What is Desktop as a Service? (Daas)

With the never-ending competition between businesses, many companies are now searching for ways to be even more productive without the high costs and one method that has become quite popular today is Desktop as a Service or DaaS, which is proof that trust in services in the cloud has increased. With the promises of DaaS as a way to achieve a secure and full-featured solution without worrying about infrastructure costs, it is indeed difficult not to consider this option. In this post, we take a look at what DaaS is and how businesses can use it as a means of improving productivity.

What is DaaS : An Overview

Before considering if DaaS is right for your business, it is essential that you understand exactly what the term means. Traditionally, the desktop being talked about here is the container of information where your workplace and personal applications are stored. It is like a customized environment where the important data and software are typically safeguarded by your own credentials. This environment generally runs on your personal hardware, meaning your laptop or your PC.

With that in mind, DaaS is pretty much the same, except that it is a virtual desktop (also known as Hosted Desktop). It has all kinds of functions you have in your own personal hardware – from the apps to the security to the modifications you have imposed. The only difference here is that instead of running on the hardware, it has its own server operating in another place. Commonly though, the software used runs on a server that is on the same network as the business and on a datacenter’s server.

These desktops that are server-based are managed and owned by the IT department of the company and they will be provided to every user. DaaS is cloud-hosted so it is generally not considered as a local executable piece of software. It is now seen as an Internet service that can be accessed on demand and can be billed hourly, daily, or monthly.

History of DaaS

There is no exact date as to when DaaS came into being. However, IT professionals agree that ever since the popularity of cloud computing skyrocketed, there has always been a desire to remotely host desktops. Although there were a number of inhibitors, the desktop as a service still emerged. There may have been some challenges in the past and at the present time such as the need for faster Internet connection and the licensing aspects. However, many companies are more than satisfied with this solution.Wikipedia has some great information about DaaS – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_as_a_service

Functionality of DaaS

In order to experience DaaS, you need to find a reliable service provider. This company will take care of your hosting and maintenance needs as well as the storage, applications, and software licenses among others. Depending on the service provider, DaaS can be implemented using Remote Desktop Service systems or VDI or both. Desktop as a service can be offered through public, private, or hybrid cloud infrastructure.

Although there are more providers of private cloud today, public cloud systems are much simpler especially with regards to software licensing. This is because the DaaS provider will purchase all the required licenses and you, as the subscriber, will only have to pay monthly or annually to lease access to the virtual desktop. Meanwhile, DaaS in the private cloud is quite complicated, but it will depend on the products you use.

Business Usage

The advances of technology have permitted DaaS to support different kinds of computing scenarios and business industries. It does not matter whether you operate a call center, an IT firm, or you manage a huge number of workers. As long as you require application support and storage, data security, and access to information on demand, DaaS will work for you. A reliable DaaS provider can help you save time and money as you run your desktop infrastructure. This particular company can assist in managing daily tasks associated with information technology.

Your digital identity which includes the operating system, applications, data, and profile will stay secure in the data center. The DaaS provider will take care of your day to day desktop deployment, management, and provisions as you keep busy with other tasks.

Vendors

Many specialist cloud vendors offer DaaS services. The majority of them can be found through a Google search. In addition, it may be wise to speak with your IT vendor; many IT companies provide cloud services to their clients so if you already have an IT company then it may be worth speaking with them first. We use Our IT Department – http://www.ouritdept.co.uk

Pros and Cons of Desktop as a Service

There are plenty of reasons why DaaS has become such a huge hit to companies needing IT services in the cloud. Among them include the following: Connect to any of your devices and you can access all your applications and documents right then and there. They will remain in the same state and you will never lose them. That means there is bolstered security even for sensitive data.

The fact that you can use any device and still be able to get what you need from that device (PC, tablet, or smartphone) is extremely useful especially in today’s demanding business world. Storing your apps and documents in the cloud is more secure. It gives you the peace of mind that you will never lose them. Oftentimes, they are automatically backed up or you can schedule this so that all files will stay intact.

When dealing with traditional desktops, you constantly worry about viruses, hot fixes, or other threats. This is not the case with a hosted desktop since someone else will take care of them for you. If you are one of those people who prefer to separate their lives from their jobs, DaaS can do that for you. A cloud-hosted desktop just focuses on your work. It is like having two computers and using them at the same time for two different reasons.

Although you get 24/7 access to your desktop no matter where you are, DaaS is still not perfect. Here are some of the flaws you might encounter: Hosted desktop can be complex if you want to personalize your environment as the end-user. This is because almost everything is in the hands of the DaaS provider. You can customize the desktop configurations and endpoints, but only to a certain degree. DaaS is also a bit difficult to manage if you have several virtual machines. You also have to worry about the costs of the software licenses, the storage, and the servers themselves.

Every technology has its own advantages and disadvantages. It is up to you to decide whether desktop as a service fits your business or not. With a bit of research and the patience to search for the right DaaS provider, you just might enjoy the many benefits of the hosted desktop.