The modern world of work and new IT trends such as the ever-growing virtual workforce, the ubiquity of mobile devices and the demand for Bring Your Own Device, while at the same time tight IT budgets are making new desktop and infrastructure strategies necessary. In this blog post, you'll learn what Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) is, the benefits of cloud computing, where the pitfalls lie, why it pays to work with a local DaaS provider, and what IT service providers need to consider when choosing an IaaS provider to build or expand DaaS solutions.
To define Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS), we first look at the concept of Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI). VDI is used by numerous healthcare organizations, educational institutions, and larger enterprises around the world. Users log on to VDI, rather than to actual desktop computers, to do their jobs. Virtualized desktops can be persistent (custom settings are saved) or non-persistent (no changes are saved after the user logs out), depending on the needs of the organization and the individual user.
The cornerstone of DaaS is a cloud infrastructure that hosts and delivers desktop services. This infrastructure includes a virtualization layer to manage the virtual machines (VM) that host the cloud desktops. DaaS is a cloud computing offering and a subcategory of VDI. DaaS means that systems integrators provide virtual desktops in the cloud on any device. To build DaaS, IT service providers can partner with cloud providers and rent cloud storage space or dedicated servers to offer customized DaaS solutions to end customers.
With Desktop-as-a-Service, Windows or Linux desktops are ready in minutes and can scale quickly, allowing team members around the world to use thousands of desktops. Access to the desktop is device, location and network independent. Typically, an end user's personal data is copied to and from their virtual desktop during login and logout. The best-known DaaS providers include Amazon Web Services with Amazon WorkSpaces (AWS Workspaces) or Microsoft Azure with Windows Virtual Desktop. These hyperscalers offer ready-to-use DaaS solutions that are mainly used by large companies.
A Desktop-as-a-Service architecture is multi-tenant and companies usually purchase the service via a subscription model. This subscription is mostly based on the number of virtual desktop instances used per month. In the DaaS delivery model, the cloud computing provider manages the back-end for data storage and backups, security and updates or patches. With DaaS, IT service providers can expand their portfolio without large investment costs.
DaaS is an attractive solution for companies that no longer want to manage their own hardware in a local data centre. Features of DaaS and virtual work environments include scalability, flexibility, easier patch management and software updates, straightforward migrations, faster provisioning of new users, better disaster planning and recovery, and improved application and data security. Desktop-as-a-Service thus offers all the benefits of virtual desktop infrastructure, including remote support, improved security and easy desktop management. In addition, DaaS can be used to increase cost efficiency. Deploying VDI in-house requires significant upfront investment in computer, storage and network infrastructure. With DaaS, however, companies only pay for the virtual desktops they use each month.
Despite these important advantages, a survey by Gartner in 2018 showed that DaaS acceptance is still considerably lower than VDI acceptance, especially among large companies.
Scalability, flexibility, increased security, easier disaster recovery than physical servers, the highest data security standards, and cost efficiency: The following is a brief overview of the benefits of DaaS for end users.
When implementing DaaS projects, many companies fall into avoidable traps. Here's a list of the most common Desktop-as-a-Service issues:
Poor planning: Proper advance planning goes beyond determining the number of desktops. IT decision-makers should carefully analyze which parameters need to be met in order to successfully implement the project. It means, among other things, combining company and project goals, compiling functional requirements, examining workflows. If IT managers are not aware of what is needed and what they expect, the DaaS project may be delayed or cost more than expected.
False expectations regarding user expectations: If end users cannot rely on their desktops being available when and where they need them, productivity suffers and the whole project can go wrong. To achieve a satisfying user experience, you should consider when and where users are working, how many users are expected at any given time - and how these numbers can fluctuate. IT professionals should also consider what types of applications users are working with and whether they need to support peripherals or second monitors. Before choosing a DaaS platform, IT should know exactly how users perform their tasks and what is required to keep them working efficiently.
Security problems: Hacker attacks and data leaks can cost millions. Compromised data can lead to heavy fines, ongoing litigation and irreparable damage to reputation. When looking for the right DaaS platform, IT experts should find out how the external provider protects sensitive data. Is the DaaS provider's infrastructure located in a certified data center? Who takes care of IT contingency planning? Does the DaaS partner work with a reliable IaaS provider?
