenged by an event on the scale of London 2012. This guide explains the potential issues businesses may face with their remote working solution and offers tips on how they can better prepare themselves to deal with the disruption this exceptional event may cause. Potential limitations
Rob Greenslade
In addition to the massive surge in human traffic, communications networks will almost certainly be affected, with the capacity and availability of internet bandwidth and mobile
Twitter
networks coming under pressure. This will impact negatively on the performance of any remote access solution relying on broadband or mobile data connectivity in and around
ESCONNECTIONS
London.
Growth Capital: Brothers who raised quality of the London pub http://t.co/7gkqdpg9
For example, there might not be the necessary amount of bandwidth available to establish
23 hours ago
a VPN connection at times of peak traffic. In research commissioned by BT following the Winter Olympics in 2010, one in four businesses surveyed suffered network capacity issues during the event; while 30 per cent said that with hindsight they should have
ESCONNECTIONS Part two of how to save money on the web http://t.co/LERTQ6Dk
increased flexible working facilities. Aside from potential issues with network capacity, firms must also consider the security
23 hours ago
ESCONNECTIONS
implications of providing remote access to a greater number of employees, especially
Small Talk: Public sector failings holding
those not used to working with the technology and who might inadvertently pose a risk. In
back SMEs' recovery drive
the basic type of remote working set-up for example, where a VPN solution is employed,
http://t.co/uZ2WQgjO May 28 (2 days ago)
the corporate network needs protection from the threat of users connecting from a remote computer infected with a virus or worm.
ESCONNECTIONS
Being fleet of foot
sourcing investment exist for newly launched
Ask James Caan: what other avenues of businesses? http://t.co/bjwCnbJs
Given the limitations of conventional VPN and virtual desktop solutions, the most flexible
May 28 (2 days ago)
means of remote working is to have key applications available via the web. Here, the employee working remotely logs-on securely to a web portal and runs the applications
http://www.es-bc.co.uk/olympic-game-plan-4532
ESCONNECTIONS
5/30/2012
Making your Olympic game plan |May 2012 | Business Connections
Page 2 of 3
New series - Never stick your chopsticks in
locally from their device. This is the least bandwidth-intensive option, has a lower
rice: the etiquette on doing business abroad.
hardware requirement and the lowest overhead in terms of support and management.
This week: China http://t.co/L5qbO4nz May 28 (2 days ago)
This approach also allows firms to open up their IT environment to a greater range of end user device types, including laptops, tablets and smart phones. In addition, security is enhanced, because applications and data reside within the confines of the corporate firewall and access is secured via password and some form of two-factor authentication. Installing an infrastructure to support this capability can require more server capacity and additional licensing, but businesses should not be put off by this upfront investment because cost savings are realised over the longer term in the form of a lower support and management overhead. With such a wide array of remote access options available firms must have a comprehensive understanding of their requirements. All too often, assumptions dictate design, resulting in a solution that doesn’t really meet the organisations requirements, or which can fall short of the final hurdle. The fact that not all business roles can be adequately performed out of office is often overlooked, so it is important to consider how many users would be able to work remotely if they had access to their applications and data. Once this is established, the next step is to identify the specific applications and data they need. Only then can an informed decision be taken concerning the best way to deliver applications and data remotely. Ensuring the right fit Another factor often overlooked at the design phase, is that communication service providers offer only loose guarantees around bandwidth availability and quality of service (QoS). Business-grade connections do come with service level agreements (SLAs) on availability, but not always a guarantee on bandwidth, unless a more expensive service is specified. Cost is often the overriding factor in service provider selection so unless SLAs are penalty based and stringently enforced, it’s best for firms to have a backup. This could mean having a mobile data contract, or implementing a means of prioritising bandwidth allocation for users based on job function. The latter can have a number of advantages. Limiting bandwidth on internet connectivity out of head office for example, or for certain types of user, means more bandwidth can be made available to others – especially those working remotely. It is also worth assessing whether there is a way of increasing resilience by delivering remote working applications across multiple points – e.g. out of the publicly-hosted cloud environment, as well as out of the data centre, although there are security issues to consider with this approach. It is also possible to allow remote users to run applications locally using a combination of streaming and encrypted USB. Balancing cost and risk There are several additional factors to consider with remote access solutions. A flexible working policy to encourage home working for example can result in greater productivity because employees can start work earlier and often finish later without the commute. Naturally, flexible working assumes a certain level of trust, but, with the right approach, both parties can realise the benefits. Ultimately, the success of a remote working solution comes down to the design requirement when assessed against the asking price. By fully understanding the requirement, assessing it against what’s available in the market and in-house skills, capabilities and current IT estate, it is possible to find the optimum balance between cost and risk. Rob Greenslade is the sales and marketing director of Centralis, an IT consultancy specialising in delivering applications securely to their point of use.
