The Smarter State: What will the future hold for the public sector?
With the sixth annual ‘Building the Smarter State’ conference fast approaching, it’s time to take a look at how the public sector is evolving. In a bid to streamline services, reduce costs and increase security, government departments and public service providers are employing the latest technology.
Both the UK public and private sectors are already using IoT and cloud computing to enhance efficiency, but the future of a smart state will take things a step further. To find out what to expect from the UK state sector in upcoming months, take a look at the changes which are on the horizon:
Edge Computing
While most organisations have already migrated to the cloud, edge computing is bringing things a little closer to home. The rise of the Internet of Things, or IoT, means that the number of devices featuring internet connectivity has grown exponentially. At the same time, applications have advanced significantly, which means many are now offering real-time functionality. These advances inevitably result in the need for higher speeds and lower bandwidth costs. Edge computing provides both.
By processing data closer to ‘the edge’, the system ensures users can benefit from lightning-fast speeds and constant accessibility. As public sector service providers routinely cater to millions of users, the ability to reduce the cost and increase the speed of their applications ensures they can operate efficiently.
A New Era of Employment
Like many private companies, public sector organisations have changed the way they function in 2020. With millions of people working from home due to COVID-19, many departments are now embracing the concept of distributed workforces. There’s no doubt that the public sector will welcome the reduced expenditure associated with a work-from-home staff but what about cybersecurity?
When people work from remote locations, the risk of cyber attacks or security breaches increases. With various different devices being used, for example, UK public sector organisations need to ensure that universal security measures are in place to prevent viruses, hackers and malware from infiltrating their systems.
Increased Security
Fortunately, new concepts are on the horizon. Zero Trust policies are being welcomed in public sector environments because of the enhanced level of protection they offer. Instead of assuming that actions, apps or authorisations inside the departmental firewall are authentic, the Zero Trust concept assumes that everything is a potential breach, regardless of where it originates from. By incorporating consistent verifications and ‘just-in-time’ or ‘just-enough-access’ policies, public sector organisations are implementing adaptable policies that serve an evolving workforce.
Similarly, the public sector is embracing models that eradicate the use of unauthorised apps, software and programs. Known as ‘shadow IT’, employees will often use IT resources that have not been sanctioned by their employer. Although they may do this with good intentions, such as improving productivity, the security risk posed is too great to ignore. With shadow IT guidelines being introduced, a more streamlined and universal approach is increasing security across the sector.
With so many new technologies and concepts on the horizon, it’s easy to see why the techUK ‘Building the Smarter State’ conference is set to be the best yet!
By Bipin Kulkarni and Sarveshwar Desai, Gemraj Technologies
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