Crestron® Virtual Control (VC-4) is a Linux-based control platform for enterprise applications that can be used in place of traditional hardware‑based Crestron control systems.   The VC-4 platform controls multiple rooms over the network from a single, centralized location. Cloud‑based monitoring is also available through XiO Cloud, Crestron’s IoT (Internet of Things) monitoring system.

Readers should note that the Crestron VC-4 is not, as shipped, a secured platform. But rather, has the ability to be secured. Without going too deep into the differences between Alma Linux versus Rocky Linux, let’s just say, it’s not easy, and you will want an experienced Linux administrator to secure the device.

The workplace is undergoing a digital transformation. The global pandemic that rocked the globe in 2020 sent millions of workers in Phoenix, AZ, and across the U.S. to work out of home offices, collaborate with teammates in the cloud, and meet over video instead of in person. Now, as people start trickling back to the office, they have new expectations for the environment they work in and the technology they use. Making Zoom calls from home is easy — now, employees want the in-office experience to be as easy as clicking a link and jumping on a video call.

And with Crestron Flex, it can be. Flex is an all-in-one unified communications solution that delivers everything you need in the conference room on a single, user-friendly platform. Flex was designed to support the new hybrid workplace and facilitate the digital workplace transformation. So what do you get with Flex’s single solution? Keep reading to find out.

In a hybrid workplace model, employees have the freedom and flexibility to choose where they work day-to-day. For some workers, that’s alternating days in the office with days at home. For others, that’s only coming to the office for all-hands meetings or team events. So how can your organization reconcile differing employee schedules and work styles while keeping everyone connected?

The key to creating an effective hybrid workplace is cultivating an office environment where employees are just as comfortable, productive, and efficient as they are at home. A successful hybrid model allows employees to move fluidly between home and office workspaces and have the best tools and conditions to thrive in both. 

Tools like workplace experience apps, Crestron Flex room systems, and video conferencing platforms, combined with a fresh office re-design, can help your organization in Tempe, AZ, or elsewhere in the U.S. build the kind of workplace that makes workers want to come to the office. 

Keep reading to learn three tips for implementing a hybrid model in your office spaces. 

Although the stirrings of a digital revolution have been present for years, the COVID-19 crisis that rocked the globe in 2020 catalyzed an abrupt shift from in-person to remote work for organizations in Scottsdale, AZ, and across the U.S. And now that employees have gotten a taste of the work-from-home life, there’s no going back to the way work was performed before. 

Organizations are beginning to accept that the digital workplace is here to stay. Successfully embracing the shift to digital means investing in the technologies that foster communications, collaboration, and innovation among remote and in-person employees. Technology manufacturers like Crestron are guiding the digital evolution with products like Crestron Flex and XiO Cloud that enable globally dispersed hybrid workforces to thrive.

Keep reading to learn more about where we see the digital workplace moving over the next few years. 

Employees want their employers to invest more in hybrid workplace technology. That’s the key takeaway from a recent study by Barco ClickShare, which surveyed 1,750 employees worldwide to get their thoughts on returning to the office in a post-pandemic environment.

Video conferencing technology tops the list of priority investments. On average, 77% of respondents said they use video conferencing systems at least once a week, with 28% using them every day. That isn’t surprising, considering the hybrid workplace model depends on robust video conferencing to facilitate communications and collaboration between globally dispersed workforces.

As employees return to the office, large and small organizations in Phoenix, AZ, and across the globe are scrambling to figure out the best way to provide video conferencing in the office. Two systems have emerged: native conferencing and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) solutions.

A third option is rising to bridge the gap between native conferencing and BYOD to bring the ultimate video conferencing experience to meeting spaces. Crestron Flex is an all-in-one conferencing room system that combines the simplicity of native conferencing with the flexibility of BYOD modes.

Keep reading to learn more about native video conferencing, BYOD solutions, and why you can (and should) have both in your hybrid workplace. 

Booking a free meeting space is one of the most common pain points workplace leaders face in the office. Often, disorganized scheduling systems lead to double-bookings that slow the flow of operations and result in lost productivity. And not only do double-bookings result in office inefficiencies but simply securing meeting space is hugely time-wasting for organizations. One research study suggests that workers spend up to 60 minutes per week searching for available conference rooms. 

Meeting room systems are incredibly costly for your organization to set up and maintain. One solution for optimizing room efficiency is conference room scheduling that gives employees complete access to when and where meeting rooms are available 24/7. Crestron’s room scheduling solutions help your organization – whether in Tempe, AZ, or across the globe – manage the flow of people and ideas. Keep reading to learn how.

Meetings are a fact of life in the modern-day workplace. Still, all too often, the primary functions of office meetings are overshadowed by technical issues and disruptions that break the flow of collaborative efforts. Smart meeting room control systems like Creston Flex can help eliminate process inefficiencies and improve the meeting room experience by centralizing control of vital room systems and functions.

As the modern workplace moves into the cloud, workplace management needs to follow. Crestron’s XiO Cloud is an IoT-based solution designed for the needs of digital and hybrid workplaces. XiO Cloud allows organizations to configure, manage, and troubleshoot all supported Crestron devices in a centralized, secure cloud location. It’s built on Microsoft® Azure®, Microsoft’s safe and reliable public cloud computing platform.