Everyday hundreds of millions of workers in the world turn on their Windows-based computers several times a day and spend many productive hours on a Windows desktop interface using their favorite software applications. While this worked very well for the last 30 years, the world has changed in many ways. Workers want to access their Windows-based business applications and data from anywhere through a variety of devices; and employers wish to protect and secure their company information, while minimizing the total costs of ownership of their desktops, applications, and networks.
What Is a Hosted Virtual Desktop (HVD)?
A Hosted Virtual Desktop (HVD) is a cloud-based solution that delivers a complete Windows desktop environment over the internet. Unlike a traditional desktop where the operating system, applications, and data reside on the local device, a virtual hosted desktop runs entirely on secure servers maintained by a service provider. Users connect to their hosted Windows desktop from anywhere, using any device, while the computing power, storage, and management remain centralized in the cloud.
At its core, a cloud hosted virtual desktop is built on virtual machines running in a managed hosting environment. These desktops are delivered to end users over a secure internet connection, providing the same interface and functionality as a physical PC. With support from technologies such as Microsoft, Citrix, and VMware, virtual desktop online solutions ensure reliable performance and a consistent user experience across devices.
Key advantages of cloud hosted virtual desktops include:
- Access from any device, anywhere, with a consistent Windows desktop experience
- Centralized management, reducing IT overhead and simplifying updates
- Scalable resources, enabling quick provisioning of new desktops or decommissioning as needed
- Enhanced security with routine backups, monitoring, and compliance support
A virtual hosted desktop combines the familiarity of a traditional PC with the resilience and flexibility of cloud computing, making it an increasingly valuable solution for modern businesses.
How Do Hosted Virtual Desktops Work?
A hosted virtual desktop operates on powerful cloud servers housed in secure data centers. Instead of running directly on a physical computer, the operating system, applications, and data all execute on centralized servers. Users connect to their hosted Windows desktop through a secure internet connection, typically using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) or similar technologies, via a client application or even a web browser. What reaches the device is only the desktop interface, streamed in real time, while all processing and storage remain within the provider’s infrastructure.
This model of virtual computer hosting ensures that resources such as CPU, RAM, and storage are dynamically allocated based on the desktop type. Organizations can choose between session-based desktops, where resources are shared across multiple users, or dedicated desktops, where each user is assigned a separate environment.
For employees, the experience of using a virtual hosted desktop is seamless. Whether on a PC, Mac, tablet, or smartphone, they can access a full Windows environment without being tied to a specific device. Reliable internet connectivity remains key to ensuring smooth performance when working on a virtual desktop online.
Why Hosted Virtual Desktops?
Traditional desktops have high lifecycle costs. After factoring in all the costs, the total cost of ownership (TCO) of a PC exceeds $5,000 per year, according to Gartner, a leading consulting company. TCO includes hardware and software acquisition, management and support, communications, end-user expenses, opportunity cost of downtime, training, and other productivity losses. Adoption of hosted virtual desktops can result in significantly lower TCO, primarily by optimum utilization of physical machines, through the economy of scale achieved by centralization of IT infrastructure and services, and due to competitive market forces existing in the Cloud services business.
Virtualization is a technology that works like magic. With virtualization software from vendors such as Microsoft, Citrix, and VMware, physical machines can be divided into virtual machines that behave like their physical counterparts in all respects. Windows virtual desktops can be conjured up with the desired configuration, and upgraded easily in minutes with provisioning software. Therefore, virtual machines are better suited than physical machines to the changing needs of businesses. They are easier to manage and utilize the physical resources in a more optimum manner. The end result – lower capital and operating cost per virtual desktop.
We combine virtualization, cloud hosting, software applications, 24/7 managed services, and month-to-month billing to give you Desktop-as-a-Service, including Citrix Virtual Apps & Desktops solutions.
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A low-cost way to improve access to an application is to host it in the Cloud. Cloud Solution Providers such as Apps4Rent have provided low-cost Microsoft software hosting for over a decade, with high reliability, security, and support. Virtual desktops are just another software application. A Cloud Solution Provider takes a cluster of physical machines and builds a large number of virtual machines with software; makes them accessible from internet in a secure way and combines them with provisioning, management and billing control panels. The whole package with services and support is offered at a monthly price per desktop. This service is known as hosted Virtual Desktop or Desktop as a service (DaaS).
