Working with the Cloud During Tough Times

Author: Stephen M. Yoss

The world has changed dramatically in the last year since the introduction of the Coronavirus. The COVID-19 healthcare crisis has had caused a major change in when, where, and how most Americans are doing their work. More Americans than ever are working from home rather than from their corporate offices due to social distancing and other preventative safety measures. Unfortunately, until there widespread adoption of a vaccine we are forced to accept this reality as the new normal. Thankfully, through the miracle of modern technology we can continue to work and function even if we can’t be in the same geographic space. Cloud technology has already helped many businesses improve collaboration and streamline business technology while saving money. Now cloud technology is helping keep people healthy and safe. This presentation outlines how and why this new technology can benefit your organization. The course provides detailed, step-by-step examples, giving you practical advice on how you can make the best utilize cloud technology in building your virtual office.

A brief overview of the cloud is outlined, explaining what it means to move your organization to the cloud. Next, the three most common levels of the cloud are explored, demonstrating the features and constraints of each level. The merits and risks of each layer of the cloud are discussed with examples of relevant apps, services, websites, and platforms. The course also discusses the best practices for moving your organization to the cloud, giving you all the information, you need to make this transition. It will provide several ideas, best practices, examples, and recommendations for organizations of all sizes to help their staff work from home during and after the COVID-19 crisis.

Publication Date: April 2021

Topics Covered

• Brief overview of the cloud
• Impact of Coronavirus in the Office
• The Essentials of Working From Home
• Service Models of Cloud Computing
• Remote Access Options
• Technology Recommendations

Learning Objectives

• Describe the impact of COVID-19 in 2020 and an outlook for the impact in the coming year
• Describe what "The Cloud" is and how it works within an office
• Identify the differences between the three levels of cloud computing (Software-asa-Service, Platform-as-a-Service, and Infrastructure-as-a-Service) and be able to choose which one would be right for their organization
• Identify the benefits and risks of moving an organization to The Cloud and utilizing the virtual office
• Describe the technology best practices for working remotely and utilizing the virtual office
• Identify and describe the actions needed to mitigate the risks inherent to operating in The Cloud
• Identify specific applications and processes in your organization that would become more efficient and secure in The Cloud
• Identify benefits of working from home and what you need to be effective
• Identify a risk of cloud technology
• Differentiate service models and how they are used
• Describe Cloud Based Desktop Productivity

Level
Basic

Instructional Method
Self-Study

NASBA Field of Study
Information Technology (2 hours)

Program Prerequisites
None

Advance Preparation
None