Optimizing Deep Freeze for Low-Bandwidth Locations: Best Practices for Remote Offices and Branches

Sometimes it’s worth remarking that many of us have the ability to stop whatever we’re doing, pull out a computerized device and look up pretty much anything we want to, thanks to encoded information that literally travels through the air. Wi-Fi and cellular data are incredible human achievements. So the next time we’re furious that a video of a black bear in somebody’s hot tub won’t load while we scroll our phones on the train, maybe we should take a moment to be grateful this technology exists at all. 

That stipulation notwithstanding, when it comes to work, we really do need our internet connection to function properly. Unfortunately, many remote and branch offices suffer from slow network connections, making traditional, on-site IT management and large-scale software deployments difficult.

Deep Freeze by Faronics is a tool that can address these challenges. With unique Reboot To Restore technology and cloud-based management, Deep Freeze can simplify IT, reduce help desk tickets and maintain security without requiring high-bandwidth connections.

Deep Freeze Cloud for Remote Management

Deep Freeze Cloud provides organizations with a centralized, cloud-based console. With such a tool, IT staff don’t need to be on-site to provide support. It’s possible to perform IT duties from anywhere, offering a critical benefit for geographically dispersed workforces.

Furthermore, Deep Freeze has a minimal network impact. The core functionality of Deep Freeze is Reboot To Restore — technology that can make your workstations virtually indestructible. By placing critical applications and sensitive information on a “Frozen” drive, you protect it from outside threats and unauthorized configuration changes. Every time you turn a computer off and back on again, everything on the Frozen drive resets to a predetermined pristine state. You never have to worry about what happened in the previous session; everything will be as it should upon restart.

This isn’t only a powerful cybersecurity tool; it significantly alleviates the burden on IT resources. With Reboot To Restore, the end user can resolve most problems. IT staff sometimes roll their eyes at users’ lack of computer savvy, but even the most computer-illiterate individual knows how to turn the machine off and back on again. And thanks to Deep Freeze, doing this can solve a vast array of problems. Remote troubleshooting sessions that might strain a low-bandwidth connection are often unnecessary.

Key Features and Best Practices for Low-Bandwidth Networks

Here are some Deep Freeze best practices your organization can implement to get the most out of a low-bandwidth network.

Schedule Maintenance Windows

You can schedule “Thawed” periods during off-peak hours, such as at night, to perform updates. The Thawed drive is where you place applications and data that are changeable. By Thawing the entire computer, you allow for critical upgrades and modifications. 

Scheduling this outside of office hours prevents bandwidth-intensive tasks, such as Windows Updates and other software patches, from interfering with daily operations. Furthermore, the ability to automatically re-freeze the system once the updates are complete ensures the computer is protected once again.

Utilize ThawSpaces and the Data Igloo

Many remote workers are concerned about data loss. Deep Freeze has ThawSpaces, which are unprotected partitions where users can save data permanently. This is where workers can save work progress and documents that don’t contain sensitive information.

Furthermore, there’s Faronics Data Igloo: a free utility that allows IT to redirect specific folders (such as “My Documents”) to a thawed partition, ensuring user data is retained after a reboot.

Provide Remote Troubleshooting and Support as Needed

There are remote access tools available through the Deep Freeze Cloud console, such as RDP and VNC. While these tools can be bandwidth-intensive, you only need to use them for complex issues that a simple reboot cannot fix.

Benefits Beyond Bandwidth: A More Resilient Remote Workforce

Maximizing available bandwidth for IT purposes is only one benefit of Deep Freeze. Other benefits include:

• Increased security: Deep Freeze protects against accidental misconfigurations, zero-day threats and malware because it wipes out all unwanted changes upon reboot. This is particularly important for remote workers, who may be operating on less secure networks.
• Empowered end users: Deep Freeze empowers remote staff to solve their own simple problems with a restart, reducing reliance on the help desk and increasing their productivity.
• Consistent and compliant endpoints: Deep Freeze ensures all remote computers maintain a consistent configuration, which simplifies management and helps with software license compliance.

Use Deep Freeze as a Strategic Asset

Deep Freeze offers simplicity, efficiency and a cloud-based approach — a perfect fit for the challenges of managing IT in remote and low-bandwidth environments. Please reach out to our experts today to learn more.