Virtual Desktop Plans and Pricing
Session-Based VDI
*For first 3 months
- Grid-powered RAM & vCPU
- 5 GB SSD Disk
- Install Office 365 or Excel
- No booster
plan - 99.9% uptime
- Daily backups
- 15-day risk-free trial
Dedicated VDI Bronze
Save 10% yearly
- 2 GB RAM & 2 vCPU
- 40 GB SSD Disk
- Add custom applications
- Booster plan available
- 99.9% uptime
- Daily backups
- 15-day risk-free trial
Dedicated VDI Silver
Save 10% yearly
- 4 GB RAM & 2 vCPU
- 50 GB SSD Disk
- Add custom applications
- Booster plan available
- 99.9% uptime
- Daily backups
- 15-day risk-free trial
Dedicated VDI Gold
Save 10% yearly
- 8 GB RAM & 4 vCPU
- 65 GB SSD Disk
- Add custom applications
- Booster plan available
- 99.9% uptime
- Daily backups
- 15-day risk-free trial
Benefits of Choosing a Hosted Virtual Desktop
A hosted virtual desktop combines flexibility, cost savings, and security, making it a practical choice for businesses of all sizes. By running desktops in the cloud, organizations gain predictable costs, improved security, and seamless access for users, while reducing IT overhead.
Cost-Effective and
Maintenance-Free
With a hosted virtual desktop, there is no need to purchase or upgrade physical machines, which lowers overall expenses. Costs related to hardware, software, and downtime are reduced, while updates, backups, and patching are managed by the provider. This not only minimizes IT workload but also shifts large upfront capital expenses into predictable monthly operating costs.
Enhanced Security and Compliance
Storing data in secure cloud environments instead of endpoint devices significantly reduces risks from loss or theft. Features such as encryption, multi-factor authentication, and continuous monitoring safeguard access and prevent vulnerabilities. Hosting providers also maintain compliance with industry standards like HIPAA or GDPR, ensuring businesses meet regulatory requirements with less effort.
Seamless Access and User Experience
A virtual hosted desktop offers a consistent experience across PCs, Macs, tablets, and smartphones. Users can resume sessions instantly without losing progress, while optimized protocols deliver responsive performance. Support for peripherals like printers and USB devices ensures the desktop feels as familiar and functional as a traditional Windows environment.
Business Continuity and Flexibility
Cloud hosted virtual desktops provide built-in disaster recovery with automated backups and failover options. They can be scaled quickly to meet seasonal demand or workforce changes, enabling businesses to stay agile. Remote employees gain secure access from anywhere, and organizations can transition easily from legacy on-premises setups to a fully cloud-hosted model.
Session-Based vs Dedicated Virtual Desktops
Hosted virtual desktops come in two different designs – session-based and dedicated. These are analogous to shared and dedicated web hosting platforms.
With session virtualization, the users share the OS and applications installed on the server, and the underlying resources of RAM and CPU. With dedicated virtual desktops, each user gets a separate OS instance with its installed applications.
In session-based desktops, system resources like the RAM and virtual CPU are shared and powered from the grid; these are capable of being bursted to their maximum capacity for blazing speeds – depending on the loads on the server at a given point of time. This allows for a much more efficient and economical use.
Session-based virtual desktops are an economical solution to deliver applications to users with less variable needs. Dedicated virtual desktops suit those who need higher resources, personalization, and control.
Users (such as tech support or data entry) who have less intensive computing and user personalization requirements, and where centralized applications are accessed by end users, session virtualization is an optimal solution.
Users with specialized requirements for high level computing, user personalization and data storage are better off with dedicated virtual desktops.
Practically, Apps4Rent offers session-based desktops that come with Open Office and over 20 free apps. Subscribers have the option of adding MS Office Standard or MS Professional Plus. In these desktops, Apps4Rent is the sole administrator; subscribers do not have application installation rights. Some companies prefer this arrangement as this is much more controllable environment. Apps4Rent can install other desktop applications for the customer, depending on licensing rights possessed by the customer.