Logistics
Upcoming events JUN
20
An Audience with Doug Richard A successful entrepreneur with 20 year's experience in the development and leadership of technol...
http://www.es-bc.co.uk/olympic-game-plan-4532
Browse articles by tag Tax
B2B Marketplace
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Share
5/30/2012
Making your Olympic game plan |May 2012 | Business Connections
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An Audience with Theo Paphitis As Chairman of Ryman Stationery, owner of lingerie brand Boux Avenue and star of Dragons' Den, T... See all Events
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Page 1 of 3
Become a Member
Home
About
Forum
Upcoming Events
Article Archive
Be Prepared: how will your business handle the Olympic crowds?
Making your Olympic game plan Rob Greenslade
Login
Become a member
Tax
B2B Marketplace
Financing
Government
Technology
Premises
Logistics
Infrastructure
Research
Management
Investors
Bookkeeping
Health & Safety
Human Resources
22 May 2012
London 2012 will last for six weeks, with organisers predicting crowds of up to 500,000
Entrepreneurs
people each day. By now, organisations in London and other Olympic locations should have plans in place for mitigating the potential impacts on their business, most of which will likely include an element of flexible working. However, while many businesses will already have a remote access solution in place, the key question is whether these existing solutions can maintain the necessary level of performance and security when challenged by an event on the scale of London 2012. This guide explains the potential issues businesses may face with their remote working solution and offers tips on how they can better prepare themselves to deal with the disruption this exceptional event may cause. Potential limitations
Rob Greenslade
In addition to the massive surge in human traffic, communications networks will almost certainly be affected, with the capacity and availability of internet bandwidth and mobile
networks coming under pressure. This will impact negatively on the performance of any remote access solution relying on broadband or mobile data connectivity in and around
ESCONNECTIONS
London.
Growth Capital: Brothers who raised quality of the London pub http://t.co/7gkqdpg9
For example, there might not be the necessary amount of bandwidth available to establish
23 hours ago
a VPN connection at times of peak traffic. In research commissioned by BT following the Winter Olympics in 2010, one in four businesses surveyed suffered network capacity issues during the event; while 30 per cent said that with hindsight they should have
ESCONNECTIONS Part two of how to save money on the web http://t.co/LERTQ6Dk
increased flexible working facilities. Aside from potential issues with network capacity, firms must also consider the security
23 hours ago
ESCONNECTIONS
implications of providing remote access to a greater number of employees, especially
Small Talk: Public sector failings holding
those not used to working with the technology and who might inadvertently pose a risk. In
back SMEs' recovery drive
the basic type of remote working set-up for example, where a VPN solution is employed,
http://t.co/uZ2WQgjO May 28 (2 days ago)
the corporate network needs protection from the threat of users connecting from a remote computer infected with a virus or worm.
