Startups are fast-growing organizations. They always look to thrive despite low budgets and tough competition. However, with high scalability needs and evolving customer expectations, they require all the help they can get on the technological front.
Traditional IT infrastructure demands significant capital and operational expenses that startups just can’t handle. Moreover, with the increasing remote work policies, data breaches have become a common occurrence.
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This is where VDI comes into the picture. VDI offers startup access to new-age tools and a flexible platform that enhances operational efficiency and reduces capital expenses.
What is VDI?
VDI, or Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, is an IT infrastructure that uses virtualization technology to create virtual machines on centralized servers. VDI is generally deployed on a cloud platform to facilitate easy provisioning and remote access to virtual desktops.
VDI enables easy IT resource management and utilization, as the virtual desktops can be created or deleted instantly. You can deploy VDI in-house or opt for hosted VDI services as per the business requirements.
Today, many cloud service providers offer Hosted VDI—also known as Hosted Virtual Desktop or Desktop as a Service (DaaS)—delivering virtual desktops to remote devices on a subscription basis. These flexible pricing plans can be adjusted anytime, providing cost efficiency and scalability.
Cut capital costs and scale effortlessly with our secure, hosted Virtual Desktops.
What Makes VDI the Best Choice for Startups
1. Remote Access
Startups generally prefer coworking spaces and work-from-home policies as they do not have the funds to operate in a large physical facility. Therefore, it is no surprise that the coworking space market in the USA is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 15.7% by 2030. It calls for a solution that offers operational flexibility.
VDI enables employees to work from any location at any time on their devices. As a result, startups do not need to invest in a huge office space. Moreover, it also fosters work-life balance and helps reduce employee stress.
2. Scalability
Startups grow at the rate of knots. New employees get added frequently, which calls for the allotment of new workstations. In a traditional IT scenario, you need to invest in, set up, and maintain these workstations regularly, leading to additional costs and hassles.
VDI offers virtual desktops that can be created or deleted instantly, allowing you to scale the business process as per requirements. Moreover, you can customize the desktop configuration according to users and departments.
3. IT Resource Utilization
In a legacy desktop infrastructure, you must allot each employee a dedicated workstation with a pre-defined IT configuration. Even if the employee does not utilize all IT resources, you still need to invest in them.
In the case of VDI, the virtual desktops are created from a pool of IT resources. Therefore, an employee can be allotted a virtual desktop, and the configuration can be changed instantly as per the changing requirements. Moreover, you can configure the virtual desktops for each department.
4. Platform Independence
When an employee works on a physical desktop, they can use applications compatible only with the operating system. For instance, you can’t run a Linux application on a Windows desktop.
With VDI, you can access virtual desktops from remote devices. Therefore, even if you have a MacBook, you can access the Windows virtual desktop with all its applications through it. It gives you the freedom to use your preferred devices for business applications.
5. Data Security
In a traditional IT scenario, the data and apps are stored on laptops and PCs. Hence, if your laptop is hacked, stolen, or damaged, all your data is either lost or compromised.
In the case of VDI, the data and applications are hosted on remote cloud servers, and the devices (like laptops) are used only to access them remotely. Hence, the data and business applications are still secure even if something happens to your access device.
6. Centralized Management
Desktop management can be challenging for your startup’s IT team with multiple desktops. Moreover, the adoption of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) and remote work policies can make IT management even more complicated.
VDI offers remote management tools that enable efficient desktop management and monitoring. You can provision, de-provision, upgrade, and monitor desktops from a single platform. Moreover, the applications can be installed on all virtual desktops simultaneously, saving time and effort.
Benefits of Opting for Hosted VDI Services
VDI offers a flexible platform for your startup operations. However, opting for a VDI service provider relieves you from the hassles of deploying it in-house. It also offers the following advantages.
1. Total Data Protection
Attackers prefer startups as their targets. According to Infosecurity Magazine, 81 percent of small businesses in the US have experienced a data breach. This happens because startups generally lack the budget to deploy an advanced security infrastructure.
VDI hosting providers deploy a multi-level security infrastructure with security safeguards at the physical, network, endpoint, and admin levels. It ensures data protection against the entire threat landscape.
Some of the safeguards include:
- Physical security – Multi-level access, 24/7 CCTV surveillance, security staff, flood detection, and fire suppression systems.
- Network Security – 256-bit encryption, distributed firewall, Intrusion Detection and Prevention (IDPS), brute force protection
- Endpoint Security – Multi-factor authentication, granular access controls, OS patching, antivirus, antimalware, automated updates.
