Essential Guide: Technology readiness for the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis

Introduction

As the world reacts to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, businesses and governments are becoming increasingly reliant on technology to support citizens and workers forced to self-isolate or quarantine to mitigate the spread of the virus. Remote working and collaboration tools have become essential systems, with new demands placed on networks and datacentre infrastructure. As corporate networks extend beyond the firewall, security remains an ever-present concern, especially as malicious actors look to exploit fears over the pandemic.

For every organisation involved in dealing with the crisis, digital systems have become an absolute lifeline - and for health services, the way they use tech can more than ever be the difference between life and death.

In this essential guide, we examine the best practice advice for IT leaders and IT departments to ensure readiness during the pandemic. We look at the challenges for IT infrastructure, and find out how companies and governments around the world are reacting.

1Remote working-

Remote working during the crisis

With restrictions on individual movement being introduced in countries affected by the coronavirus pandemic, staff are routinely working from home and need the right tools to support them

2Security-

Cyber security and the coronavirus crisis

As staff work remotely, corporate networks must extend security beyond the firewall - and protect from malicious actors looking to take advantage of pandemic fears

3Infrastructure-

Preparing IT infrastructure

The coronavirus pandemic is placing new demands on IT infrastructure, especially networks and datacentres, as business goes online and employees increasingly connect over the internet to corporate systems

4Health service technology-

Health service response

Health services - such as the NHS in the UK - are under greater pressure than ever before from the coronavirus pandemic. The technology they use is critical, and it often needs to be adapted to these extreme circumstances

5Management response-

Business and government respond to coronavirus

Governments and businesses are using technology to adapt the ways they work to respond to the coronavirus pandemic