Understanding the Desktop as a Service Model

You may have heard of software as a service before, which some people abbreviate as SaaS. Not as many people know about DaaS, or desktop as a service. However, this is becoming a more popular product these days, and you should know about it.

Some individuals also use the term virtual desktop infrastructure when they talk about DaaS. Desktop virtualization involves software technology. You separate the associated application software and the desktop environment. You therefore do not need a physical client device to access it.

We’ll explain a little bit more about this service and some of its benefits below.

The Cloud-Based Desktop Model

Several DaaS options are on the market today. Ones like the Windows Virtual Desktop lead the charge, but other companies see this product’s potential as well.  

This is a desktop model where you have the basic setup in the cloud. You might have virtual apps there as well. You can use this desktop virtualization solution if you want to secure legacy applications and SaaS.

The desktop as a service model allows you to pay as you go, just like with SaaS. You’re leasing a desktop setup that all of your employees can use.

They do not need to be in a centralized location when they do so. Right now, with remote work exploding in popularity, more companies are figuring out why getting DaaS is such a smart idea.

Predictability

One reason why so many companies and individuals like DaaS is because you know exactly how much it will cost your company every month, or quarter, in some cases. You can get a customized version that only has the features you want. The provider will quote you a number, and that’s what you’ll pay going forward, so you can conveniently budget for that.

However, you can also scale down or up when you need to. If your business model ever changes, and you find that you no longer need some of your DaaS features or you need some additional ones, you can always contact your DaaS provider and get them to modify your options.

This Lowers Your IT Budget

Many businesses need a large IT budget. You can always reduce that if you no longer have physical servers and you go to a cloud-based model. Still, you may need to employ an IT person or a whole staff until you go with a DaaS provider.

Once you do, you probably will not need a full-time IT employee or department anymore. If you ever have IT-related issues, you can contact your DaaS provider, and they can help you with those. Product help is one thing you can count on because that comes as part of the overall cost.

You can usually speak to the DaaS help desk at any time, either on the phone, through an online Live Chat feature, or sometimes you can use a chatbot if you have a question or concern that is not too complex.

Where is the DaaS Located?

You understand at this point that this is a digital service, but you might still wonder about its hosting. For the most part, when you engage a DaaS suite, a third-party cloud provider takes care of the hosting duties. What happens is that the DaaS provider streams the virtual desktop setup to you.

You, the customer, have end-user devices, possibly spread out across a city or the whole country if you have lots of far-flung remote workers. Your employees can use the system on a laptop, desktop, tablet, or even a smartphone, in some cases.

What About Security, Upgrades, and Data Backups?

If your company is using a DaaS setup to do business, you might understandably have security concerns. You also might think about things like maintenance, upgrades, storage, data backup, and so forth.

A reliable DaaS setup is going to cover you in all of those areas. The companies that offer these services know that they need top-of-the-line security features, and they can’t skimp in any of the other areas we mentioned either.

The DaaS provider maintains high-end security features, allows you to upgrade as necessary, provides constant data backups, and more. They know that to keep their customers satisfied, they can’t neglect any of these features.

DaaS is one of the best options if you have a business that doesn’t want to invest in and handle your own, on-premises VDI solution. Once you discover the right one for you, you will likely stick with it.