All businesses have a lifecycle. They are born as start-ups and over time they mature to large, stoic organizations. In short, the entrepreneurial becomes an enterprise. Despite the ebbs and flows associated with each phase of a company’s development, a universal activity is prevalent at every step of the way- finding and closing gaps.
Ironically, several common business gaps can often be fixed using the same technology. Cloud computing is one example of a common gap that Hypersocket password manager solutions help fix regardless of whether you’re working for a large or small organization.
Businesses are increasingly operating in the cloud. They do so for various reasons but generally it is to improve collaboration within the organization. The main gap with the cloud stems from the online applications that companies use to accomplish business-as-usual activities. These applications often require multiple usernames and passwords, not to mention other log-in information, for users to remember and constantly keep updated. To the IT help desk this can clog the ticket tracking process and cause your IT staff to work less efficiently.
According to BusinessNewsDaily.com “The typical small business has 15 cloud apps, and bigger businesses have even more,” said Mike Gold, president of cloud IT solutions provider Intermedia, referencing a recent study his company conducted. “There’s a lot of logging in and logging out, and that takes a lot of time. If you lose one [password] you have to reset it, and it’s a big hassle for [IT]. Too many passwords hurt employee productivity.”
Implementing Single Sign-On
Implementing a Single Sign-On solution with a main username and robust password can close this gap by creating a single point of access to the multiple cloud applications that an employee may need.
Employing a single sign-on can help close another common gap that start-ups and large enterprises alike are facing from Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies. The need for a mobile workforce is insatiable in most sectors. Working from home, contract working, or flexible working are all very attractive human resource drivers that are fueling this mobile BYOD phenomena.
For small companies the allure is a less expensive worker that can trade the smaller wages for the convenience of not commuting. For the larger enterprise this mobile work style allows for easier staffing and a happier workforce. The issue with this new work-feature is that regardless of where you work, IT organizations now have to account for and protect from unauthorized data exfiltration on someone’s personal mobile device. The number of employees using their personal smartphones and tablets to access work apps is continuing to grow.
Implementing a single sign-on solution can help create a centralized logon that works as well on a mobile device as it does on a desktop at the office. The key is to find a single sign-on that is easy-to-use and robust enough to expand to the mobile and cloud computing realms of today’s small, medium and large businesses.
This Blog was brought to you by Hypersocket and its CEO, Lee David Painter. With over 20 years of industry experience as a pioneer in IT Security, Lee developed the world’s first OpenSource browser-based SSL VPN (SSL-Explorer). Today Lee runs Hypersocket, a leader in virtual private network technology.
