The advent of the cloud has revolutionized the way online products are conceived and consumed. Perhaps the most remarkable specimen of the growing importance of cloud computing is the rapid expansion of the “as a Service (aaS)” family. Among the latest entrants to this is Desktop as a Service (or DaaS) which is built on the premise that businesses can utilize cloud-hosted virtual desktops on any device by overcoming geographic and organizational barriers between stakeholders.
DaaS solutions are essentially virtual desktop cloud offerings in which users can use Virtual Desktops without being burdened with the infrastructure to maintain the hardware on their office premises.
What do DaaS providers do?
A Desktop as a Service provider builds and maintains the infrastructure to handle the back-end liabilities of data storage, backups, updates and security among others. Users utilize the infrastructure and services provided by DaaS vendors by subscribing to their services usually based on the number of virtual desktops used per month. Customers bear the responsibility for the applications and data security on their virtual desktop images.
The DaaS vs VDI confusion
Most people do not understand the subtle difference between DaaS and VDI because of the nature of Virtual Desktops that do not have a physical presence. Business owners need to appreciate the fact that the hardware stack, in either case, makes all the difference. In the case of DaaS, the entire operation of infrastructure maintenance is outsourced while in the case of VDI, all operations are managed by administrators on-site which escalates the costs. So, what’s the advantage of DaaS?
Now that you know how DaaS works and how it is not the same as VDI, let us explore how DaaS can help you scale up your business.
Get greater flexibility with DaaS
Subscribing to the DaaS model more than just frees up resources for maintaining the IT infrastructure. It allows users to access their applications and data from just about anywhere as long as they are connected to the internet. Now your employees can work remotely with any device of their choice without being physically present at the office to connect their machines to the cumbersome cables to do their jobs.
Scale without limits with DaaS platform
With dynamic businesses, it is difficult to predict the necessity and load of virtual machines. In such a scenario, it might be impractical to invest in the infrastructure required for the upkeep of VDIs. With DaaS, businesses can rent virtual desktops for the duration of their need and surrender them once the projects are completed.
Getting rid of the office hardware
Hardware is among the most vulnerable asset a business during natural disasters. DaaS providers have the resources to ensure the availability of their services under all circumstances, a luxury that self-hosting may not afford.
Secure your applications and services
Data and applications are stored on the cloud as opposed to the vulnerable devices. This minimizes the possibility of security breaches and end-users can work in a secure environment. Moreover, admins can implement system-agnostic user control measures to handle other possible security challenges. Lastly, most DaaS providers benefit from the services of dedicated security experts because of the nature of their business which in-house IT staff might lack.
Concluding words
DaaS empowers businesses with the flexibility and utility of virtual desktops at a fraction of the cost of implementing an on-premises system of a similar scale. Not only do you pay less for the same services, but you also extract a much higher value both in monetary terms and otherwise from the Desktop as a Service (DaaS) model. You can run your business from anywhere at any time with negligible (if any) downtime and virtually no security risks.
If you are proactively taking steps to future-proof your business, considering migrating to the DaaS model might be a good place to start with. Our migration experts at Apps4Rent would be happy to assist you should you decide to press forward. We’ll study your infrastructure and offer you insights to move your desktops to the cloud. Contact us now!
