Resilience considerations for remote working

This page provides a checklist for individuals seeking access from remote locations and those seeking access to corporate resources:

• Checklist for gaining access from remote locations
• Checklist for access to corporate resources

Access from remote locations

In this section:

• Does your local connection have the capacity required for the intended use?
• Is contention on your local connection too high?
• Does your ISP place a cap on the amount of information that can be downloaded?
• Does your ISP enforce a traffic management policy?
• Have alternative means of accessing the internet been considered?
• If you are uploading and consuming information a symmetrical service should be considered.
• If response time produces an unsatisfactory experience consider time-shifting work patterns.

Does your local connection have the capacity required for the intended use?

Email and web browsing is not very demanding on bandwidth, however running a transaction platform has very much more demanding data requirements. Engage with your ISP (Internet Service Provider) to ensure that your connection meets your requirements. Websites such as SamKnows can provide information about what connection speeds may be possible at a remote location.

Is contention on your local connection too high?

Generally, internet connections are contended, or shared, before they reach the ISP’s (Internet Service Provider's) connection into the internet. In a domestic ISP contract, the bandwidth (frequently referred to as ‘speed’) is the highest likely to be available (further information on broadband speed is available from the communications regulator, Ofcom). In practice, the bandwidth is likely to be significantly lower. The increased contention will have the effect of throttling local speed.

Does your ISP place a cap on the amount of information that can be downloaded?

Some internet access contracts frequently contain a cap on the amount of information that can be downloaded over a billing period. When the limit is reached the service is either severely throttled or, in the extreme, cut off. Increased use as a consequence of work-related activities may cause the cap to be reached rendering the connection useless.

Does your ISP enforce a traffic management policy?

Some internet access contracts contain a clause that limits bandwidth (usually during the evening). This can have a considerable effect on the user experience for bandwidth intensive uses such a streaming video.

Have alternative means of accessing the internet been considered?

Access to the internet can be achieved by a wide range of means:

• fixed line (ADSL (Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line), cable and fibre to the home / premises);
• wireless (3G and WiFi) and
• satellite (eg Inmarsat BGAN service and VSat)

The bandwidth that is realised is highly dependent on geographical location and local contention.

If you are uploading and consuming information a symmetrical service should be considered.

ADSL connections are inherently asymmetric: the bandwidth allocated to uploading information towards the ISP is very much lower than that allocated to downloading information. This provides a satisfactory experience for web browsing. However, if you are involved with uploading large quantities of information the experience could be unsatisfactory.

If response time produces an unsatisfactory experience consider time-shifting work patterns.

Those downloading large files frequently report that the best speeds are achieved in the early hours of the morning. Logging on periodically to refresh e-mails etc. and then logging off to work off line for a period is another way to reduce the loading and improve the working experience.

Access to corporate resources

In this section:

• Do employees know where to seek advice on the organisation’s arrangements?
• Are corporate resources scaled for a large proportion of staff gaining remote access?
• Are corporate users trained in using remote access?
• Do remote users have everything that they need to work remotely from their normal place of work?
• Are policies in place to manage expectations that will arise from prolonged home working?
• Are remote access policies and procedures in place?
• Are information resources sized for changes to access patterns?
• Are employees familiar with security policies?

Do employees know where to seek advice on the organisation’s arrangements?

Are corporate resources scaled for a large proportion of staff gaining remote access?

Corporate resources, such as remote access servers (RAS), may not have sufficient capacity for the number of concurrent connections that are required for remote access. RAS are normally scaled for a percentage, not all of the workforce. This is typically 25% but can vary from as low as 10% to as high as 50% (Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure).

At one extreme, incorrect scaling will prevent additional users from gaining access; at the other extreme corporate systems may become overwhelmed and deny access to all users. Organisations planning to make wide use of remote working are recommended to take action to increase the capacity of their RAS and if possible to carry out tests to understand how they respond to a high number of concurrent connections.

Are corporate users trained in using remote access?

If they are not, they will probably need to resort to support services. If these are delivered through a call centre, response may be constrained as a consequence of operatives not being able to get into work. Ensure that key users are familiar with remote access through regular use.

Do remote users have everything that they need to work remotely from their normal place of work?

Does the remote connection enable access to all the necessary file storage locations (information could potentially be held on inaccessible servers), corporate contact directories, employee’s calendars etc.?

Are policies in place to manage expectations that will arise from prolonged home working?

Are corporate users familiar with remote collaborative working practices? If they are not, remote working could become hugely ineffective.

Are remote access policies and procedures in place?

For example there could be potential health and safety implications (inappropriate posture and lighting conditions) resulting from long-term remote access. Regular telephone conferences with team members might be appropriate to help reduce isolation by those that do not routinely work out of the supportive office environment.

Are information resources sized for changes to access patterns?

If your enterprise is providing web-based information ensure that the equipment and access has sufficient capacity for the anticipated demand.

Are employees familiar with security policies?

These may include not being overheard by family members and arrangements for disposal of print outs.