H1N1: A Virtual Approach to a Real Threat
Dennis McCafferty | Date: 01-28-10 | Comments: 0
- The pandemic will fast-forward IT solutions for telecommuting, collaboration and other "out of office" needs, according to a top industry researcher.
H1N1
is already having a huge impact on our daily lives, with as many as 80 million
reported cases from April through December 2009. Not surprisingly, this has
prompted organizations such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention to roll out major awareness/vaccination campaigns. But could the
first flu pandemic in more than 40 years also change the face of IT in the
global workplace?
Yes,
it could, according to Burton Group, a Salt Lake City-based IT industry
research/advisory services organization. In a new report, "IT Contingency
Planning for H1N1 Pandemic," a Burton
research team indicates that the wave of outbreaks will likely greatly
encourage corporate managers to more quickly adapt technologies that allow for
better collaboration and mobility. The Burton
research team compiled its report after extensive interviews with industry
executives, analysts and government officials—as well as enterprise managers
who have come up with business continuity plans to prepare for H1N1. Here's
what the research reveals:
-
H1N1 influenza is projected to infect between 10 percent and 40 percent of the
work force, and business continuity plans need to reflect specific preparation
for this scenario. Corporate managers are facing the reality that what's called
"social distancing" may be needed to limit contact among workers by
closing public and private gathering areas. This presents a wealth of
opportunities for the IT industry to come up with better solutions for a remote
work force—with improved e-mail, IM and Web conferencing capabilities.
-
Virtual private networking (VPN) infrastructures will need to scale more
effectively to serve the increase in demand for remote operations. With more employees
working from home, businesses will likely need to invest in more business-class
dedicated network lines, Burton indicates, as opposed to relying on
residential-quality Internet services that won't be able to support a company's
needs. Security assurance tools will also increase beyond prior demand, as
employees working from home networks and computers increase the risk of
compromised accounts and passwords, and the spread of malware.
-
Web
2.0 applications should also increase in value to companies, with workers using
community spaces such as wikis to share ideas and work on projects, regardless
of where they are physically. Cloud services with top software-as-a-service (SAAS)
tools will allow professionals to easily upgrade products even if displaced
from their routine work environment.
"IT
organizations can make significant contributions by providing the tools to
allow the business to continue to function, even if parts of the business have
been disabled by an outbreak," says the report's lead author, Phil
Schacter, who is director of Security and Risk Management Services for Burton.
