If you have used desktop-as-a-service previously, or want to utilize this service, this post covers a list of the top 10 benefits of desktop-as-a-service.
Desktop-as-a-Service has made significant strides in becoming an accepted strategy for desktop management in businesses over the last few years. A series of just-released reports shows how the technology has made at least 25% Year over Year, and the number keeps going up. The reasons for this are varied, depending on the business embarking on the transformation. But there are benefits that are found across industries and geographies. We’ve narrowed them down to these ten benefits.
Accessibility, Productivity, and Lower Costs Lead the List of the Top Benefits of DaaS
DaaS has significant benefits to businesses who transition to this type of desktop management, mainly for its ability to improve customer experience, according to Business Wire. So much so that a report put together by Technavio indicated that use of the technology would grow by 40% by 2020. The insurance, retail, and healthcare industries are poised to see the highest growth and benefits from this game-changing technology. What is it about Desktop-as-a-Service that leads to such significant growth?
FAQs Related to Desktop as a Service – DaaS
In Desktop as a Service or DaaS, you create virtualized instances of desktop computers over servers that are housed in the data center(s) of a Cloud Service Provider (CSP) like dinCloud. These virtual desktops have a software defined RAM, Storage, CPU and GPU.
End users access their assigned virtual desktops using the internet. These desktops can be accessed from multiple devices such as a smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop. All the processes and workloads are handled by the DaaS provider’s infrastructure.
To further expand functionality and productivity, DaaS solutions such as dinHVD can be augmented with enterprise grade productivity software and applications. These productivity tools can be seamlessly integrated with DaaS.
DaaS or Desktop as a Service is a cloud computing technology that gives users access to fully virtualized cloud hosted virtual desktops. These virtual machines (VMs) can be logged in from multiple devices and wherever there is internet.
DaaS is offered by a third party Cloud Service Provider (CSP) like dinCloud. DaaS is a very powerful cloud technology due to its flexibility, versatility and instant scalability. In exchange for using their cloud infrastructure, CSPs charge DaaS users a fee.
In Desktop as a Service, all the underlying hardware and technology is managed by the cloud provider. A single DaaS provider may be serving multiple enterprises with DaaS technology through its large data center(s).
Both VDI and DaaS are two separate technologies for delivering virtual desktops. It is the service delivery mechanism that mainly differentiates these two desktop virtualization technologies.
In VDI, the virtual desktops are created over and served from dedicated, on premise data centers. In VDI, all the underlying hardware used to deliver virtual desktops is procured and managed by the deploying entity itself.
This makes VDI a costlier desktop virtualization technology when compared to DaaS. However, VDI provides the deploying entity more control over data security and privacy. VDI is mostly served through a dedicated, closed network for improved security.
DaaS is also a desktop virtualization technology. In DaaS however, the virtual desktops are created over and served from specialized third party Cloud Service Providers (CSP) like dinCloud. All the infrastructure in case of DaaS is the cloud provider’s responsibility.
DaaS products such as dinHVD allow you all the benefits of VDI, with the additional benefit of not having to maintain the underlying hardware and other aspects of the service. This reduces both costs and administrative overheads for the deploying entities.
Below is the list of Top 10 benefits of DaaS
Improved Accessibility
When Desktop-as-a-Service is utilized as the desktop management strategy for a business, employees realize much better accessibility. The reason is DaaS can be accessed from any device that can connect to an internet connection. Meaning regardless of the device or operating system (Android, iOS, phone, tablet, desktop or laptop computer) the employee can access their desktop.
Increased Productivity
Building on the benefit of the improvement in the employee’s ability to access their work product, businesses who utilize DaaS realize increased productivity and the ability to meet operational goals ahead of time. The reason this is possible is that employees can access their work product regardless of their location. All they need is an internet connection and a device capable of using that connection. Problem solved. Now, your employee can log in from home, at the doctor’s office, on the train for the morning commute, enabling them to engage with their coworkers and move projects forward without interruption.
