April 9, 2020 by Siobhan Climer and Eric White
Desktop-as-a-Service, or DaaS, is an integral element of most successful bring-your-own-device (BYOD) strategies and flexible workforce demands. The sudden shift towards work-at-home policies brought on by the international outbreak of Covid-19 means DaaS and VDI offerings are in high-demand.
In addition, the rise of cloud computing – and the many ways it has disrupted traditional concepts of computing and work – makes DaaS more valuable than ever before for companies.
What Is DaaS?
DaaS is a subset of virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI). In this case, the VDI is hosted by a servicer and delivered as a cloud service along with applications.
VDI is an approach to desktop virtualization that enables users to interact with the operating system (OS) and its applications delivered over a network to an endpoint device as if they were running locally.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure have both made recent inroads in the DaaS market, providing products that enable DaaS without the major snags hit by earlier prototypes.
Why The Modern Workspace Needs DaaS
Companies across the globe have made a quick pivot toward a remote workforce. In fact, we say “workspace” instead of “workplace” for that very reason. People are working from primarily at-home environments – home offices, couches, dining room tables – and accessing all of their data and work files from home.
So, how does DaaS help facilitate the modern workspace?
Key Factors Driving DaaS Adoption
DaaS is fundamental to the ways people work, which is why changes to the workspace are driving DaaS adoption.
BYOD
Bring-your-own-device policies align closely with DaaS deployments. With users accessing their desktops from laptops, mobile phones, and home workstations, DaaS provides simpler management from an IT perspective.
Flexible Workplace
More than 25% of US employees work remote at least part of the time, and this number has only grown in the last several months. A recent study by G2, an international B2B market software research firm, found that interest in video conferencing grew 253.68%, interest in telemedicine grew 373.73%, and interest in audio conferencing grew 565.00%.
565%! We even spoke with the author to confirm the methodology and validity of the research, as it left us taken slightly aback. The rise of remote and flexible work environments means IT must secure, deploy, and manage infrastructure accessible from different devices in different locations, a task simplified by DaaS.
Cloud
DaaS would not be as accessible as it is today if it weren’t for the synchronous growth of cloud computing. DaaS is delivered as a cloud service and managed as a cloud product. This is one of the areas that has changed the most, making DaaS more consumable for CIOs and IT directors. Tying DaaS to AWS and Azure’s more user-friendly licensing and consumption models has made budgeting and planning easier.
The Available DaaS Options Weren’t Great – Till Now
It’s true. The cloud is one of the biggest disruptors to the technology sector – it changes consumption and access, and it has revolutionized the deployment of services. While DaaS, like VDI, is not new, AWS and Azure have doubled down on making DaaS deployment a breeze.
Drive Remote Workspace Success With DaaS
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About Mindsight
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About The Authors
Eric White is Chief Technology Officer and VP of Consulting Services at Mindsight. With over ten years of experience in information technology and leadership, Eric excels at implementing network and data center technologies, designing high-yield solutions for the business. Holding professional certifications from Microsoft, VMware, and EMC, as well as the Cisco CCNP, Eric is an expert at solving business realities with a client-centric focus that delivers.
Siobhan Climer writes about technology trends in education, healthcare, and business. With over a decade of experience communicating complex concepts around everything from cybersecurity to neuroscience, Siobhan is an expert at breaking down technical and scientific principles so that everyone takes away valuable insights. When she’s not writing tech, she’s reading and writing fantasy, hiking, and exploring the world with her twin daughters. Find her on twitter @techtalksio.
VDI Adoption Trends Towards Growth From BYOD, Cloud, And Remote Work: An Infrastructure Report