In dedicated desktops, as the name implies, RAM and virtual CPU are dedicated, not shared. In addition to the 20 free, pre-installed applications, the dedicated desktop users also get the freedom to install their own custom applications like line-of-business software and more. As a Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider, Apps4Rent’s dedicated desktops also offer the option to install MS Office 365 ProPlus; this advanced cloud version of MS Office comes with a host of enhancements like fully installed Office on 5 PCs/Macs, 5 tablets, and 5 smartphones as well as 1 TB of cloud storage on OneDrive for Business, and many more features.
Need Help Choosing Between Session and Dedicated?
Our technical team can assess your specific use case and recommend the best approach for your organization.
How are Apps4Rent’s Hosted Virtual Desktops Different?
Three of the top players in desktop virtualization technologies include VMware, Microsoft and Citrix. Apps4Rent has chosen to bring you hosted virtual desktops that are powered by Microsoft and Citrix technologies as these are more affordable for small and medium sized businesses. We offer the best prices for fully managed hosted virtual desktops in the industry.
While doing it, we always keep in mind the real-life requirements and budgets of small and mid-sized businesses. To cite a specific example, some of the bigger vendors have a minimum number of virtual desktops to be signed up for and it is often as high as 50 or its multiples. Whereas, with us, you could sign up for even a single virtual desktop, get it provisioned, be up and running in a matter of minutes.
Apps4Rent allows you to install your own custom applications on your dedicated virtual desktops – the intent is to help you move your entire digital workspace to the cloud, and not just parts of it. Moving everything that is on your local PC or laptop to a virtual desktop, with all your line-of-business applications, is what we consider to be a true virtual desktop solution. We also try to keep the costs down as much as possible for you. One of our unique offering is “Add-on Users”, something you would hardly find with any of the other providers. This simply means that you can keep adding more users to the same virtual desktops, without having to buy a new virtual desktop for every new user. Add-on users is our unique concept aimed at making virtualization affordable for small businesses and teams of professionals.
Two other features – Windows 8 experience and “Shared Space” – are also unique to the virtual desktops from us. The choices available with almost all of the current providers do not include the Windows 8 experience. Meanwhile, the “Shared Space” is a feature that you would not find in any other virtual desktop, even if you are willing to shell out extra money for it. In our virtual desktops, once an Add-on User is added, the primary user as well as the Add-on User gets GBs of additional space (in addition to the main disk space that comes with the plan). This shared space proves invaluable for sharing documents, files, folders, and much more with all the users of the same virtual desktop. Outside of this unique feature of “Shared Space” in Apps4Rent virtual desktops, other providers make it extremely cumbersome and complex to share information between different virtual desktop users.
The most crucial differentiator when you are looking for a hosted virtual desktop is the support service. Our virtual desktops come with 24 x 7 x 365 live support directly from teams of experts that work round-the-clock for our customers. You could just pick up the phone, make a call, and get your issue resolved in real time, often in a few minutes. Our support team is also available to you on live chat as well as email, should you prefer to write out your needs. Whether it is on phone, chat, or email, you can be assured of having the smallest of issues addressed with equal attention.
Your Success Starts with Our Superior Support
See why thousands of businesses trust Apps4Rent for their virtual desktop needs. Start with a risk-free trial.
Hosted Virtual Desktops vs Traditional Desktops
When new users initially try a hosted virtual desktop, they want to be assured that it behaves very similar to their regular desktop. They are pleasantly surprised how easily they can access their hosted desktop; how similar it looks to the Windows interface on their local machines; how natural is the process of installation of applications including Microsoft Office/Office 365; and how smoothly one can interface between virtual environment and local resources such as USBs, monitors, and printers.
Key Benefits
Always On
The “always on” nature of the desktop is a great time saver. This saves valuable time for users, who can leave all their important applications running on their hosted desktop, and immediately start working from where they left off when they connect to the hosted desktop.