ESCONNECTIONS
Being fleet of foot
sourcing investment exist for newly launched
Ask James Caan: what other avenues of businesses? http://t.co/bjwCnbJs
Given the limitations of conventional VPN and virtual desktop solutions, the most flexible
May 28 (2 days ago)
means of remote working is to have key applications available via the web. Here, the employee working remotely logs-on securely to a web portal and runs the applications
http://www.es-bc.co.uk/olympic-game-plan-4532
ESCONNECTIONS
5/30/2012
Making your Olympic game plan |May 2012 | Business Connections
Page 2 of 3
New series - Never stick your chopsticks in
locally from their device. This is the least bandwidth-intensive option, has a lower
rice: the etiquette on doing business abroad.
hardware requirement and the lowest overhead in terms of support and management.
This week: China http://t.co/L5qbO4nz May 28 (2 days ago)
This approach also allows firms to open up their IT environment to a greater range of end user device types, including laptops, tablets and smart phones. In addition, security is enhanced, because applications and data reside within the confines of the corporate firewall and access is secured via password and some form of two-factor authentication. Installing an infrastructure to support this capability can require more server capacity and additional licensing, but businesses should not be put off by this upfront investment because cost savings are realised over the longer term in the form of a lower support and management overhead. With such a wide array of remote access options available firms must have a comprehensive understanding of their requirements. All too often, assumptions dictate design, resulting in a solution that doesn’t really meet the organisations requirements, or which can fall short of the final hurdle. The fact that not all business roles can be adequately performed out of office is often overlooked, so it is important to consider how many users would be able to work remotely if they had access to their applications and data. Once this is established, the next step is to identify the specific applications and data they need. Only then can an informed decision be taken concerning the best way to deliver applications and data remotely. Ensuring the right fit Another factor often overlooked at the design phase, is that communication service providers offer only loose guarantees around bandwidth availability and quality of service (QoS). Business-grade connections do come with service level agreements (SLAs) on availability, but not always a guarantee on bandwidth, unless a more expensive service is specified. Cost is often the overriding factor in service provider selection so unless SLAs are penalty based and stringently enforced, it’s best for firms to have a backup. This could mean having a mobile data contract, or implementing a means of prioritising bandwidth allocation for users based on job function. The latter can have a number of advantages. Limiting bandwidth on internet connectivity out of head office for example, or for certain types of user, means more bandwidth can be made available to others – especially those working remotely. It is also worth assessing whether there is a way of increasing resilience by delivering remote working applications across multiple points – e.g. out of the publicly-hosted cloud environment, as well as out of the data centre, although there are security issues to consider with this approach. It is also possible to allow remote users to run applications locally using a combination of streaming and encrypted USB. Balancing cost and risk There are several additional factors to consider with remote access solutions. A flexible working policy to encourage home working for example can result in greater productivity because employees can start work earlier and often finish later without the commute. Naturally, flexible working assumes a certain level of trust, but, with the right approach, both parties can realise the benefits. Ultimately, the success of a remote working solution comes down to the design requirement when assessed against the asking price. By fully understanding the requirement, assessing it against what’s available in the market and in-house skills, capabilities and current IT estate, it is possible to find the optimum balance between cost and risk. Rob Greenslade is the sales and marketing director of Centralis, an IT consultancy specialising in delivering applications securely to their point of use.
Logistics
Upcoming events JUN
20
An Audience with Doug Richard A successful entrepreneur with 20 year's experience in the development and leadership of technol...
http://www.es-bc.co.uk/olympic-game-plan-4532
Browse articles by tag Tax
B2B Marketplace
Financing
Government
Share
5/30/2012
Making your Olympic game plan |May 2012 | Business Connections
SEP
26
An Audience with Theo Paphitis As Chairman of Ryman Stationery, owner of lingerie brand Boux Avenue and star of Dragons' Den, T... See all Events
Page 3 of 3
Technology
Premises
Logistics
Infrastructure
Research
Management
Investors
Bookkeeping
Health & Safety
Human Resources
Entrepreneurs
© 2012 Evening Standard Newspaper Group Limited
Cookie Policy
T and Cs
http://www.es-bc.co.uk/olympic-game-plan-4532
Privacy Policy
Contact Us
Website design and build by
5/30/2012
