The tech industry is well renowned for having a confusing acronym logo. SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS are probably terms you’ve heard of, but DaaS, or Desktop as a service, may be different. Businesses that value security and flexibility are adopting this novel method of offering workspaces, with Verified Market Research estimating a CAGR of 18.7% between 2019 and 2026.
What Is DaaS? How Does It Work?
Desktop as a Service (DaaS) is a cloud computing offering where a service provider delivers virtual desktops to end users over the Internet, licensed with a per-user subscription.
The supplier handles backend maintenance for small organizations who find building their own virtual desktop infrastructure to be too expensive or resource-intensive. This management often entails upkeep, data storage, backup, and upgrades. Additionally, cloud service providers may handle desktop security and application management, or users may manage these service aspects independently.
Persistent and non-persistent desktops are the two types of desktops that DaaS offer.
Persistent Desktop: Users can personalize and save a desktop so it will appear the same each time they log on. A persistent desktop can cost more because it needs more storage than a non-persistent desktop.
Non-persistent Desktop: Desktops are only used to access shared cloud services and are deleted each time a user logs out.
Customers may be given the option by cloud service providers to choose between the two, allowing workers with particular needs to access a persistent desktop and giving temporary or irregular workers access to a non-persistent desktop.
Advantages of Desktop as a Service (DaaS)
Over a conventional desktop model, Desktop as a Service (DaaS) has some definite advantages. With DaaS, active end users can be deployed or decommissioned much more quickly and inexpensively.
i. Faster deployment and decommissioning of active end users: The Desktop only has to be connected to a new device; it is already configured. DaaS can save time and money for seasonal firms that frequently undergo peaks and troughs in demand or personnel numbers.
ii. Reduced downtime for IT support: Additionally, Desktop as a Service enables businesses to offer remote IT support to staff members, cutting down on downtime.
iii. Cost savings: The DaaS devices are less expensive and consume less power because they need much less processing than a traditional desktop computer or laptop.
iv. Increased device flexibility: DaaS supports users bringing their own devices into the office and shifts the responsibility of supporting the Desktop on all of those devices to the cloud service provider. DaaS runs on a variety of operating systems and device types.
v. Enhanced security: DaaS significantly reduces security risks because data is stored in the data centre. A laptop or mobile device that has been stolen can easily be unplugged from the network. The likelihood of a thief accessing private information is very low because none of the data is stored on the stolen device. Because all desktops can be updated simultaneously from a remote location, security patches and updates are also simpler to install in a DaaS environment.
How does Desktop as a Service (DaaS) work?
With Desktop as a Service (DaaS), the cloud services provider hosts the infrastructure, network resources, and storage in the cloud while streaming a virtual desktop to the user’s device. The user may then access the data and apps on the Desktop through a web browser or other software. Through a subscription approach, businesses can buy as many virtual desktops as they require.
Graphics-intensive apps have previously been challenging to utilize with DaaS since desktop applications stream over the Internet from a centralized server. This has changed with new technology, and even programs like computer-aided design (CAD) that need a lot of processing power to display quickly can now be easily run on DaaS. IT administrators can quickly move a virtual machine from one physical server to another when the workload on one server becomes too heavy, preserving the uninterrupted operation of GPU-accelerated or graphics-accelerated software. Any industry that relies on 3D modelling, advanced graphics, simulations, or video production could benefit from GPU-accelerated Desktop service (GPU-DaaS). This technology has applications in engineering and design, broadcasting, and architecture.
What is the difference between VDI and DaaS?
Organizations can remotely host Desktop operating systems on endpoint devices from a centralized server using virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI). The endpoint is only a means for users to access that data via the Internet; all data is stored on the server in the data centre. VDI requires an IT team with experience in setting up and managing virtual infrastructures and a significant financial investment in the network, storage and computing infrastructure in the data centre. Depending on the number of end users serviced and the subscription cost, the DaaS model can be significantly more economical than setting up a new virtual desktop infrastructure internally because cloud service providers cover the infrastructure setup and management costs.
Because the endpoint devices don’t require a lot of processing power, either VDI or DaaS can help an organization with many users save money (most of the processing is happening in the data centre). However, providing for a huge user base necessitates a large IT staff equipped to deal with any problems that may arise. Because the DaaS vendor will handle deployment, connectivity issues, and other issues that arise for end users, DaaS enables a business to operate with a smaller IT staff.
However, VDI gives an organization’s IT staff greater control over the desktop offering and security compared to DaaS. It may be difficult for a company to find a DaaS provider that can fully satisfy all of its requirements while remaining cost-effective if it has strict or specific security or application requirements.
Why Desktop as a Service?
Desktop as a Service (DaaS) has several advantages over conventional models, including streamlined management, more flexibility, and lower total cost of ownership. Businesses that want to provide flexible personal device alternatives and remote work possibilities can quickly and easily construct a digital workspace with DaaS. Users may access their virtual Desktop from any location and on a wide range of devices, and their Desktop will always appear just as it did on their previous visit from a different location. An internet connection is all they require. It is optional for users to manage back-ups independently or to worry about data existing on a computer at the office but not at home because the data is stored in a centralized, remote location where it can be continuously backed up.
