1. The Need to Manage Dispersed Infrastructures with Potentially Thousands of Client Devices Worldwide
With more employees working remotely, sometimes outside the firewall, the legacy model of on-premises device management no longer works. Fortunately, this approach is no longer necessary if you employ the right technology.
Choose a solution that lets IT administrators “touch” the PC remotely through the cloud to troubleshoot, upgrade, patch, or install software. A platform that works over a wired or wireless connection, inside or outside the firewall, independent of OS state, gives IT staff the power to handle any situation.
2. The Need to Balance Legacy and Modern, Cloud-Based Device Setup
Transitioning from legacy device deployment using OS wipe-and-replace to a modern, cloud-based model isn’t a quick switch. Your organization may use one method or the other or, like many enterprises, still straddle both worlds. A platform that can handle both options offers flexibility while meeting your security standards, allowing you to work in a way that addresses your unique business needs.
3. The Need to Troubleshoot Remote and Even Offline Endpoint Devices
PC problems slow remote employees down, and troubleshooting off-site devices is complicated and time-consuming for IT staff. Many technologies that claim to offer remote device management aren’t designed to work through the cloud; some require the end-user and IT staff to be on the same network, which isn’t always possible if both are working remotely. Others work at the software level, so they’re useless if the OS is down. What’s more, these solutions often require extensive manual setup and intervention.
Remote manageability at the hardware level provides the resilience you need to keep employees working whether they’re inside or outside the firewall, using a wired or wireless connection, or even when their OS is inoperable. Look for a platform that enables IT administrators to gain hardware-level remote access in minutes with a minimum of effort. Then they can power up unresponsive systems remotely, repair corrupted drivers and applications, and respond rapidly to user needs, enhancing employee satisfaction and productivity.
4. The Need to Guard Against Growing Security Threats
The number of cybersecurity threats facing enterprises continues to rise:
- Ransomware attacks increased 13% in 2022 compared to 20213 with 57% of cybersecurity professionals reporting that their organization faced a ransomware attack in the past 12 months.4
- The percentage of companies reporting deepfakes used as part of a cyberattack soared from 13% in 2021 to 66% in 2022, with attackers increasingly using third-party meeting apps (31%) and business collaboration apps (27%) as entry points.5
- Cryptojacking grew 230% in the first three quarters of 2022.6
At the same time, as businesses try to deal with these growing threats with internal resources, they face a cybersecurity talent deficiency that grew 26.2% year-over-year in 2022, translating to a shortage of more than 3.42 million workers globally.7
Hybrid or remote work adds complexity to IT teams’ already challenging jobs. Successful threat detection and prevention requires the ability to push patches or required updates to devices, whether on-site or remote. However, many platforms focus primarily on software security, with limited security on the hardware side.
A solution with built-in hardware security below and software security above and within the OS provides the capabilities necessary to:
- Respond to security incidents rapidly, whether the affected device is wired or wireless, remote, or outside the firewall.
- Use remote control technology outside the OS so malware won’t prevent investigating a remote device.
- Proactively protect PCs by powering them up or down remotely, even outside the firewall.
- Power up to install security patches and updates without impacting employee productivity.
- Power down when not in use to enhance security.
5. The Need to Optimize PC Performance and Employee Productivity
Employees (including IT staff) are working differently than in the past, which puts new demands on technology. Today’s workers need PCs that let them run Zoom or Teams video calls smoothly while multitasking or collaborating. Less powerful PCs may suffer performance drops when running noise-reduction or image-enhancing software during calls or when unplugged from a power source.
Faster processors aren’t necessarily the answer to these business needs. Instead, platforms with more efficient processors designed to handle tasks more intelligently can provide the performance that today’s busy employees demand.
6. The Need for Freedom of Choice
In a competitive labor market, employee satisfaction is key to attracting and retaining talent. The technology you provide is a major factor in the employee experience. Employees want the freedom to choose the devices they prefer, whether that means different OEMs or different form factors. IT teams want the freedom to mix and match devices, whether for ease of use or greater cost savings.
A platform that encompasses a wide variety of devices lets IT teams tailor the device to the end-user. For example, content creators or video editors may need ultra-powerful systems, field sales or mobile workers may prefer thin and light devices, average business users may be satisfied with budget-conscious solutions, and desktops might be favored for power users or creators. With a platform that supports diverse connections between multiple types of devices, IT administrators can make their work lives easier—and make employees happier and more effective.
7. The Need to Simplify IT
Today’s workforce requires integrating different types of devices; however, managing them all is a complex task. You can streamline your IT administration’s job by locking employees into one PC brand, but that sacrifices flexibility for ease and reduces employee satisfaction.
To simplify IT administration without giving up flexibility, look for a platform designed to provide a consistent set of security and manageability features, independent of the OEM you choose. You’ll save IT time, reduce costs, and give end-users the tools they need while meeting IT’s security and manageability requirements.
8. The Need for a Built-for-Business Solution
Modern remote device manageability and security requires a business-class solution. To select the right solution, look for a system designed for business needs. Consider the company’s history and experience in the business PC space. Finally, look at the partners and software ecosystem around the technology you’re considering.
Modernize PC Management
With employees working from just about everywhere these days and using multiple types of devices, PC management can get messy. Bring order to your IT operations by choosing a platform that combines the performance and range of device options end-users demand with the security, stability, and manageability IT administrators need.
Intel vPro delivers business-class performance without limiting users’ device options, enhancing employee productivity and satisfaction. Built-in hardware- and software-level security provides advanced threat detection and protection.
Using Intel® Active Management Technology (AMT) and Intel® Endpoint Management Assistant (EMA), IT administrators can take full advantage of remote management capabilities to keep mission-critical resources running, whether employees are on-site or remote. Unlike some other options, Intel vPro gives you true hardware-level remote manageability—inside and outside the firewall, even when your users are offline or the OS is unresponsive. Platform stability means you won’t have any hardware changes for 12 months or longer, simplifying manageability even more.
Offering business-class performance, hardware-enhanced security, modern remote manageability, and PC fleet stability, Intel vPro is the solution you need to empower your hybrid workforce—and your IT team.
To learn more about how you can have all this flexibility with Intel vPro, read our recent ebook here.