January 2021 Summaries

Intern season at Box is a celebrated time when the company welcomes interns globally to engage in projects that significantly impact its products and business initiatives. Naoki Okada, a recent intern from Tufts University, shared his experience working on the Skynet team, where he developed a tool for automated service validation in Box's Kubernetes infrastructure. Despite a steep learning curve due to his initial unfamiliarity with Kubernetes and Docker, Naoki appreciated the support from experienced engineers and his mentor, who provided valuable industry insights and guidance. He highlighted the importance of being intentional and taking a step-by-step approach to maximize the 12-week internship experience. Additionally, Naoki valued the candid interactions with colleagues and the opportunity to participate in a Q&A session with Box CEO Aaron Levie, gaining honest insights into leadership and company operations.

Box CEO Aaron Levie urges the Biden-Harris administration to address key issues crucial to maintaining America's leadership in technological innovation and economic competitiveness. He emphasizes the need for robust investment in tech infrastructure, modernized regulations for digital platforms, and a harmonized approach to data security in light of recent cyberattacks like SolarWinds. Levie advocates for an educational overhaul focusing on STEM to prepare the workforce for future job markets, while also calling for policies that support small businesses and protect those impacted by COVID-19. Highlighting the role of immigrants in American innovation, he warns against restrictive immigration policies that could hinder access to global talent, advocating for a system that adapts to market demands. Levie reaffirms Box's commitment to working with the administration to navigate these challenges and secure America's future as a tech leader.

IT executives are prioritizing efficiency and time savings while maintaining security by integrating cloud content management platforms with core business applications, a strategy shown to reduce content fragmentation and enhance security. A survey conducted by Pulse and Box with 100 global enterprise IT executives revealed that integrating their content management systems with other apps not only improves security and reduces errors but also helps mitigate the risks of data leakage and security breaches caused by content fragmentation. The survey highlighted that 87% of executives noted a reduction in storage costs by integrating business applications with cloud content management systems offering unlimited storage, thereby avoiding overage fees from other business applications. The findings underscore the financial benefits, including storage cost savings, and improved organizational security that come with software integrations, with Box customers exemplifying these advantages through their use of over 1,500 partner integrations.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the transformation of traditional work environments, prompting companies to embrace remote work and leverage cloud technology to enhance collaboration and productivity. As organizations reevaluate their operational models, a shift towards flexible workweeks has garnered broad support, with 73% of executives affirming the success of remote work. Entities such as hospitals and government agencies are increasingly adopting cloud platforms to ensure secure, efficient workflows and collaborative capabilities. Despite significant progress, the full potential of cloud technology remains untapped, suggesting an imminent surge in adoption that will redefine global work practices. The International Data Corporation anticipates that by the end of 2021, 80% of enterprises will transition to cloud-centric infrastructures, driven by the need for innovation and improved business processes. This transformation underscores the realization that impactful ideas are not confined to physical office spaces, positioning organizations that innovate and adapt as leaders in the new era of work.

Crossland Construction, a family-run business with over 1,500 employees, has effectively leveraged Box's cloud content management platform for a decade, providing secure, remote access to essential content across its multiple regional offices and teams working in the field. This strategic use of Box, alongside Okta, has enabled Crossland to maintain seamless operations, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing employees to transition smoothly to remote work without noticing significant changes. The integration of Box has yielded substantial efficiencies across various business functions, including construction management, learning programs, and accounting, resulting in time and cost savings, improved reporting accuracy, and enhanced project management. Christiansen, Crossland's Database Administrator, emphasizes the importance of selecting reliable and intuitive cloud solutions and advises that transitioning to cloud content management requires a cultural shift in the company. Despite evaluating other cloud management tools, she remains confident in Box's ability to consistently meet the company's needs, highlighting its role in complying with security and regulatory requirements while offering robust sharing and privacy controls.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chief Security Officers (CSOs) from Box and Okta have highlighted critical security trends as organizations adapt to a rapidly changing digital landscape. The shift to remote work has necessitated a transition from traditional centralized security models to ones prioritizing identity and data protection, emphasizing seamless and secure access for employees. Automation has emerged as a vital tool, helping security teams efficiently manage increasing threats while allowing them to focus on response rather than detection. The rise in sophisticated phishing and identity attacks has underscored the need for enhanced security measures, such as multi-factor authentication and passwordless login experiences like Okta FastPass, which improve both security and user experience. As the world continues to navigate digital transformation, the focus remains on leveraging automation and data to strengthen security frameworks and ensure resilience in the face of evolving threats.