Device Flexibility
Accessibility of a hosted desktop from a variety of devices is another advantage. The ease of accessing the hosted desktop from all these devices promises round the clock productivity. And if one device fails, your work can be accessed from any other device without suffering any downtime.
Extended Hardware Life
Hosted virtual desktops give a new life to older physical machines. Older models of PCs, laptops, and other devices can be made to work as efficiently as the latest ones.
Enhanced Security
The peace of mind that comes with a fully managed hosted desktop favors it over a local one. Your hosted desktop data will always be backed up. Security is built into the design of the hosted virtual desktop. Anti-virus and firewall is built-in.
What our customers love about our hosted desktops – look and feel like traditional desktops, always on, accessible from any device, data is backed up, resources are scalable, and there is always someone knowledgeable to help.
Hosted Virtual Desktops vs Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
| Criteria | Hosted Virtual Desktop | Virtual Desktop Infrastructure |
|---|---|---|
| Setup and Maintenance | Fully managed by the hosting provider, with no need for internal IT to handle servers, patching, or updates. | Requires in-house infrastructure, ongoing server maintenance, updates, and a skilled IT team. |
| Upfront Costs | Minimal initial investment with predictable monthly subscription pricing. | High capital expense for servers, storage, networking, and software licensing. |
| Scalability | Quick provisioning and de-provisioning of desktops to match business needs. | Scaling requires purchasing and deploying additional hardware, often leading to over- or under-utilization. |
| Security and Compliance | Data stored centrally in secure cloud environments with enterprise-grade protections and compliance certifications. | Security depends on the organization’s internal setup, which may require additional resources to meet compliance. |
| Accessibility | Accessible from any device with internet connectivity, offering a consistent Windows desktop experience. | Typically designed for office networks; secure remote access often requires additional configuration and VPNs. |
| Disaster Recovery | Built-in redundancy, backups, and failover handled by the provider for business continuity. | Disaster recovery depends on in-house infrastructure, requiring separate planning and investment. |
Selecting the Right Vendor for Hosted Desktops
A good vendor of hosted desktops needs to have a complete and proven process for enabling smooth delivery of cloud-hosted technologies. Industry certifications for cloud hosting and cloud solutions from technology owners like Microsoft are always good markers of the credibility and capability of the vendor.
Consider the experience of the vendor – how long have they been around and what is the size of their existing customer base? A hosted virtual desktop provider should have a good track record of working with a wide variety of customers; the vendor of the hosted virtual desktop should be flexible enough and capable enough to cater to a variety of customers ranging from corporates to small and medium businesses to individual professionals. They should also be able to customize their hosted virtual desktop offerings to best suit the specific needs of your business. Check if they are changing with the times and increasing the repertoire of management tools.
Look for a vendor who has proven that it can serve a wide base of customers in the Cloud and on-premise world in a reliable and secure manner for a long period of time.
Providing ease-of-use for the customer is not easy. Apps4Rent regularly upgrades its environment and tools to improve user experience. Most of the other providers usually stipulate that the customer needs to download and setup a separate client or an app to use their virtual desktops. However, with our virtual desktops, all you need is a browser. You can simply use an internet browser to log in and start using your virtual desktop from almost any device – a PC, Mac, laptop, notebook, netbook, iPad, tablet, smartphone, dumb terminal, or a thin client would perfect well with our products.
The vendor should also provide consulting, assistance, and most importantly, end-user support. And all of it needs to be in real-time, live, and available 24 x 7 through phone, live chats, and emails. The tech support team should ideally have qualified engineers, for example, Microsoft-certified professionals, who are knowledgeable about the latest virtualization technologies that emerge in the cloud space.
Find out the quality of data centers that your vendor uses. Are the data centers SSAE certified? What is the uptime guarantee provided by the hosted desktop vendor? For example, Apps4Rent’s cloud desktop online solutions come with 99.9 percent uptime guarantee.
We recommend taking a risk-free trial of any our of our virtual desktop offers. Find out for yourself how this technology can work for you.
A secure and confident vendor of hosted virtual desktops would usually offer a risk-free trial. Such vendors are particular about earning your trust first, before anything else, and nothing paves the way for it like a risk-free, full-functional trial offer does. Such trials also help you to get a first-hand experience, understand the way hosted virtual desktops work, the benefits they would bring, and plan your cloud strategy in an informed manner.
