How Should Your Business Approach Virtual Desktops?

Your business’s desktop infrastructure is an imperative part of operations, but thanks to the latest virtualization technology, there are easier ways to manage multiple desktops. For example, you can take advantage of an in-house virtual desktop infrastructure, or implement a dynamic outsourced Desktop as a Service (DaaS) offering. Let’s take a look at the differences between the two.

One of the most important aspects of your IT infrastructure that you need to keep in mind when implementing new solutions, is that you should always be striving to do more with less. The simpler your IT infrastructure, the less complicated it is to administer maintenance, and the more efficient it is to handle. How do virtual desktop infrastructures and Desktop as a Service aid in this mission-critical task?

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
When you consider a virtual desktop infrastructure, you should be imagining the deployment of all of your business’s desktops from a centralized location on your infrastructure. Because all of your desktops are virtualized, you can apply patches and updates to your entire network at the same time. This minimizes the time spent updating every single machine, as well as the costs of operating expensive hardware. More than anything, though, a VDI is an in-house solution to your desktop infrastructure management needs. This means that your in-house technicians (or Directive’s remote technicians) would be responsible for monitoring and maintaining it. If your infrastructure isn’t properly maintained, it could lead to security discrepancies that can potentially cost your business in the long. These costs come in the form of downtime and overhead.

Desktop as a Service (DaaS)
Compared to an in-house VDI, the most notable aspect of a DaaS system is the fact that your internal operations aren’t responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of your hosted desktop infrastructure. Instead, this responsibility is placed on your outsourced IT provider, as the solution is hosted out in the cloud. The benefit of this is that you have proven experts handling your technology, so you can focus on your business’s operations. You can consider your DaaS provider as the “heavy lifter” that does all of the computing hard work for you. This arrangement allows your business to maximize its technology potential.

The Primary Difference
Ultimately, the main difference between VDI and DaaS is the same as other crucial technology management tasks when compared to their outsourced counterparts: up-front expenses and the amount of time necessary for the deployment of critical solutions. If your business has an in-house team that is capable and qualified to handle the management of a virtual desktop infrastructure, it’s quite possible to handle it yourself; however, know that it’s a very intensive task that can be easily outsourced to free up time and budget costs.

Directive can help your business implement and manage a DaaS infrastructure that can simplify your business’s desktop deployment. To learn more, give us a call at 607.433.2200.