The events of 2020 have been challenging for businesses in myriad ways. One such way that’s important, but perhaps isn’t getting the attention it deserves, is the clear need companies today have for data center transformation. After all, when your staff is forced to adopt an entirely new way of working, you’ve got to have a new approach to managing data as well.
At first, we thought this trend was going to be short-lived. Back in March, when COVID-19 first appeared on companies’ radar in the United States, managers sent their employees home on a temporary basis, and they quickly put together piecemeal remote work solutions designed to tide them over for a few weeks. Now, though, the U.S. and the rest of the world are slowly adjusting to “the new normal.” Employees are going to be working remotely for a while, and they need to rework those piecemeal plans and fashion something more permanent.
In the future, organizations will value flexibility in how they manage data. They’re looking for a solution that will keep their remote workers afloat now, but they also want to have solutions they can continue using after employees start to return to the workplace. Business leaders understand that to retain top talent moving forward, they will need to offer flexible work arrangements that accommodate their employees.
This means they’ll need to ask themselves some fundamental questions, such as: How will end-users securely access their apps and data they need to do their jobs? How will they prevent “shadow IT?” And so on.
At Zones, we work hard to help organizations answer these questions. Already, we’ve worked with several organizations to help them build and scale remote work solutions that address these fundamental questions by using Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) in Microsoft Azure. AVD is an Azure-based cloud service for desktop and application virtualization, meaning organizations can create virtual environments that users can access from any device, anywhere. This delivers a uniform experience for the modern employee.
AVD is the “new kid on the block” compared to more established virtualization platforms, like Citrix and VMware. And that means it comes with its own set of challenges, including the lack of a centralized control panel to manage IT at enterprise scale. But at Zones, we have a long-standing relationship with NetApp, and that helps us deliver the best possible AVD build at the lowest price for our customers. With NetApp Virtual Desktop Services (NVDS), you can eliminate a number of key IT challenges, including:
If you’re ready to get to work, our expert team at Zones is poised to help you. At Zones, we’ve always understood the value of Data Center Transformation, and we know better than anyone how the challenges you face are evolving in 2020. Connect with us now, and we can get started on creating a modern IT environment that will meet your employees’ needs.
Ready to begin your journey toward a productive remote work environment? Contact Zones today, and we can schedule you for a complimentary AVD Technical Briefing.
Cameron Sharp is the Category Manager for Data Center Software & Cloud at Zones.