In the municipality of Ajuntament de Malgrat del Mar in Barcelona, the local government faced a significant challenge during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The need for effective remote work solutions became crucial to maintain uninterrupted municipal services. Read how Ajuntament de Malgrat del Mar navigated these uncharted waters by adopting Parallels Secure Workspace. 

The issue 

Prior to 2020, Ajuntament de Malgrat del Mar had no remote work infrastructure. The pandemic triggered the need for a remote work solution to ensure continuity in essential services like employee payments, provider interactions, and urgent reporting. Initially, limited remote access through VPN and firewall protection was set up for key roles, but this was a stopgap measure, lacking in licenses and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for enhanced security. With 170-180 employees, Ajuntament de Malgrat del Mar needed to implement a simple, secure, and affordable remote work solution.   

After evaluating various remote work solutions, Ajuntament de Malgrat del Mar’s leadership team was introduced to Parallels Secure Workspace. They were impressed with its speedy installation and cost-effectiveness. Mendoza Hugas, the head of IT, emphasized the rarity of finding secure remote access solutions. After extensive testing and a successful pilot with a small group, they found that Parallels Secure Workspace met all their stringent requirements. 

The solution 

The primary focus for Ajuntament de Malgrat del Mar was implementing a remote work solution that offered data security and a swift implementation. Parallels Secure Workspace was an ideal solution, with its MFA capability and minimal infrastructure demands. The IT department quickly deployed it across all departments, enabling secure and efficient remote work. 

Key benefits realized  

1. Remote work: Employees can now remotely and securely access the desktops and resources they need to manage city business. 

2. Security: With MFA enabled, the Ajuntament de Malgrat del Mar city council and employees can access the files and data they need from anywhere, safely and securely. 

3. Simplicity: Users can easily log on and access their entire desktop via the browser; implementation time and effort for IT admins was equally minimal. 

4. Time/cost savings: Not only does Parallels Secure Workspace not require multiple licenses or expensive hardware, but it also saves the IT team significant time. 

The adoption of Parallels Secure Workspace as a remote work solution enabled councilors, directors, and the mayor to continue their work outside office hours securely and effortlessly. Moreover, it revolutionized the IT department’s approach to support, allowing most issues to be resolved remotely, enhancing efficiency and reducing the need for in-person interventions. 

Read the complete case study or trial Parallels Secure Workspacetoday at your organization.