Cloud computing is becoming increasingly popular. However, before you can take advantage of the many benefits of the cloud, you must first decide on one of the different service models. IaaS, PaaS, SaaS or even DaaS. DaaS in particular has become one of the most effective models for cloud computing in recent years. In this article, we explain how your company can also benefit from it.
DaaS for the workplace of the future
DaaS is an abbreviation and stands for Desktop as a Service. The written-out name already makes it clear what the focus of this cloud service is. This is about an external provider using the methods of desktop virtualization and cloud computing to provide your desktop anytime, anywhere.
So instead of the desktop services in your company being provided by the individual computers, there is only one physical computer that runs all the applications. This computer can then virtually display the desktop on any end device that has sufficient computing power: Only the Internet connection has to be strong enough for this.
By bundling the actual computing services all in one place, a number of advantages arise for the user. For example, updates or security checks can be carried out from a central location and do not have to be performed individually on each device. But also the storage and back-up of data, the general administration effort and many more functions can be made more effective and less expensive.
How DaaS works: Desktop virtualization
Desktop virtualization, client virtualization or virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) are all terms for the same technical process that forms the basis of any DaaS product. Virtualization involves using physical computing machines to create multiple different virtual machines that were traditionally tied to a single computing machine.
This may sound complicated, but it's actually quite simple: until now, you used your personal Apple or Microsoft computer to use your desktop - all the services you used on the desktop were provided by your computer. With desktop virtualization, there is only one central physical machine that provides all the services and can then virtualize those services on any desktop.
What's the difference?
However, not all desktop virtualization also has to be a DaaS product. After all, such virtualization can also be hosted by internal corporate servers. DaaS, however, is characterized by the fact that the entire required infrastructure is also provided by an external cloud provider. This means that the customer only uses the virtual desktop, but all the necessary software and hardware services are provided by the manufacturer.
This results in further advantages for the user compared to conventional desktop virtualization. The most important of these is certainly cost control. Because if the required infrastructure for desktop services is outsourced, then server, real estate and energy costs can be significantly reduced. In addition, personnel costs can also be saved in this way, since no specialist knowledge is required for the DaaS applications.
In addition, the company's own desktop network becomes extremely scalable. Desktops can be added or removed at short notice - even on a larger scale. But not only the number of operating systems, but also the actual bandwidth and computing power used remains scalable and thus cost-effective - you only pay for what you actually use.
DaaS is already in use here
Especially in the last two years, DaaS has become even more important. After all, home office can be implemented with minimal effort: Every employee can also access the company's virtual desktop from home without having to store internal programs on external devices.
In this way, massive security concerns related to the use of private devices for corporate purposes can be eliminated. In addition, many companies are turning to DaaS that have no need or budget for an in-house IT department and are therefore looking for the most straightforward and user-friendly cloud computing solution possible.
What other service models are there?
In addition to DaaS, there are three other cloud models: IaaS, PaaS and SaaS. Ultimately, which solution is right for your business depends entirely on your needs and requirements. Below, we explain in more detail what the different terms are all about.
IaaS
IaaS stands for Infrastructure-as-a-Service. Here, the user is actually only provided with the required infrastructure for cloud computing by a dirtt provider. The control of the servers, networks, operating systems and data storage thus remains in the hands of the company, without the servers having to be physically managed for this purpose.
PaaS
Paas, short for platform-as-a-service, provides users with an online platform that they can then use to develop and run their own applications. Unlike IaaS, however, users do not have to take care of provisioning, storing and managing the data themselves.
SaaS
SaaS or Software-as-a-Service is the most frequently used cloud model. This is software that is provided by a cloud provider via the Internet and executed by the user on their own devices without having to worry about development, execution or the infrastructure of the applications.