Zoom was the fastest growing app within the network, with 110 percent growth in unique workforce users in March over February. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Stay-at-home orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated an already growing trend of increased usage of work-from-home apps and other tools – not to mention more "comfy pants," according to Okta's report "2020 Businesses@Work (from Home)."

Growth during the pandemic has especially occurred in two major areas: collaboration tools, especially video conferencing apps, and network security tools such as VPNs that extend secure access to remote workers, OKTA found in its analysis of unique users among Okta customers that have deployed at least one app through the Okta Integration Network.

Related: Most popular and fastest-growing workplace apps

"Workforces need it to be productive, but families are using video conferencing to stay in touch, friends are scheduling get-togethers, and both educational and extra-curricular classes are moving online," OKTA writes. "So it will probably come as no surprise that three of our top seven fastest growing apps are video conferencing tools."

Zoom was the fastest growing app within the network, with 110 percent growth in unique workforce users in March over February. This compares to 6 percent growth in Zoom usage during that same time period in 2019. Other video conferencing tools within the top 10 fastest growing apps and tools was RingCentral, which ranked sixth with 39 percent growth, and Cisco Webex, which ranked seventh with 37 percent growth.

Also on Okta's top 10 fastest growing list are network security and performance tools. Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect ranked second, with 94 percent growth in March over February, compared to 20 percent for that same period in 2019. Cisco AnyConnect ranked third, with 86 percent growth.

"These VPN tools provide security and ensure business continuity as organizations move workforces to the cloud at scale," OKTA writes. "Citrix ADC, which accelerates application performance and secures apps from attacks, had 56 percent month-over-month growth in that same period. Proofpoint Security Awareness Training was the fifth fastest growing app, with 40 percent growth."

Others that made the top 10 include Freshservice's cloud-based IT service desk solution, with 25 percent growth; LinkedIn Learning, 23 percent; DocuSign, 20 percent; Slack, 19 percent; Quip, 15 percent; Smartsheet, 14 percent; and Zscaler, 14 percent.

Okta also found especially large upticks in organizational usage of multi-factor authentication in the past month to ensure remote workforces have secure access to company data. Okta Verify, including Okta Verify with Push notifications, had the most unique user growth at 80 percent, followed by SMS, voice, Google Authenticator, Symantec VIP and YubiKey.

"Our customers around the world have reacted to the pandemic quickly, rolling out remote communication apps, extending VPNs, and adding multi-factor authentication to ensure the productivity, connectivity, and security of their (now) remote workforces," Okta writes. "This first phase of evolution enables remote work so companies can thrive. Once the dust settles, we believe companies will be ready to face a second phase of evolution, adding apps and tools that will not just enable remote productivity, but enhance what will likely become a 'new normal' of dynamic work."

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