Is Desktop as a Service the Future of Managed IT?

What are IT departments going to do with all the time they save running Desktop as a Service (DaaS) systems? No more long nights or weekends doing installs on every machine, no more complaints that workers’ desktops are auto-rebooting on Tuesday morning to install updates in the middle of work; the ability to virtualize the enterprise computing system has turned the IT department into the Captain’s Bridge, from which commands will push across the computing galaxy and … OK, maybe that’s a little much.

But DaaS systems, in which back-end functions like data storage, backup and upgrades are managed by a hosting provider, are saving time and effort by creating a central point of control for a variety of portals. It’s the natural evolution from small business and enterprise servers, which created a central management point but still required twiddling on individual devices. Today’s hosted desktop systems even integrate with BYOD work environments, creating a unified user system and minimizing compatibility issues.

Last fall, Amazon Web Services announced the WorkSpaces DaaS system, but while the system remains in beta testing VMware has beat them to market with the vCloud Horizon system, hosted on VMware’s vCloud Hybrid Service. Horizon can deploy Windows OS to everything from desktops to tablets with central monitoring and management through the Horizon View system. It supports full multi-factor authentication to allow access to the internal network and can run full client desktops.

The vCloud Hybrid Service was created to provide infrastructure for organizations to expand during high demand or run cloud-based apps and systems. While it sounds similar to Amazon’s Web Service offerings, and has now expanded faster, VMware considered the difference to be one of origin with AWS suitable for applications developed for the cloud and VMware ideal of applications on legacy technology.

But before anyone picks up the phone to order their own hosted desktop solution, Techrepublic.com has compiled a list of considerations and questions to answer, including projected growth for both physical and mobile office setups, and any industry regulations. No doubt as the demand for DaaS grows these will become part of a more standardized implementation procedure.