When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Montgomery County government had to maintain a balance between security and usability while attempting a fast and seamless switch to remote work, writes Jacquelyn Bengfort for the State Tech.
Even before the outbreak, county officials had been considering options for a flexible work environment.
County CIO Anthony Olivieri and his department started weighing the potential impact the pandemic could have on government agencies in January. It was determined that the county could ramp up its existing agreements to fill the needs.
“Our everyday meetings have moved to a virtual platform, and we rely heavily on feedback from our users,” said Olivieri.
In preparations for the transition, the county ensured it had sufficient and up-to-date training material. Microsoft products, including SharePoint and Dynamics, were chosen to facilitate the remote work environment. However the county also made sure that security did not bog down usability.
“We’ve been trying to make stronger network security, but in such a way that it will continue to enable and help our users who are working remotely be productive without locking them down so tight that they can’t do anything,” he said.
Read more about telework at the State Tech by clicking here.
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