Amid the outbreak of Covid-19, digital transformation has grown by multiple folds in the seven months and many organisations were forced to shift their operations to the digital platform. This is the time when Digital Workspace Security Solution becomes pivotal, especially for financial institutions. Citrix has been a leader in the domain, catering to some of the leading banks and financial institutions in India and globally, says Ravindra Kelkar, Area Vice President, Indian Subcontinent, Citrix, in an exclusive conversation with Elets News Network (ENN).
- Security is inevitable but do you sense an urgency to level-up the strategies post covid?
Digital transformation has grown exponentially in the last 7 months, owing to the pandemic. Many enterprises were forced to move the business to the cloud almost overnight. They started using SaaS applications and focused on collaboration platforms to keep their business running and their employees safe. Companies that invested in digital transformation even before the pandemic, were the ones that could drive business with the least hiccups even as the pandemic raged.
However, the transition to remote working models in haste, and without understanding the organization’s needs did leave end-users more exposed to social engineering, scams and denial-of-service attacks. In a post-Covid era, it, therefore, becomes even more imperative to scrutinize the security strategies that the organization has been adhering to and make amends as and when required. We need to recognize that attacks, compromises and breaches are inevitable. Attackers have been exploiting the suboptimal security safeguards that left remote technology temporarily more open to breaches, and organizations must focus on rectifying these especially when we are moving towards a more hybrid work culture.
- Tell us about your Digital Workspace Security Solutions? What efficiency it can offer to the BFSI sector?
In a secure digital workspace set-up, IT processes get centralized and there is simple management of tools, apps, and devices, with an integrated technology work platform. It also provides them a consolidated view of the entire digital environment. Citrix has long been a leader in providing secure remote access to employees working from any location. Citrix Workspace gives IT leaders and employees, the space to work and innovate. We’re now further broadening our cloud security stack, through two new services – Citrix Secure Workspace Access and Citrix Secure Internet Access. While continuing to help customers consolidate their security and networking solutions, we’ve expanded our ability to service zero trust and SASE (SD-WAN and Secure Access Service Edge) use cases.
In the BFSI sector, time to market is extremely crucial. Citrix has been a leader, especially in the sector, catering to some of the leading banks and financial institutions in India and globally. Citrix Workspace has been a hit across customers for its seamless and quick integration with existing apps. It has helped organizations reduce repetitive tasks to a few clicks, leverage data analytics from its business intelligence platform, use micro apps throughout the organization, and improve incident and change management.
- Why are your offerings termed as people-centric?
We have always believed in the philosophy that technology should empower organizations to deliver better employee experience. One where people have the tools they need to work the way they want. Through our offerings, we constantly strive to provide our employees and customers the space they need to succeed. Our technology is designed to remove the distractions that get in the way of individual progress, helping them stay productive.
While using any tool or technology, employees should always feel a sense of empowerment and gain insight. Our solutions have always been user-friendly and intuitive because the quality of your tools can have a major impact on the overall experience. A people-centric approach does not just help with advancing the needs of your employees/users, but also the company. Ultimately the basis for any organization’s success lies in the hands of those who make the organization – its people.
- What are your views on cloud deployment across the BFSI industry? How are your solutions helpful to the sector?
The BFSI sector is quite risk-averse. Many in this sector continue to rely on the same trusted security methods. In the past, cloud services have been considered with some trepidation and there was concern over their viability for the financial sector. There have also been concerns around regulatory frameworks for cloud outsourcing and the scrutiny banks might face if their data gets compromised. However, in the past few years, we’ve noticed that banks of all sizes have been moving to the cloud and transforming their business. A hybrid cloud approach, in particular, allows this sector to take a flexible and phased approach to cloud computing, thus also giving them the space to transform at their own pace.
Today, we can proudly say that the world’s top banks, investment, and insurance companies trust us to deliver digital solutions. With our solutions across workspace, network, and cloud, this sector can improve their IT efficiency, manageability, and cost control, while also increasing overall business agility and flexibility. Business benefits like these can have a profoundly positive impact on both customer and employee experience.
- How is your SD-WAN better than other competitors in the gamut?
An organization’s digital transformation depends on how well its virtual, cloud, and SaaS apps perform. This performance needs to be secure and always-on across all branch locations, especially when you’re offering an essential service like banking. This not only helps in delivering a smooth and speedy service to the customers but also enhances employee or user experience. And this is what sets Citrix apart because we place user experience at the core of any solution.
Citrix SD-WAN is driven by experience, security and choice. It’s beyond just another WAN Edge infrastructure solution. It is engineered to help all the cloud and SaaS applications perform their best. It gives meaningful visibility into thousands of apps and also optimises the delivery of these apps based on network conditions and intent. It does all this and more while enabling the security of an enterprise’s network and thereby simplifying the journey to the cloud.
- What new innovations are your planning for the BFSI sector in 2021?
Amidst a dynamic economic landscape, there is a need for the financial sector to embrace digital transformation and thereby shape what the future of banking or finance will look like. Beyond this, businesses also need to continue innovating and harness the power of cutting-edge tech solutions that can enhance customer experience every-day.
For us at Citrix, digital transformation is a constant process and not a one-time project. Our R&D centre in Bangalore, which is also one of the largest locations worldwide, reinforces and showcases our commitment to understanding customer needs at the product development stage itself.
We’re focused on innovating and introducing solutions that can transform business processes for the better. Digital workspaces that seemed like an alien concept 30 years are now a reality, and we have been instrumental in delivering this reality. This is also why we now offer digital workspaces that have intelligent capabilities.
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