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Public sector organizations in today’s rapidly changing tech landscape absolutely must modernize, support and optimize their IT infrastructure — often while operating under tight budgets and adapting to shifting public demands. They face ongoing pressure to meet compliance and regulatory standards, all while implementing strong security protocols to protect sensitive data and maintain information integrity. Adding to these challenges is the critical need for resilient IT services that can defend against cyber threats such as ransomware, zero-day vulnerabilities and insider attacks.
Public sector IT leaders working through these challenges need both an articulated roadmap for the future and effective, real-world solutions. A top priority is providing secure access to applications, systems, data and desktops. By adopting virtualization technologies, these organizations can empower employees with secure remote access to essential tools and resources — boosting both flexibility and productivity.
Key IT challenges facing the public sector
Public sector organizations — from state and local government agencies to education, law enforcement and public utilities — all face mounting challenges to deliver their employees efficient and cost-effective access to services. These employees need to securely access desktops, systems and applications, alongside stringent compliance standards, which is forcing the need for new ways for IT to deliver productivity with streamlined operations. Factors contributing to this challenge include:
- Secure remote access to applications. Remote workers increasingly rely on accessing files and legacy applications to carry out their duties effectively. However, this presents security concerns, as accessing internal systems remotely opens potential vulnerabilities. Applications may lack modern security features or compatibility with encryption protocols, making them susceptible to unauthorized access or data breaches. It’s crucial to implement robust security measures, such as MFA, SSO and encryption to mitigate the risks associated with accessing files and applications remotely.
- The increasing role of mobile devices. Public sector workers rely heavily on mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets, to access data quickly and remotely, enhancing their efficiency and responsiveness. These devices enable on-the-go access to records, administrative documents and critical information, regardless of physical location. While the convenience of mobile access is undeniable, ensuring the ease of use while safeguarding confidential information remains.
- Addressing legacy system vulnerabilities. Public sector organizations encounter significant challenges when it comes to accessing older legacy computers, systems, software and equipment. These outdated technologies often pose issues, both in terms of security accessing devices remotely and heightened vulnerability to cyber security breaches. The inability to readily integrate or upgrade legacy systems leaves these organizations exposed to various risks.
- The threat of unpatched systems. One of the most pressing concerns within the public sector is the lack of patching or updating for obsolete hardware and software, leaving them susceptible to exploits and malware attacks. These unpatched systems create avenues for cybercriminals to exploit known vulnerabilities, potentially leading to data breaches, ransomware attacks or even disruptions in critical services.
- Budgetary challenges. Budget constraints often pose significant challenges in implementing secure IT solutions for public sector organizations. These limitations extend beyond infrastructure, hosting and licensing costs to include technical resource expenses necessary for managing and maintaining solutions. Ensuring systems remain up to date and compliant with regulatory requirements and cybersecurity measures requires dedicated personnel and expertise, which can strain already limited budgets.
Solutions for secure and efficient public sector IT
Despite these challenges, technology solutions are available to help public sector organizations secure their systems, meet compliance requirements and operate efficiently. Designed to be cost effective, these solutions ensure that customer budget constraints are met without compromising on security or compliance.
Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solutions, for instance, offer a flexible, cost-effective option for secure application delivery and data access. VDI solutions can make sure stringent security measures are in place to safeguard sensitive data and comply with regulatory requirements, such as GDPR.
Some of the other benefits VDI solutions provide public sector organizations include the following:
- Enhanced security measures. Security is paramount in public sector environments, where the confidentiality and integrity of data are of utmost importance. VDI solutions can integrate robust security features, including two-factor authentication, so that only authorized users can access desktops and applications. Additionally, VDI solutions can support single sign-on functionality, simplifying the authentication process while maintaining high levels of security.
- Easy management and administration. With VDI solutions, IT staff can easily publish applications and desktops, monitoring resources and managing connected devices. This streamlines IT operations, reduces overhead costs and helps comply with regulatory requirements.
- Safely access legacy applications. VDI solutions not only enable organizations to seamlessly access older legacy applications via HTML5 browser access but also ensures stringent security measures throughout the process. Access to legacy applications from any HTML5-compatible web browser reduces the risk of unauthorized access or data breaches associated with outdated systems.
- Access anytime, anywhere. One of the key advantages of VDI solutions is their ability to provide access to data and applications from any device, no matter where they are or where the data is hosted — whether it’s on-premises, in private or public cloud or in a hybrid environment. Users can securely connect to desktops and applications, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of devices and operating systems.
Public sector organizations are currently facing one of the most challenging periods in their existence. Now, more than ever, they must strive to innovate to achieve continuous data delivery while keeping their employees safe. The good news is that the technology is available to these organizations so that they can address these multiple challenges simultaneously. With its ability to provide secure, reliable and fast remote application delivery to any device, VDI can significantly help public sector organizations in these endeavors so they can focus on getting their jobs done and delivering the best outcomes for the departments they work within and the people they serve.
Editor’s note: Content for this article is from a whitepaper published by Parallels, “MSPs guide to supporting healthcare and public sector clients.” Commentary is a space for state and local government leaders to share best practices that provide value to their peers. Email Smart Cities Dive to submit a piece for consideration, and view past commentaries here.
