Which Is Best When Working Remotely: VDI or DaaS

Are you facing issues in working remotely? Do you need the right tool to manage your remote workforce?

Over a decade has passed and business desktops have evolved ever since. Earlier, businesses were using bulky units consuming your entire desk. With time, office desktops have become more and more advanced and sleek. Now, we have smarter desktop units and easier functioning power.

However, remote working is still a crucial bottleneck. In the last year, personal data breaches reached to up to 58%. Add to this another statistic revealing that by 2025, around 70% of our workforce will be remote.

Hence, although we are definitely adopting remote work culture, security and management are still a challenge. The remote workforce is the future, but only if we are able to implement the right technology to manage it. Both VDI and DaaS are right for desktop virtualization.

Which one can you use?

What Is Virtual Desktop Infrastructure?

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure is a desktop virtualization process that relies on on-premise data centers. This offers complete control over configuration, application hosting, and VMs. Once you set up the infrastructure for desktop virtualization, Virtual Private Network is installed for remote access.

Hence, in the VDI setup, you need an IT team to create an internal data center for remote VM access. This infrastructure is suitable for an organization that needs to handle a huge remote workforce.

What Is Desktop As A Service?

Desktop as a Service is a subset of VDI, it is on the cloud. In this case, end-users access virtual desktops via the internet using an access channel offered by the Cloud Service Provider.

In terms of deployment and additional requirements, DaaS is hassle-free. The cloud service entails services required to remotely run virtual desktops. This infrastructure is suitable for every business looking for simpler functioning and quick service support.

Which Is Better For Remote Working?

When improvising remote working patterns, which can you utilize? Let’s find out:

1. Scalability

Scalability is a benefit both in VDI and DaaS infrastructure. The only difference is how it is achieved.

In VDI, every virtual desktop unit has physical storage somewhere. So, when we scale, this physical storage is increased, which means hardware, upgrade, and software requirements increase. The cost and setup management are incurred by the business.

In DaaS, scalability is increased in a similar manner but the CSP achieves it. In fact, it is possible to scale in the minimum time possible with the cloud. Your costing package will be adjusted according to changes in your resources.

2. Access

VDI solution is flexible in access. If you have proper in-house control and architecture, accessibility is possible with just an internet connection.
For instance, if you have connected your VDI with VPN, your employees can securely log into the server. This will offer access to virtual desktops and apps.

Similarly, on the DaaS as well, accessibility is possible with an internet connection. End-users can open a web browser, log in to the server, and utilize virtual desktops, including files and apps stored on them.

3. Costing

VDI deployments are on-premise, and hardware installations are achieved by the business. This indicates that from software upgrade to scaling, costs are extracted from your budget. As a result, VDI deployments are naturally costly. We require ongoing IT support for this architecture, which further adds to the cost.

On the other hand, DaaS deployments don’t accompany infrastructure costs. The CSP (content security policy) offers a managed solution, which your end-users need to consume via the internet. The payment is as per your utilization and scaling. Therefore, DaaS deployments are cost-effective. The only ongoing charge that you need to incur is your subscription fee, which is adjusted according to the number of virtual desktops you are using.

4. Setup

VDI, as we have already discussed, requires an in-house setup. You need an IT team to consistently stay on top of your servers. From uptime management to scalability, everything is set up by the business via in-house resources.

DaaS setup includes understanding how virtual access to the cloud server works. There are minimal training requirements for your employees, and that’s all!

5. Backup

VDI deployments require manual backups from the business. Similar to your on-premise VDI deployment, you require a backup resource. Many businesses use cloud backup resources for easy retrieval and disaster management. If you are avoiding cloud-based backups, management comes with extensive and advanced security management.

DaaS is a managed service, so backups are automated. Your CSP has various cloud servers in different locations. All these servers have the same copy of your data along with a backup of this data. If an end-user accidentally deletes files, you can recover them from the backup image. Similarly, if a disaster happens, immediate retrieval from a different server or the same server is possible.

6. Security

Data security and privacy are a concern for every organization. This is exactly why BYOD (bring your own device) policies are so stringent or non-existent in organizations.

VDI deployments can provide optimum security infrastructure. The IT team of your business needs to consistently monitor servers, keep them updated, catch cyber-attacks, backup data, and upgrade security measures like anti-malware. The physical security of the on-premise server is also crucial.

DaaS deployments come with comparatively easier security controls. The security structure is the same, but it is managed by the CSP. You get,

Multi-factor authentication
Internal and external firewalls
Data encryption
Intrusion detection and prevention
Backup and disaster recovery

For example, if you have to employ internal access control, it is an included service with DaaS. The internal firewall will help you define the hierarchy of data, application, or desktop access.

Conclusion

We can’t stress enough the point that the pandemic has helped us make peace with the technology revolution. However, to gain a competitive edge, it is imperative to choose the right technology solution for your business. While DaaS is a managed service with flexibility, VDI provides in-house control and management. Depending on your requirements, evaluate the above factors carefully to make the right decision.

THANKS TO:

Neha Srivastava