• The Work from Home trend has meant some clear changes for telecom service providers. Usage of digital work-related applications and network traffic have increased noticeably compared to before.
• AIS already had a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) in place and its admin systems had already undergone the Digital Transformation. So when the COVID-19 crisis struck, the AIS team was able to react quickly and follow the BCP. Some technology was adapted and applied to make Work from Home as efficient as possible.
• Cloud computing helped in many ways to make the work flow continue with no interruptions. General work applications and SaaS services for the work of each department were able to continue, so IT system managers didn’t have to worry about maintenance, infrastructure and the Data Center, and were able to stay at home when everyone was advised to do so.
• Security has become more important than ever during this crisis. Organizations have had to rapidly ensure that all their personnel and administrators can work securely from their homes. Also, all providers have had to comply with the new laws that have been enacted.

As a leading telecommunications service provider in Thailand, AIS has seen many changes during the COVID-19 crisis. Customers have been using the network more intensely. Many end users and enterprises have altered their infrastructure to support new kinds of applications. AIS went through internal changes as it followed its BCP and strove to provide continuous, uninterrupted service for all its customers. With regard to how AIS adapted its work systems, Krisakorn Chaijaroen, Head of the Cloud and Data Center Business Unit at AIS, said that there were some interesting data points about visible trends concerning AIS’s corporate clients and the recent data on network use:

1. Big growth in the use of online collaboration and conferencing systems as corporations adapt their work and search for new tools. AIS’s enterprise clients have also had greater demand for this kind of service as more people are working from home. Some companies have found ways for employees to take turns going into the office, while others have converted entirely to have everyone work from home.
2. There has been an obvious increase in Cloud File Sharing. Remote work does not depend only on online communication but requires a way to share documents and data, which is equally important.
3. Some enterprises have had to urgently update their IT infrastructure to deal with the pandemic situation. Many have decided to use the Cloud more. Some businesses have installed Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) for rapid work support from home. Other businesses have started to migrate their work systems to the Cloud for more convenience and so they can easily increase the resources they use on the Cloud. To make the work more secure, most use the Firewall and Virtual Private Network service.
4. Many businesses have realized the importance of having a good BCP and made that their priority so they’ll be better prepared for any unexpected crisis in the future. This entails not only a Disaster Recovery plan but also Colocation for both the Data Center and reserving office space in case of emergency.

The COVID-19 pandemic not only forced businesses to adapt their IT systems quickly but also brought about a shift in their longer-term vision regarding IT investment decisions and IT utilization and their opinions of the Cloud. Some enterprises that were reluctant to start using the Cloud before now realize how beneficial it can be, and are starting to adopt Cloud computing.

AIS took less than 3 days to implement its BCP and shift to full Work from Home mode

Chaijaroen said that after AIS executives made the decision to shift to full Work from Home, it took less than 3 days for all employees to start entirely working from home. That’s because in its role of providing critical digital infrastructure, AIS has given high priority to its BCP. AIS wants to be sure it can continue providing network services for everyone in Thailand whatever the crisis.

Hence AIS had a thoroughly prepared BCP in terms of policy, advance planning, having a clear communications process and outlines of its work processes, making sure every employee was fully familiar with the technology, and having made an investment in essential technology. This ensured AIS was well prepared to react immediately to the emergency. Also, AIS’s internal work systems had already been converted entirely to digital. When it became necessary to implement the BCP this time aroud, the employees in every department had a clear idea of how to proceed and had no trouble using new technology for Work from Home. That’s why AIS was very successful in following its BCP.

Certainly, this pandemic and the necessity of lockdowns has obviously changed work behavior all over the world. At AIS, people have noticed many things, such as greater work efficiency when it’s not necessary for people to spend time commuting to and from work, less time spent in meetings, more time to devoted to work, and greater familiarity with the technology needed for remote work, such as VPN and VDI. It has given people a vision of hybrid work in the future, where there can be a mix of time spent at the office, which has the strong point of interaction among team members, and the new style of Work from Home, where new communications technology can make some work functions more efficient. In the future, the Cloud will be very important because it makes it possible to work anywhere, anytime.

Cloud lets you work from anywhere, Security helps you work with confidence

While everyone is adapting to COVID-19, Chaijaroen said two things that were really important were Cloud technology and cyber-Security.

“As a Cloud service provider, we can clearly see that using the Cloud clearly has a positive impact on enterprises during the crisis. It has helped enterprises reduce costs and makes system maintenance much easier. The trend of shifting from investing in a physical system to simply leasing it has become much more popular,” said Chaijaroen, “How apps are used for work functions has also changed. Successful businesses think that business systems have to take their products and services close to the customers as much as possible. They also have to be simple and easy to use, and able to support high volume to increase an enterprise’s ability to compete. Cloud computing can answer these needs with a flexible architecture that supports a huge work load.”

Security has now taken on new meaning for business enterprises. In the past, they were mainly concerned with controlling internal security, but now they need to be wary of possible threats from any connected device, which might be in the office or at any other external location, and they also have to protect the Data Center hosting the Cloud service.

For businesses that are starting Work from Home for the first time, AIS has some advice on how to maintain Security. You have to choose appropriate connection channels and restrict the access to authorized users, so that employees still have the rights to use those systems or resources they need to for their work. This will reduce the chances of cyber-attacks. VPN or VDI technology can be chosen, depending on the suitability for the roles, responsibilities and necessities of each team member.

Lastly, Chaijaroen summarized three tips for commercial organizations to set their strategies for stronger Security that will protect their Data Center and leased Cloud services:

1. You need to define a Security Operation protocol that explains the methods and procedures of resource management, especially for IT or ICT resources used for work, including applications, networks, and servers used for processing. The Security Operation protocol should cover surveillance procedures, procedures for changing or upgrading devices, and procedures for managing unexpected incidents. All of these need to be carefully considered beforehand, because even if you have good tools, if your procedures aren’t good then your security will not be optimal.
2. You need to strengthen your security for example SMEs or startups tend to mistakenly believe that if they have a Firewall, then that is enough. Unfortunately, in this day and age, every organization should consider many other security technology options. First, you have to choose a Firewall that is appropriate for your work, then you have to have a method of detecting threats, a method for protecting your data, and you should consider changing the work architecture to be distributed. Your security system should encompass the network system, applications, infrastructure, and safe data storage.
3. You need to be ready to comply with new laws laws including rules and regulations that apply to your enterprise’s work. For instance, banks and financial institutions have to follow any rules issued by the Bank of Thailand and companies that are listed as public companies have to follow all the IT policies and regulations of the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Soon this will include the Personal Data Protection Act and the Cybersecurity Act which require strict compliance.

AIS provides many services that will help Thai businesses survive the current crisis and move towards the future. AIS can handle Mobile Security to make it safer for your personnel to use their devices and to manage all the devices from an IT center. AIS has Cloud services to help your organization expand its system resources and continue growing. AIS has Data Center services so your organization will not have to worry about maintaining its own Data Center. AIS has Security services that make it safe to work by detecting and dealing with all possible threats through a Security Operations Center.

AIS has prepared some special offers on its service packages that can help enterprises reduce costs during this time. If you are interested in AIS Business Cloud service, you can find more details at https://business.ais.co.th/workingfromhome/#solutions or e-mail the Cloud Solutions Sales team at [email protected]

Published  8 May 2020