Digital White Papers

IN GADGET WE TRUST: DEVICE AGNOSTICISM IN THE FIRM ENVIRONMENT INTELLIGENT DESIGN As we began to design the appropriate environment, we looked to other industries that have also faced similar challenges. We found a great example in the higher education arena, where colleges and universities have long faced the daily challenges of providing network and data access, often to new users who require unique configurations. This reinforced for us the need to have a design with higher levels of security at the server and networking levels, and appropriate tools in place to shunt users aside if they couldn't authenticate or meet certain minimal requirements. This framework would allow us to leave them aside until any situations were resolved. Our redesign began at the servers and the network. Each was rebuilt from the ground up. Although we were running the project, we brought in specialized consultants to help with the various design aspects at each step along the way. Whether we were setting up something as simple as our AD structure or something as complex as how to quarantine a client on the network but still let them have access to a printer in a conference room when they plugged into an open port, all scenarios had to be accounted for in the design. We also planned for the future. We installed all new cabling and ensured we could handle expected growth for the next eight to 10 years, the amount of time remaining on our lease. We also had to make certain assumptions: for example, that video would be more prevalent and that a growing number of clients would be issuing reports or video updates through their websites, YouTube or marketing channels. We also expected increasing participation in videoconferences from the desktop, which would warrant increased bandwidth. Lastly, we had to ensure users could gain access to resources through both wired and wireless means. To cover all possible needs, we also decided to continue to offer an office-based PC to anyone who wanted one. The PC would be equipped with most of the basic applications used for our office needs. Why not take advantage of that computing power since we had it available? If a special application was needed, it would be made available in an ondemand virtual process. This way, we were able to control all our licensing and manage who was working with what application. In addition, by publishing these applications on-demand through virtualization, each application was able to run on just about any machine or device our users had. This solution was consistent with our goal of being device-agnostic. APPLE AND (OUR) EDEN Taking all of those considerations into account, we were able to build out our servers and network architecture and prepare ourselves for whatever our users would throw at us. But we also wanted to tip the scales a little so we would be successful from the start. To that end, the firm provided all attorneys with iPads. There was no requirement that the iPad be used for work or even on the firm's network. But by giving all attorneys an iPad, we nudged our users toward a specific device. And this worked. As we began to go live with our new design, the number one device our attorneys asked to have connected was the iPad. We might not have provided the panacea for all the attorneys' working needs, but we've certainly created an environment where they can employ whichever device they prefer. Eugene Stein, Executive Director at Richards Kibbe & Orbe LLP, was responsible for the successful rollout of an agnostic desktop designed to give the firm the ability to properly support both personal and corporate devices, giving all firm employees the same end-user experience at anytime, anywhere and on any device.

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