Lower Operating Costs
Lower costs drive many marketing campaigns for a wide range of new technologies fighting for limited budgets, but when it comes to DaaS, cost savings are not just a buzzword. The reality is Desktop-as-a-Service does save businesses money. Ways that the technology accomplishes this is by reducing CapEx, rent, and utilities for businesses that utilize the technology. Companies using DaaS can quickly implement BYOD strategies, enabling employees to use the technology of their choice and removing the line item from a businesses budget. Additionally, since DaaS works through cloud technologies, business’s can save money on rent and utilities as they no longer need the server closet to house corporate data.
Greater Agility & Responsiveness
When employees are not tied to a physical laptop or desktop, they are much better equipped to respond quickly to customer requests and industry demands, enhancing the overall corporate agility and responsiveness to the fast-changing business environment.
Enhanced Security
Keeping up with cyber hackers and other malicious sources is a full-time job, and it’s no wonder why businesses choose to employee strict desktop management strategies that maintain full control over an employees desktop and access to their data. DaaS can help companies to solve this challenge by removing the burden of keeping up with cyber attacks. Providers spend a lot of time and money recruiting the highest qualified cybersecurity experts. After all, their reputation is on the line as much as yours is.
Higher Workstation Lifetime Value
The typical lifecycle of a physical computer and tech device is three years, with an average cost to maintain that device of almost $500. But how would that cost change if the device lasted much longer than the anticipated 3 years? With DaaS, it can, since the wear and tear on the physical devices is reduced and the processing requirements are now on the DaaS providers server. Because of this, the hardware of the physical laptop or desktop will last longer, giving you more years of service before the unit would need to be replaced.
Reduced Maintenance
On-premise VDI installations are very maintenance heavy. Parts fail and need to be replaced with regularity. Incorrect database settings can cause numerous issues for employees trying to access their workstation. IT staff regularly are monitoring the entire data center to proactively attack any problem that may arise, devoting a large part of their day to ensuring these critical systems remain active and available for employees to get their job done. But by moving the VDI installation to a cloud solution like Desktop-as-a-Service, you remove the majority of that maintenance from your IT Staff to the DaaS provider. IT will still need to provide maintenance functions to your endpoints, but now they will have a significant amount of time available to devote to more strategic roles within the organization.
Improved Business Continuity
Anyone who says a disaster won’t hit them is like the Titanic boldly declaring there isn’t an iceberg big enough to sink the ship. As we all know, an iceberg did, in fact, sink the Titanic and there are many different “disasters,” both natural and man-made, that can take down your critical business systems. But there are strategies that you can implement that can improve the chances that one of these events will not end up in the loss of data, productivity and yes, profit. Geo-redundancy is one such tactic and is built in with dinCloud’s DaaS solution. Geo-redundancy is simply the replication of physical servers and data across different geographies, so if one location is affected by a power loss or natural disaster, a secondary location is available to handle the load and ensuring that your business does not experience downtime.
Greater Budget Predictability
Predicting your monthly technology spend can be challenging, to say the least. The standard billing strategy includes being billed for every minute used, meaning if you forget to “log off” you could be met with a significant bill. Along with the industry standard of charging for additional features, managing a workspace budget can be frustrating. But if you look for providers that offer “flat-rate” pricing, you can eradicate those unexpected fluctuating bills, giving you the ability to predict and plan for desktop technology needs and spend accurately.
Future-Proofing
Just because it’s the last on our list, does not mean it’s the least important of the benefits of desktop-as-a-service. No, it’s just the opposite. We’d even dare to say it is the biggest benefit and is rarely talked about. Why? Cloud technologies automatically provide any new updates in the software to the user. No expensive equipment to add or added cost to your monthly bill to pay for the new services. As the technology changes and grows and new features are added, you automatically receive those. So no matter how the technology matures, you will have instant access to the latest technology the business world has to offer.
Future-proof your business with Desktop-as-a-Service
The business world is a highly competitive space, and consumers expectations are rapidly changing. Businesses who can stay on top of the expectations will continue to gain the loyalty of the hard fought for buyer. The question is, will you keep up?
