Defining the digital workspace

Defining the digital workspace of the future

A while back, I wrote about a new company at the forefront of the cloud desktop effort — Cameyo, which has emerged as a better alternative to Citrix. It continues to impress, putting together a Digital Workspace Consortium focused on defining what the cloud office of the future should contain. It is an initial effort, and I can see where components are missing. But we likely can build out the components of what the coming digital workspace will need.

Given how the market has taken a significant turn since the COVID-19 pandemic, this workspace of the future will likely depend on one thing: flexibility.

An ecosystem in 8 parts

The Digital Workspace Consortium defines the coming digital workspace in 8 segments.

The first segment involves virtual desktops that are cloud-connected, increasingly terminal-like devices that look like laptops or tiny desktop PCs but are just a front end for a cloud-hosted desktop.

The second includes the virtual applications that will run on that cloud desktop — providing the tools needed for remote or on-premises workers to do their jobs.

The third envisions Secure Endpoints that assure integrity and protect both the user and the company from hostile (remote or local) cyberattacks.

The fourth expects new collaboration tools to keep individuals — whether remote or in an office building — connected and functioning.

The fifth focuses on Policy & Management issues, which are needed to assure a unit’s optimal functioning and consistent rules across the related organizations.

The sixth relies on employees’ critical analytics and their monitoring and testing to ensure skills remain current and any interpersonal problems are identified and addressed.

The seventh calls for “print management” to better assure security for printed material and make sure printers remain up and running when needed.

And the eighth and final segment is security (which basically is a superset of secure endpoints) and addresses both electronic and physical security. This would include securing company sites and assuring that remote employees are also safe.

These eight components seem pretty complete, though I’d suggest a few more: site management, including auto-provisioning of the workspace; consumption management and reporting (monitoring utility and resource usage to contain costs); employee monitoring; and management efforts to bolster employee productivity and work/life balance. Finally, virtual space management ensures the consistency, compliance (safe workspace), and effectiveness of virtual collaboration spaces as those come online.