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DaaS or Desktop as a Service is a desktop virtualization solution where virtual desktops or applications are hosted on the provider’s cloud servers and can directly be accessed by the end-users on their personal devices.
Desktop as a service had a tremendous impact on businesses. As companies witnessed a pandemic-stricken downtrend, DaaS quickly came up as a solution to making healthy remote working possible. Simply put, companies stormed through the pandemic with virtual desktops.
The DaaS market has seen immense growth, and Gartner’s forecast predicts that the market is expected to grow significantly in the coming years.
Top 5 (DaaS) Desktop as a Service Providers 2022
With the presence of multiple providers in the market, it is essential to choose the right DaaS provider for your business. Here is a list of the five most highly rated DaaS providers in 2022:
- ACE Cloud Hosting
- Vmware Horizon Cloud
- Citrix Virtual Desktops And Apps
- Amazon Workspaces
- Azure Virtual Desktop
Let’s dive in to know more about the top 5 DaaS providers.
ACE Cloud Hosting
Ace Cloud Hosting is an award-winning cloud service provider that offers a wide range of solutions, including Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), Workspaceas a Service (WaaS), Hosted Desktops, and GPU as a Service (GPUaaS), and much more. Ace Cloud Hosting has been awarded Expert’s Choice 2021 and Supreme Software 2021 by Finances Online for its tailor-made solutions to cater to unique business needs. The virtual desktops are hosted on high-performance computing servers to smooth out the complexities of managing huge on-premises server setup. You get a pay-as-you-go subscription model, making it an affordable choice for early-stage startups and SMEs where the packages start from as low as $30 per user per month.
VMware Horizon Cloud
VMware’s Horizon Cloud Desktop-as-a-service provider offers customers the freedom to choose between Microsoft and IBM as the provider for cloud infrastructure. Users can purchase or license their customized Microsoft Azure plan via VMware or opt for IBM cloud with a subscription. As a facilitator, VMware offers a per-user subscription plan where a user is provided with a dedicated desktop, in addition to a per-session usage plan wherein one concurrent session is shared among multiple users.
Citrix Virtual Desktops and Apps
Launched in August 2019, Citrix offers a feature-rich and simplified version of the earlier Virtual Apps and Desktop. Microsoft Windows is the default operating system. This means that Citrix comes with the entire suite of Microsoft’s productivity apps, the licensing cost of which is included in Citrix’s fee although it does allow users to use their own licenses. Citrix DaaS offers its users a monthly plan and annual plan up to five years.
Amazon Workspaces
Amazon Workspaces provides its customers Linux and Windows to choose from, in addition to storage and hardware capabilities as per their computing needs. Customers can use the licensed version of the operating system for a fee or use their own pre-existing subscriptions to avail Amzon Workspaces.
Azure Virtual Desktop
Microsoft launched a new Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) in 2018 replacing its earlier remote desktop service. The new, feature-rich version runs both Windows 7 and Windows 10 in addition to an abundance of third-party applications and Office 365 ProPlus. AVD is hosted on Microsoft’s Azure and offers a host of pricing options based on the services a customer selects.
You may be familiar with these brands, but do you know the specifics of what they offer in terms of your business needs? Let’s find out.
Services offered by DaaS Providers
Desktop and App Management
Providers offer you entirely managed virtual desktops with pre-installed applications. The provider manages the desktop installation, scaling, upgrading, and maintenance. As providers offer virtual desktops hosted on their cloud servers, you can easily reduce your office infra and hardware like bulky servers and LAN cabling. The provider takes all the technical burden off your shoulders so that you can focus on your work without bothering about the technical difficulties.
Secure your data
Providers keep your data safe in data centers with 24×7 CCTV surveillance and security guards. They offer you high-security features like 256-bit TLS encrypted end-user connection, dual-factor authentication, enterprise-grade antivirus protection, high availability of physical and network firewall, and many more.
Moreover, they provide GPO controls (user group policy support, computer group policy support) and complete deletion of the user/VDI data on customer request or contract termination.
Recommended Read: How DaaS Is A More Secure Option For Businesses
IT Support services
Reputable DaaS providers offer you 24×7 IT support via phone, chat, and email. Many of them provide these services inclusive in their plans, but some offer them as additional services. Hence, in case of any technical glitches, they resolve your issues in significantly less time and provide you complete support even in the night hours. Providers maintain server uptime of 99.99% so that your team does not have to sit idle and waste their time.