2. BCDR
You might deploy advanced security protocols and hardware redundancy to ensure seamless operations for on-premise VDI. But what happens if a natural disaster affects the entire location, causing power issues or hardware damage? Without a contingency plan, this event could lead to significant downtime.
The hosted VDI providers ensure that virtual desktops are always accessible by implementing a Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCDR) plan. The service providers replicate the virtual desktops in multiple data centers located in different locations. Therefore, even if one data center location is affected by a disaster, you still get access to the desktops.
3. Cost Savings
Budget is a critical parameter for a startup while adopting a new technology. Implementing VDI in-house involves considerable capital investments. Moreover, you also incur recurring expenses for IT monitoring, maintenance, and upgrades.
In the case of hosted VDI services, the service provider owns the IT infrastructure. You only need to opt for the required virtual desktops and pay a subscription fee. It eliminates not only capital expenses but also operational IT maintenance expenses.
4. Round-the-clock Technical Support
When deploying on-premise VDI, you need to hire a team of experts to resolve technical issues. Moreover, you must upskill the team with regular training and certifications so they can be up-to-date with the latest technologies. It requires additional cost and time that the startups can’t afford.
Competent Desktop-as-a-Service providers offer 24/7 technical support to their customers, even during holidays or weekends. Their team of VDI experts can resolve any issue regarding virtual desktops, be it access, performance, or security.
5. Reduced IT Hassles
An in-house VDI setup requires constant maintenance, management, and upgrades. Moreover, your IT team must regularly monitor the desktops for issues. Therefore, the team must spend most of its time on IT tasks, which it can utilize in core operations.
Opting for hosted VDI services minimizes in-house IT-related tasks. The provider owns the IT infrastructure and takes care of IT maintenance and upgrade tasks.
7. State-of-the-art Infrastructure
Deploying in-house VDI requires state-of-the-art facilities and redundant hardware that are available only in advanced data centers. Investing in such an advanced infrastructure can be unfeasible for a startup.
Hosted VDI gives startups direct access to high-performance virtual desktops. The VDI service providers like Ace Cloud Hosting create the VDI infrastructure in SOC 2, HIPAA, and SSAE 16 certified Tier 4/5 data centers globally. These advanced data centers deploy 2N+1 infrastructure redundancy with multiple power sources and cooling equipment.
8. Automated Backup
Data Backup is vital to recover data in the case of incidents like ransomware attacks or accidental deletion. When deploying VDI in-house, you must invest in additional servers and tools to ensure regular backup.
The VDI providers offer backup solutions that automatically back up data without human intervention. This ensures that your data is accessible quickly in case of a security incident.
9. Flexible Pricing Plans
Budget optimization is a vital focus of any startup. You want the best services at the most affordable price.
Hosted VDI providers offer a pay-as-you-go pricing model, where you pay only for the IT resources used. You can choose from their diverse pricing plans that suit your business requirements. Moreover, you can ask the provider to customize the plan as per your needs. Opting for the right plan helps you optimize costs and save time and money.
10. Compliance Adherence
When managing data in-house, you must adhere to various industry and demographic-specific data regulations. Any event of non-compliance can lead to heavy fines and damage to reputation. However, adhering to these regulations can be a major headache for startups as their protocols keep updating.
Hosting VDI providers comply with all major regulations, including GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2, ISO 27001, or PCI. They also deploy a dedicated compliance team to draft policies and ensure proper escalation during an event.
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Get a Competitive Edge with VDI
Transitioning to VDI gives startups the competitive edge they require to thrive. It offers them a scalable platform with unlimited access to the business operations. It also enhances employees’ work flexibility and improves work-life balance. However, deploying VDI in-house demands initial investment and expertise. A better alternative is to opt for hosted VDI services.
Hosted VDI services help cut capital costs that you can invest in other core operations. You also get access to high-end IT infrastructure and an extensive technical team on a subscription-based pricing model. Moreover, VDI providers offer total data protection against the diverse cyber threat landscape.
Ace Cloud Hosting delivers industry-specific, cost-effective hosted VDI solutions tailored for startups. Experience high-performance virtual desktops with bank-level security, backed by 24/7/365 expert support and a 99.99% uptime guarantee.
Take advantage of flexible pricing and scalable infrastructure designed to meet your business needs. Book a free consultation or start your 7-day free trial today to explore the benefits of Ace Cloud Hosting’s VDI services.
