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What you need to know about cloud desktops and DaaS providers
Editor's note
Desktop as a Service tempts IT pros with the promise of less complexity and lower costs than VDI, but the technology has some downsides as well.
The technology to bring Desktop as a Service (DaaS) to IT departments has been around for quite some time. At the most basic level, it's a virtual desktop delivery model in which desktops live in the cloud. That's a clear oversimplification, however; there's a lot more to DaaS than that. If you're considering adopting the model, there are pros and cons you should consider. Upsides to choosing DaaS over virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) include the stable costs and the ease of management. But the downsides are potential licensing complexity, application compatibility problems and more.
To get up to speed on the basics, the deep-dive data and the reasons shops compare cloud desktops and VDI, check out this guide.
1Evaluating virtual desktop delivery methods
The principle of cloud desktops has been around for more than 10 years, but it's only just begun to gain a foothold in terms of adoption. That could be because IT shops are interested in VDI but can't front the money for it, or because the cloud is just a hot-button topic these days. Either way, many people don't know the details of DaaS technology or how it compares to VDI. Start here for the basics on how it works, how it's different from VDI and why the comparisons aren't necessarily fair.
2Technical details
DaaS can be confusing. For example, did you know that some application delivery techniques are technically DaaS? And there's a big difference between hosting Windows Server images in the cloud and hosting desktops. Don't forget about the potential licensing costs and complexity that can come with DaaS -- they mean that sometimes cloud desktops won't save money over VDI. Sink your teeth into all these topics and more.
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DaaS dollars and sense
When you're looking at deploying cloud desktops, consider how much it's going to cost you and which providers and platforms fit your use case. As more options enter the DaaS fold, it's only natural that competition will affect prices. Read Now
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Savings are subjective
Depending on which provider and platform you settle on, deploying cloud desktops may not save money over VDI in the long run. Management costs -- because you still need to maintain and update images, applications, security and the network -- subscription fees and hardware requirements all play into how much cash stays in the company kitty. Read Now
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You're still on the hook for licensing
With hosted desktops, you have to license the Windows OSes, the desktop virtualization software and the endpoint devices. Additionally, every DaaS vendor and service provider handles licensing in its own way. Some providers need you to bring your own Virtual Desktop Access licenses. Read Now
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Windows Server images just aren't as good
Hosted virtual desktops that are based on Windows Server images have more horsepower and resources, and customers can assign multiple CPUs to power the desktops. But there are desktop- and application-compatibility problems that come with using server rather than desktop images Read Now
3Choosing a DaaS provider
Just like some rectangles are squares, some DaaS providers are platforms -- but not all platforms are providers, and not all providers are platforms. If that's got your head spinning, don't fret. There are ways to find the right provider and platform for you, but you'll have to take charge. Make sure you ask the right questions and negotiate a service-level agreement (SLA) that sways in your favor.
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DaaS providers and platforms: When a rectangle is a square
In the DaaS market, there are many providers, but not as many platforms. The platform is what cloud desktops run on, and providers are the companies you buy that service from. For example, VMware has a platform and is a provider, but if you want to host desktops on tuCloud infrastructure, you'll need to talk to a provider that has a relationship with that platform. Read Now
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Why Amazon WorkSpaces is unique
With Amazon WorkSpaces, customers can pay by the desktop, or by the month. Amazon can afford to offer that because it has such a huge presence in the cloud market. While other DaaS providers might need to add server, storage and network hardware to bring in more customers, Amazon already has all that. Read Now