Applications — especially modern apps that leverage cloud at scale — are core to successful digital transformation efforts. Organizations increasingly modernize apps to enhance customer value, manage risk and grow their businesses. So, it is natural that modern apps play a crucial role in how organizations and governments respond to COVID-19.
I am humbled that during this crisis so many organizations and governments ask VMware to help them accelerate their digital transformation. I attribute that to the trust we’ve earned with them over the years, and to our comprehensive software stack for modern apps — spanning apps to infrastructure — which empowers them to get their solutions to production so fast.
Here are three more inspiring examples of how governments, nonprofit organizations and businesses are reacting to this global crisis—with modern apps.
An App That Enables Contact Tracing
Take, for example, the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS), which is tasked with reducing the transmission of COVID-19. In a matter of weeks, the NHS — in collaboration with VMware Pivotal Labs, and alongside other expertise from the government and industry — developed an opt-in contact tracing mobile app that uses Bluetooth Low Energy as part of its wider approach of contact tracing and testing. The app alerts people who may have been exposed so they can take action to protect themselves and the people they care about.
VMware is involved because of our unique combination of software and services that empower developers to deliver better software faster, while enabling the highest level of security and operations. Our collaboration with the NHS, along with wider research supported by epidemiologists, mathematical modelers and ethicists, prioritizes security and privacy in all stages of the app’s development and use.
An App That Matches Working Families to Childcare Providers
Another great, yet very different example is our work with Carina. Many parents — especially those who are essential workers, like nurses, grocery store workers and public servants — are struggling to find childcare. So, we have teamed up with the non-profit to develop an app that matches working families with licensed, affordable and COVID-19 protocol prepared childcare providers.
Bringing Employees Back to Work
In addition to helping their customers, organizations are also grappling with the right way to bring their employees back to work. Here are some examples of how they are using the VMware Workspace ONE platform to enable rapid business continuity for employees.
However, going forward, while some employees can continue to work remotely, for many industries, physical workplaces require essential employees to return to work onsite. Organizations will be challenged with enabling employee productivity while balancing safety and security. To address these new ways of working, VMware plans to introduce capabilities on the Workspace ONE platform that help organizations safely bring employees back to work, while helping to preserve security and privacy.
While we are amid an ever-changing global crisis, the examples I mentioned above illustrate the good that we can all do when we come together to tackle a challenge. We are proud that our technology and services, as well as our team members, are part of the solution for our customers.
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