Lack of integration with existing systems: A Desktop-as-a-Service platform rarely works in isolation from other systems. Users often need to authenticate to connect to local directory services, access corporate resources at different locations or connect to cloud services. If the complexity of connecting the different systems is not taken into account, this can lead to delays and cost overruns. IT managers should carefully consider the DaaS platform's capabilities for integrating with other systems, such as remote data centres or third-party services, and answer the following questions:
Before implementing the DaaS project, the IT team must first determine what resources are required to integrate the platform into its own systems.
Cost explosion: With DaaS, companies have no upfront costs. They only pay for the virtual desktops they use each month. Over time, however, these subscription costs can add up and ultimately exceed the capital cost of providing local VDI.
DaaS providers can work with your IT department to design a customized DaaS concept for SMBs, taking into account their individual requirements for integration into the existing IT environment, data protection, usability, cyber-security and budget.
In the DaaS delivery model, the cloud computing provider manages the back-end for data storage, backup, security, and upgrades. DaaS provides end users with a secure access point and simplifies desktop and application management.
Hyperscalers such as AWS or Microsoft Azure offer many predefined packages at attractive prices. However, these solutions are designed for large companies and usually do not meet the individual needs of SMEs. Local IT service providers determine the individual needs of their customers in a personal meeting. Depending on your human and financial resources, the external partner can propose an SLA model that provides the best possible support for the IT department.
In addition, in times of data leaks and hacker attacks, most companies want to know where their data is stored, so when choosing a DaaS partner, the company location should also be considered. The majority of Hyperscaler has its headquarters in the USA. Access to data, as practiced for example by the American Patriot Act at US companies without judicial control, is not permitted in Switzerland. Local providers comply with Swiss data protection laws and can therefore guarantee the highest data security standards.
With DaaS from the cloud, the end customer's IT infrastructure can be adapted or expanded depending on the order situation. IT service providers can thus offer suitable DaaS solutions at any time. The cloud is also accessible around the clock, which allows flexible working hours and minimizes downtime.
In contrast to operating your own servers, there is no need to build your own hardware when purchasing cloud services from an external IaaS provider. Regular hardware revisions and the permanent assurance of ideal conditions for server rooms are therefore no longer necessary. This means that IT service providers can invest more time in customer care and focus on up- or cross-selling. In addition, there is no longer any hardware that has to be renewed every five to seven years. Instead of hoarding services in stock and having little room for expansion, they now purchase tailor-made services.
Offering DaaS ensures recurring revenues for IT service providers, as the services are usually purchased on a monthly basis. Many IT infrastructure providers - including us - offer a partner program that ensures resellers an additional margin on recurring revenues. Last but not least, working with a cloud service provider can increase efficiency by eliminating waiting or delivery times and allowing employees to provision servers at any time of day or night.
When choosing an IaaS provider to develop or extend DaaS solutions, IT service providers should rely on local partners. This is the only way to guarantee that Swiss data protection laws are observed and that customer data is protected in the best possible way. Our infrastructure is located in ISO-certified data centers in Switzerland and all customer data is subject to Swiss data protection standards.
With DaaS, Windows or Linux desktops are ready in minutes and can scale quickly, allowing team members around the world to use thousands of desktops. Access to the desktop is device, location, and network independent. DaaS features include scalability, flexibility, easier patch management and software updates, easy migration, faster provisioning of new users, better disaster planning and recovery, and improved application and data security. DaaS is therefore an attractive solution for companies that no longer want to manage their own hardware in a local data center.
When implementing DaaS projects, there are several traps lurking such as poor planning, lack of integration into existing systems, false expectations in connection with user behavior or even security problems and cost explosions. DaaS providers can work with your IT department to design a customized DaaS concept, taking into account individual requirements for integration into the existing IT environment, data protection, usability, cyber-security and budget.
By purchasing cloud services from an external IaaS provider, IT service providers can expand their portfolio and build DaaS without major investment costs. Local IaaS providers with experience in supporting SMEs and growing start-ups determine the individual needs of end users in a personal meeting with IT service providers. Hyperscaler solutions are often designed primarily for larger companies and are usually not flexible enough for SMEs. The IaaS provider takes care of the IT infrastructure and ensures that IT resellers can concentrate on their core business. When choosing an IaaS provider to build DaaS, the scalability of the solution, security measures, support levels, and data protection standards should be considered first and foremost.