Provide High-Performance Computing
Companies need high-performance desktops so that their desired team can work on critical tasks without interruption.
Providers offer virtual desktops with the least latency possible so that developers and designers who use heavy applications can work lag-free. High configurations offer increased speed and uninterrupted networks, which helps employees deliver increased productivity.
Providers also virtualize the applications hosted on their cloud servers so that you don’t need to install them on multiple high-end desktops.
BCDR
BCDR refers to business continuity and disaster recovery. It simply means that you can continue business even in disasters like earthquakes or floods. But how?
Providers offer DRaaS (Disaster Recovery as a Service) included or excluded in their plans depending on their services. In DRaaS, providers replicate your data in multiple data centers kept at different locations.
Therefore, even if one place is hit by disaster, you can use the already backed up data in other data centers to continue your business.
Know More: DaaS security
On-demand Scaling
Providers offer you the scalability of the virtual desktops. If you want to scale up or down the resources according to the requirement, providers will do that instantly for you. You don’t have to replace your end device to meet the requirements.
Moreover, if your workforce increases or decreases, then providers can quickly raise or reduce the number of virtual desktops. Proper desktop optimization also helps you save costs as no desktop is billable if it’s not in use.
Regular Data Backup
Another service offered by the provider is the automatic data backup facility. Reputable providers have a regular monthly based data backup schedule. In case of mishaps or data loss, providers restore the data in the least possible time without the need for your involvement.
Proof of Concept and Consultation
The right provider always provides you with something unique, and one of those things can come in the form of proof-of-concept sessions. These help you know and understand what can best fulfil your business requirements. The sessions offer the much-needed hands-on experience before opting for a subscription plan.
Explore the benefits of VDI with Citrix DaaS
How to Choose a DaaS Provider?
Choosing the best Desktop as a Service (DaaS) provider means relying on the services of a third-party DaaS provider that offer the best fit for your business model, needs and interests. So, to choose the provider that’s right for you, start by assessing the priorities and unique requirements of your business. For instance, if you are in the business of handling sensitive data, security should be your biggest concern. Accordingly, choose a provider that guarantees the highest security standards in its offerings. On the other hand, if your business is focused more on accessibility and compatibility so that applications can run simultaneously on multiple platforms, app virtualization should be your priority. Accordingly, look for a provider that offers the most in terms of application virtualization.
Citrix Managed Desktops is the preferred mode of running business operations because it eliminates the need for in-house hardware management and IT support. When these business-critical processes are outsourced to a reliable DaaS provider, you can take care of your core business needs with more ease, increased efficiency, and greater peace of mind. Another important aspect of opting for DaaS is significant cost reduction. Without the need for a local hardware setup or an in-house IT team, the operational costs of running your business become much lower.
But, even in the absence of a downside to choosing DaaS, the right DaaS provider comes with the promise of more than just making your business easier to manage. It helps you take advantage of managed services, low costs, and more time to prioritize your business interests intelligently.
Like most things in life, when it comes to DaaS, utmost comfort comes from the truest fit.
Also Read: Choosing a Desktop as a Service DaaS Provider? Ask These 10 Questions
Why choose ACE Cloud Hosting as your DaaS provider?
ACE offers you managed cloud services in which DaaS is one of its recognized virtual desktop solutions. It is a managed DaaS provider that offers high uptime of 99.99%, scalability, high-performance desktops, and quick provisioning of virtual desktops.
All the maintenance, installation of applications or servers’ settings are done from our end without your involvement. We have diverse pay-as-you-go DaaS pricing plans, which help clients pay monthly or yearly.
By opting for ACE’s DaaS, you don’t need to understand the subject’s technicality and waste your crucial time in the installation and deployment of virtual desktops. ACE’s specialized IT professional will take care of all the operations.
Register yourself for a free trial and leverage the power of DaaS for your business.
Update: This article was last updated on 23rd May 2022 to reflect the accuracy and up-to-date information on the page.
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Ace Cloud Hosting Expert
ACH is a one-stop cloud service provider having 14+ years of expertise. We have won multiple awards like “Top QB Enterprise Winner” by Intuit (2021), “Expert Choice” by FinancesOnline (2021), “High Performer” by G2 (2022). We are recognized for premium customer service and tailor-made solutions for application hosting (QuickBooks, Sage, Drake, and others), Managed Cloud VDI, Security as a Service, and Infrastructure as a Service.We bring the latest updates, tips, and tricks needed to enrich the cloud journey for small businesses to large enterprises.
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