Workplaces of the Future: Desktop as a Service (DaaS)

It’s the era of virtualization. Everything from server resources to applications is being virtualized to optimize the IT infrastructure and give it more flexibility. Desktop virtualization is a part of the same bunch, where desktops are virtualized and provided to users over the Internet. The technology used for desktop virtualization is known as Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI). 

VDI helps create flexible, virtual desktops that overcome all the limitations of the traditional desktops we are all used to. However, it takes a dedicated budget and resources to deploy VDI for your office. A better option is to opt for Desktop as a Service (DaaS).

Opting for Desktop as a Service means that a third-party provider offers you hosted virtual desktops as per your business requirement. Hence, you do not need to deploy VDI in your own premises or even purchase the traditional desktops. The provider will charge you as per the number of virtual desktops and their configuration.  

Here is how Desktop as a Service is all set to be the workplace of the future.

The traditional desktop setup restricts you to your desk in the office, where you have to sit all day to accomplish the daily tasks. Hence, if you are out of the office due to some personal work or traveling to a destination, you cannot access your business process. 

In the current global business scenario, you should be able to serve your clients anytime. 

Desktop as a Service enhances your productivity multifold by offering you a virtual workplace. You can access the virtual desktops from any location at any time, even while traveling. Hence, you get real-time updates from your colleagues and can respond to clients whenever required.           

An organization comprises various departments, where each department may require a different set of desktop configurations. For instance, the HR team might require an application that the software development team might not. Also, a department might need a different operating system than others. This poses an extra burden on the local IT team. 

By opting for DaaS, you can customize each virtual desktop as per requirement. The users can personalize the desktops with their preferred applications and choose the operating system they want.    

There are many instances where the employees have to lose their valuable working hours because of issues with the physical computer systems. This is because all the business applications and data are present in one device. So, even if there is a minor issue with the desktop, it leads to the unavailability of your process.   

With DaaS, the virtual desktops are created on remote cloud servers. The desktops can be accessed by logging in through any internet-connected device, be it a smartphone, laptop, or tablet. Hence, it does not matter if something goes wrong with one device. You can just pick up another device and start working on your virtual workplace.     

Do you have a dedicated workspace for all your employees? What happens to the desktops when an employee leaves or is added? In the traditional scenario, as your workforce increases, you have to increase the number of desktops according to it. On the contrary, if an employee leaves, the desktops keep lying idle indefinitely.

Desktop as a Service brings with it the kind of flexibility that can never be achieved with the traditional desktops. As the desktops are virtual in the case of DaaS, any number of it can be added or deleted by the provider. Moreover, this process of desktop provisioning is easy and instant. 

Hence, if 10 employees join the company on the same day, you do not need to go through the tedious task of setting up the physical desktops. You can contact your DaaS provider, and their team will deploy the virtual desktops for you. 

A local IT infrastructure comes with its own set of challenges. The desktops need to be upgraded regularly to meet business needs. Moreover, the IT team is also constantly engaged in replacing the faulty hardware with new ones. 

However, in the case of DaaS, most of the providers offer managed IT services. This means that the DaaS provider takes care of everything from desktop setup, configuration to hardware maintenance, replacement, and upgrades. Moreover, they are also responsible for application installation and updates, so you don’t have to waste time on IT tasks.       

The new-age business applications require high system specifications like RAM, processor, graphics, and storage. Moreover, no business can function with only a single application; every process requires multiple applications. The traditional desktops need to be upgraded constantly to accommodate the application requirements. 

The competent DaaS providers generally offer a High-Performance Computing (HPC) environment for the virtual desktops. The HPC facilitates parallel processing of applications, which means that the employees can run multiple applications simultaneously. Hence, your applications always output the maximum performance.   

To build a local desktop setup in your office location, you need some necessary equipment, along with purchasing expensive desktops. The equipment includes air conditioning for the systems, power supplies, and cabling. Moreover, after setting up, these desktops need to be maintained, leading to additional IT costs.    

With Desktop as a Service, the maintenance and the operational costs both get minimized. Since your application and data are hosted on the remote virtual servers owned by the DaaS provider, the need for purchasing high-end desktops is eliminated. In addition, as the DaaS provider owns the hardware, they also take care of its maintenance and upgrades. 

App and data security are of paramount importance to any business. You, too, might be taking numerous security measures to keep your data secure. However, with the growing cyber threats in the digital workspace, it is becoming exceedingly tough to prevent these risks. Moreover, your local IT infrastructure can also be the victim of a location-specific disruptive event like an earthquake. 

The DaaS providers keep all these factors in mind while offering you virtual desktops. They deploy advanced security measures, including data encryption, multi-factor authentication, access controls, DDoS protection, ransomware protection, among others. 

The network is monitored 24/7 for any dirty traffic and unusual behavior. Moreover, to prevent your business process from any disruptive event, the data and apps are replicated in multiple geographic locations.  

If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us something, it is the importance of remote work. Desktop as a Service offers the users a complete workplace experience but from the comfort of their homes. They can access all their applications and data from portable devices rather than bulky desktops. 

Most businesses have started realizing the potential of DaaS, and it is all set to transform the traditional workplace.