DEA was able to move quickly because it had already laid much of the groundwork for a secure remote workforce before COVID.

According to Maura Quinn, Deputy Assistant Administrator of the Information Systems Division, DEA already had:

• A largely mobile workforce
• Smartphones deployed across the organization
• Mobile device management (MDM) in place to secure those phones
• A virtual desktop interface (VDI) solution
• A virtual private network (VPN) solution

Before COVID, the agency could support about 1,200 concurrent VDI users and 900 concurrent VPN users, serving a workforce of roughly 15,000 people. That capacity was not enough for “max telework,” so the team focused on rapid expansion.

By the time maximum telework was required, DEA had scaled to:

• 10,000 concurrent VPN users
• 2,500 concurrent VDI users

In total, the agency can now support about 12,500 concurrent remote users, allowing most of the workforce to connect securely at the same time.

DEA uses a combination of secure devices, network access controls, and identity verification to protect remote work.

Key elements include:

• Mobile devices with MDM: Smartphones are centrally managed using mobile device management, which lets DEA secure, configure, and control access to agency resources.
• VPN for government laptops: About 10,000 laptops can connect via VPN to the internal network. Access requires a PIV card or multi-factor authentication, ensuring only authorized users connect.
• VDI for “bring your own device” scenarios: VDI supports around 2,500 concurrent users, allowing staff to securely access DEA environments from either personal devices or other government devices, using DEA-issued credentials.

Together, VPN and VDI support up to 12,500 concurrent users, giving DEA flexibility in how employees connect while maintaining strong security controls.

With the core remote access infrastructure in place, DEA is now looking at how to reimagine day-to-day work in a more flexible environment.

Future priorities include:

• Enhancing field capabilities: DEA is exploring ways for field staff to securely move data from smartphones into agency systems, including scanning documents and transferring evidence securely.
• Improving secure data flows: The focus is on enabling new, secure workflows for handling sensitive information outside the traditional office setting.
• Balancing telework and office time: Quinn notes that some employees are experiencing “telework fatigue” and want to return to the office. DEA expects to aim for a more balanced mix of telework and in-person work over the long term.

In short, the agency is shifting from just “making telework possible” to reshaping how work gets done securely, both in the field and in the office.