Business is facing one of the most challenging operating environments ever experienced. The way we work is evolving and it’s creating new complexity in our technology ecosystems. Add in the rapid rise of cyberthreats, and how companies manage their technology becomes critical to long-term survival.
Zetta General Manager Ross Taraborrelli says the way businesses manage their wider network and desktop infrastructure can make a difference between profitability and going out of business.
“It wasn’t that long ago corporate policy governed workplace infrastructure. The IT department made all the decisions about technology and was responsible for implementing and operating all the hardware, software and telecommunications in the organisation.
“It was a closed system and was controlled completely by your IT team. Those days are over,” he says.
The emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) and a push from employees to have more autonomy over the kind of technology they used was already causing disruption for IT. The pandemic forced most companies to accelerate their modern work practices, causing even more challenges for end user computing (EUC).
Adding to the urgency is the daily reality of cybersecurity risks. Establishing centralised control over network infrastructure has moved up in priority for businesses of all sizes.
Zetta is known for their expertise in EUC and the management of network services, an area of technology that’s taken on more importance as remote workforces and bring your own device (BYOD) policies become the norm. Ross says unified endpoint management is essential for a modern working environment.
“Business has a responsibility to keep their workforce productive and secure, and to protect their data against cyberthreats. Fortunately, that can be accomplished using a combination of cloud and desktop technology, but it requires a strategy, the right skills and the right tools.
“IT departments are no longer mandating what EUC looks like in an organisation. Instead, they must become masters at implementing and providing service in a constantly changing environment,” he says.
According to Ross, there are multiple, pressing issues for organisations when it comes to endpoint management. It’s not only that companies are supporting working from home or hybrid working arrangements, it’s everything else that goes with managing a distributed workforce.
“One of the big issues is the move from a single corporate-owned device to multiple devices for each employee. The diversity IT departments are facing when it comes to mobile devices and BYOD is staggering.
“You have to guarantee each one can connect to the corporate network and run the latest versions of collaboration software, at a bare minimum. And once a device connects, you must ensure it’s not creating an open door for a cybercriminal to walk through,” he says.
Rising employee expectations can also cause headaches for IT. With the increased reliance on technology, the employee experience has taken on new importance. With so many people spending the major part of their day working with online collaboration and meeting platforms, employee satisfaction is directly tied to an employer’s ability to offer a problem-free computing platform.
Zetta has built capability around EUC and modern work practices since 2004, when the company was founded in Perth. They are experts in leveraging Microsoft 365 and Windows to ensure their clients stay connected, productive, and safe no matter where they’re working or what kind of equipment they’re using. Zetta have recently been selected by Microsoft as one of only 10 partners in Australia to be part of a jump-start program focused on endpoint management.
Ross says it’s important for Zetta to be at the forefront of modern work practices. This allows them to help clients on both a project basis and over long-term managed services arrangements.
“Being able to configure, set up and migrate an organisation to the cloud is not something most companies can do without a lot of trial and error.
“Because it’s our business, and something we’ve been focused on for close to two decades, we can advise companies with a high level of confidence about how to modernise their endpoint management.
“It’s incredibly satisfying for our whole team to be able to sort through the complexity, find the best way forward, and implement a secure modern work environment that is going to make everyone happy and productive.”
