Change is a constant. It comes whether we’re ready for it or not, and few of us could have been prepared for the full extent and rapid pace of the change we’ve all experienced during the past year. For organizations, the pandemic has resulted in digital and workforce transformation that was predicted to take decades, but is suddenly here now.
Here are just a few prime examples:
To many, the words “Digital Transformation” are just a buzzword, but the reality is here. Businesses and organizations of all kinds are discovering that many of the short-term fixes they adopted to get them through pandemic lockdowns now need to be reimagined as sustainable, long-term solutions.
Facing constrained budgets, threats from would-be cybercriminals, and a surge in new remote employees and devices, these organizations turned increasingly to their IT departments and managed services providers to help them move forward. As a result, the role of IT has never been more central, but, unfortunately, it’s also never been more complex.
Here are three key challenges we’re seeing IT pros focusing on and asking for help with heading into the second half of 2021 and beyond.
1) Streamlining remote device deployment and management
Considering the rapid rise in remote work, it’s likely no surprise that IT teams are being asked to manage a growing number and variety of devices. According to NinjaRMM’s new IT Efficiency report, 87% of organizations saw an increase in devices under management.
While remotely managing devices at scale is old hat for MSPs, many internal IT teams report being stuck relying on a variety of unsophisticated tools and manual processes to manage this influx. A third of organizations say they’re still setting up new devices manually, with an additional 19% saying they rely on end-users to set up their own devices.
The numbers are similar when it comes to patching these devices and keeping them secure.
During our Adapt IT virtual summit on May 19, we’re going to hear from IT pros who have mastered the art of remotely deploying and managing devices, and they’ll be sharing how they use tools like Microsoft Intune and Windows Autopilot alongside their RMM to provide organizations with seamless experiences.
2) Finding alternatives to on-prem identity access and management
The shift to distributed and hybrid workforces has obviously forced many organizations to rethink how they can give their employees remote and more flexible access without punching a bunch of holes in their security at the same time. For some, it’s meant looking for modern alternatives beyond legacy solutions like Active Directory and LDAP.
At Adapt IT, we’ll be teaming up with cloud directory provider JumpCloud to discuss options and what going “domainless” actually looks like.
3) Managing hybrid and distributed workforces securely
Of course, top of mind for any organization or IT provider is how to balance new demands for flexibility and accessibility with security. Threat actors are constantly probing for new attacks of opportunity, but they’re also perfectly happy to continue preying on frustratingly common mistakes in configuring and managing remote access solutions. Case in point, compromising exposed RDP and exploiting unpatched vulnerabilities in VPN appliances were two of the most common vectors for ransomware attacks in Q1 2021, according to incident response provider Coveware.
At Adapt IT, we’ll hear from security vendors and practitioners on what their current top priorities are, and what they see as the top risks and opportunities for securing hybrid workforces in 2022.
Don’t miss the chance to discuss these trends with your favorite experts and peers
Are there top challenges or trends we missed? Come join the conversation at Adapt IT on May 19. It’s going to be a day full of actionable tips and real-world examples of how IT pros are adapting to the world of digital transformation.
When you register, you'll be automatically entered to win cool prizes, like a Pac-Man Arcade Machine or an Oculus VR Quest 2 headset! 🕹️
Author Rachel Spatz is VP of Marketing at NinjaRMM. Read more guest blogs from NinjaRMM here.