Why Choose Apps4Rent?
With over a decade of experience, industry certifications, and thousands of satisfied customers, we’re the trusted choice for hosted virtual desktops.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
-
What is a hosted virtual desktop?
A hosted virtual desktop is a Windows desktop environment that runs on secure cloud servers instead of local machines. Users access it remotely through the internet, with applications and data stored centrally. -
Can desktops be cloud hosted?
Yes. With cloud hosted virtual desktops, the entire desktop including operating system, apps, and files resides in the cloud and is delivered to any connected device. -
What is the difference between VDI and HVD?
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is managed in-house, requiring on-premises servers and IT resources. A hosted virtual desktop (HVD) is delivered by a provider through virtual computer hosting, reducing overhead and simplifying management. -
What is the difference between VDI and RDS?
VDI provides each user with a dedicated virtual desktop. Remote Desktop Services (RDS) shares a single Windows server instance across multiple users, making it more resource-efficient but less customizable. -
How much does a hosted virtual desktop cost?
Pricing for a cloud hosted virtual desktop depends on configuration, resources, and licensing. Most providers offer predictable monthly or per-user subscriptions. -
Is a hosted virtual desktop secure for remote employees?
Yes. Data never resides on local devices. Instead, it stays within secure data centers, making a hosted Windows desktop a safer option for remote workforces. -
Can I run Windows applications on a hosted virtual desktop?
Yes. A hosted Windows desktop supports all standard Windows applications, including productivity, business, and industry-specific software. -
What are the hardware requirements for accessing a virtual desktop?
Since only the interface is streamed, any modern device with internet access can connect to a virtual desktop online, including PCs, Macs, tablets, and thin clients. -
How quickly can I deploy hosted desktops for my team?
Hosted desktops can usually be provisioned within hours, enabling businesses to scale quickly without setting up new physical machines. -
What happens if my internet connection drops?
Access to your virtual hosted desktop will pause if the connection is lost, but no data is lost. Work resumes seamlessly once connectivity is restored. -
Can I scale the number of virtual desktops up or down?
Yes. Cloud hosted virtual desktops are flexible, allowing businesses to add or remove desktops as user needs change. -
How is a hosted virtual desktop different from a VPN?
A VPN secures the connection to a corporate network but relies on local machines for processing. A hosted virtual desktop runs entirely in the cloud, with only the display streamed to the user’s device. -
Do hosted desktops support multi-monitor setups?
Yes. A hosted virtual desktop can extend across multiple monitors, just like a traditional desktop. -
What industries benefit the most from hosted virtual desktops?
Industries with distributed teams and strict compliance needs, such as accounting, healthcare, finance, legal, and education, gain the most from virtual computer hosting. -
How do I choose between a session-based and dedicated virtual desktop?
Session-based desktops are cost-efficient and best for standard tasks. Dedicated hosted desktops provide reserved resources and greater customization, ideal for power users or specialized workloads.
Case Studies of Our Virtual Desktops Across Industries
See how businesses across various industries have transformed their operations with our hosted virtual desktop solutions.
Accounting & Tax
Accounting & Tax Firm
When the CPAs wanted a more efficient and cost-effective alternative to the regular desktops, they chose Apps4Rent for bringing in cloud virtualization to their business.
Cost Reduction
Uptime
Web Development
City Medical Center
The medical center had to balance the upgrade costs of desktops with the compliance requirements of HIPAA and HITECH. They decided to go in for cloud-based virtual desktops with Apps4Rent.
Faster Deployment
Hardware Savings
Legal Practice
Legal Practice
The firm wanted to take their legal applications and line-of-business to the cloud to meet the demands of its profession more efficiently. An IT partner with good knowledge of law firm ops was needed.
Compliance
Capacity
Web Design
Web Designers
The designers and developers team wanted their work to be available for review to all the stakeholders from different locations through virtual desktops on the cloud, while ensuring data security and safety.
Faster Reviews
Data Security
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