The past year saw businesses all over the world struggle to sustain themselves in the market due to the COVID-19 implications. If remote working was a perk in the past, it became an absolute necessity during the pandemic. As businesses are forced to shift their entire workforce to a remote working setup, they constantly lookout for the best digital workspace solution. VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) is one of the most advanced technologies in the market that enables the creation of virtual desktops on a server setup. These desktops can be accessed remotely through end-point devices. VDI offers a flexible desktop environment for businesses. However, it still needs to be deployed on the office premises by the local IT team. Desktop as a Service is another option for businesses, where third-party providers create the VDI environment in their data centers, and you can take virtual desktops from them as per requirement. As per , the DaaS market is expected to grow to $11.6 billion by 2036. research You can either choose on-premise VDI or Desktop as a Service according to the business process. Let’s some benefits offered by DaaS and VDI for businesses. Access Anywhere The office computers are bulky and difficult to move once set up in the office. The employees need to sit behind them all day to accomplish their daily tasks. However, in the global business scenario, professionals need to be more agile, whether attending seminars or client meetings. Also, companies must ensure business continuity even while implementing remote working in times of this pandemic. With VDI, businesses can provide their employees with flexible virtual desktops that that be accessed from any location at any time. Hence, employees do not need to come to the office daily - they can work on projects with the same productivity, even from their home. Moreover, adopting VDI enables employees to maintain a work-life balance, reducing mental stress during these tough times. Device Independence Once you install an OS on your office computers, it is bound to the hardware. Any malfunction in the hardware can cause the OS to crash, causing data loss. Moreover, if you have a Windows OS, only Windows-based applications can be installed in it. In the case of Desktop as a Service, the virtual desktops are created on a cloud setup and can be accessed from end-point devices, such as smartphones, laptops, and thin clients. This makes accessing Windows-based applications possible on any platform, be it iOS, macOS, Android, or Linux. Enhanced Security Data security is one of the prime concerns for any scale of business, whether startup or enterprise. However, it is not easy to deploy an advanced security infrastructure on the local premises. Any internal or external threat, such as a data breach, accidental deletion, or hardware crash, can cause irreparable data loss. VDI offers a highly secure desktop environment for businesses. Since the virtual desktops are created in a remote environment, even if your desktop or laptop gets damaged or stolen, the data and apps are still secure. Furthermore, if you opt for Desktop as a Service, you get multi-layered security infra by the service provider. Some security safeguards include end-to-end encryption, antivirus management, multi-factor authentication, access controls, patch management, smart policies, Intrusion Detection & Prevention, and advanced firewalls. With DaaS, you do not need to incur the cost of in-house security. Cost Reduction A large chunk of any businesses’ annual budget goes to IT operations. There are various costs associated with setting up the physical office desktops. Firstly, you need to spend significant revenue to purchase the desktops. Secondly, since every hardware has a lifecycle, the hardware components such as RAM and hard disks must be replaced, leading to additional costs. Also, they need to deploy an IT team for hardware maintenance and IT support. VDI technology virtualizes the entire desktop infrastructure. A large number of virtual desktops can be created on a single server, reducing the power requirements. As the hardware setup is minimized, so are the efforts and cost for its maintenance. Deploying VDI on your premises is a more cost-efficient solution than the traditional desktops. However, if you opt for a VDI solution from a DaaS provider, the capital and operational costs are further minimized. As the provider offers you virtual desktops, you do not need to purchase desktops for the office. The providers also take care of the hardware maintenance and upgrades, eliminating the need for an in-house IT team. Scalability In a business environment, the workforce keeps changing constantly. Hence, the IT team needs to be on their toes to cater to the desktop requirements. If new employees are onboarded, new desktops need to be purchased and deployed. However, if multiple employees leave your organization, their desktops sit idle in the office. Moreover, every employee’s process is different. The conventional office desktops need to be configured as per the employees’ desktop requirements. VDI is a highly scalable desktop platform where desktops can be deployed instantly. VDI offers a central management portal from where the virtual desktops can be added or removed with the click of a button. Hence, you do not need to buy new office desktops. Only create them on the servers. At some point in time, if some employees leave your company, the desktops can be deleted, saving your resources. If you choose VDI services from a DaaS provider, they take care of the desktop management, upgrades, and scaling, eliminating IT hassles. Final Note VDI is the go-to workspace solution for modern-day business requirements. It offers the workforce with remote working capabilities to complete their tasks productively, even from the comfort of their homes. You can deploy VDI for better desktop management and control. However, to reduce IT hassles and capital expenses even further, you can opt for Desktop as a Service from a provider. The provider offers flexible pricing plans, and you only need to pay as per usage.
