Leveraging communication and collaboration tools during COVID-19

This page has been archived on the Web

Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please contact us to request a format other than those available.

April 27, 2020 – Defence Stories

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to use alternatives to the Defence Virtual Private Network Infrastructure (DVPNI) to communicate throughout the department while working remotely. To facilitate communication and collaboration during this period of limited DWAN access and face-to-face interactions, consider using personal devices and public platforms to effectively keep in contact with your employees, and to help team members stay connected.

We highlight five reputable and popular tools below in a comparative summary: MS Teams (part of Defence O365), Google Hangouts, Slack, WhatsApp, and FaceTime. We suggest that you engage your teams in exploring the depth and breadth of MS Teams as Office 365 - a cloud-based MS suite of tools will soon be accessible across DND with the rollout of Defence O365. Make sure you familiarize yourself with Office 365 to develop skills and get comfortable with new and effective ways of staying connected throughout the organization.

-
MS Teams

Google Hangouts

Slack

What’s App

Facetime
Accessed from Laptop/Desktop/
Smartphone
Laptop/Desktop/
Smartphone
Laptop/Desktop/
Smartphone
Laptop/Desktop/
Smartphone
Apple products only
Video Calls Two or more people Two or more people Two or more people Two or more people Two or more people
Audio Calls Two or more people Two or more people Two or more people Two or more people Two or more people
Instant messaging Two or more people Two or more people Two or more people Two or more people no
Desktop sharing Two or more people Two or more people Two or more people no no
Filesharing Two or more people Two or more people Two or more people no no
Shared calendar Two or more people no no no no

When using these tools, please remember to:

For more guidance and information on best practices for working securely and remotely, check out the DND/CAF Security Guide for Teleworking during the COVID-19 Response.

Page details

Date modified: