Desktone Blog

Microsoft XP Support: Every Ending Leads to a New Beginning

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:00:00 EDT

Maybe the sky isn’t falling as the scare theorists would have you believe, but the end of support for Windows XP IS coming, and knocking on wood and crossing your fingers just won’t cut it for an insurance plan. Maybe you’re banking on the goodwill of Microsoft to keep issuing patches, alerts or updates to those who have yet to migrate from XP (that’s about 40% of you by the way!), but again, not a practical approach to securing your corporate desktops and IP.

The Facts

Microsoft will terminate support for Windows XP effective April 8, 2014
This means those still operating on XP will no longer receive security updates (patches), online technical support
As of 2010 Dimensional Research surveyed nearly 1K professionals, 48% claimed they would continue to use XP post support
Continuing to run an unsupported version of XP will leave you vulnerable to malware, viruses, worms, data breaches, data corruption, theft of critical business data accessible on an unsupported system
Corporations knowingly operating under these risks could be leaving themselves exposed to investigations, litigation, fines, and more
Keeping OSs updated not only improves reliability but also keeps hardware running properly and maintains corporate productivity

The Predicament

The objections and justifications for not having migrated from XP are many, but here are the most frequently heard according to Elias Khnaser at Virtualization Review:

Lack of budget for a migration
Many applications pose a compatibility issue with newer OSs
Lack of capacity to operate business as usual while juggling a migration
No hardware to support a new OS
Challenged by which version of Windows to upgrade to

The Solution

Certainly there are option, though time is running short, and with less than 11 months to go, the options for a complete upgrade or rollout of a new OS are few. What’s worse the larger your organization and the more desktops you have, the longer this will take and the more costly a security breach could be.

Extending your support of XP will cost you: Gartner analysts estimate premium XP support to be $200,000 for those with a Software Assurance agreement or a mere $500,000 if you don't have one.
According to IDC, running Windows XP can cost up to 5x more than running Windows 7 or 8
A Data breach, malware, viruses, and lost productivity, customer trust, PR implications, the implications of these scenarios can be incalculable in total cost both literally and to your corporate reputation

Cloud Hosted DaaS Enables Your XP Migration

So, what’s an IT dept tight on time, and strapped for cash to do? We would urge you to consider cloud hosted desktops as a service (DaaS). Leveraging all of the benefits of cloud technology, combined with the promises of VDI (the cost and complexity), you can have full Windows 7 desktops up and running in a matter of weeks, not months, accessible on any device, from anywhere. This virtual desktops solution enables you to kill multiple birds with one stone:

Jumps the hurdle of a lack of budget, desktops can start as low as $30/month for a cloud hosted virtual desktop
Management complexities, patches, updates are no longer the IT department’s headache, instead one of our global network of partners (Dell, Fujitsu, NEC, NaviSite etc) will manage your desktops for you
No need to buy all new hardware, repurpose existing PCs as “thin clients” to deliver employees cloud hosted desktops, only add new hardware as budget permits or needs arise
Scale your desktops up and down as needed, on demand, with a predictable monthly OPEX vs a CAPEX
A cloud hosted desktop solution also enables BYOD and provides for a DR solution as well

I delivered a live webinar today, delving into this specific topic and outlining how desktops as a service (DaaS) can help you easily and cost effectively handle your Windows XP migration. Crisis averted. Security ensured. You can watch the recording of it at your convenience here: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/184076590

Desktone Partner Dell Now Making DaaS as Easy as Your Cable Service!

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EDT

Simple enough that your Nana could do it? Well, maybe that's a bit of a stretch (my Nana is 90 after all), but Dell's new Desktop as a Service (DaaS) bundle raises the bar for making desktop virtualization easy! The new bundle brings together the hosted virtual desktop, Dell Wyse thin clients, OS and Apps all under one monthly fee. Dell’s DaaS offering powered by Desktone has always simplified desktop virtualization for countless IT departments by switching to an outsourced virtual desktop as a service (DaaS) model, but this new offering ups the ante! Many companies shy away from DIY desktop virtualization and VDI due to concerns with budget constraints and the daunting licensing and deployment complexities, will be excited by Dell’s new bundle. Now you can buy everything from the service to the user’s endpoint and applications for a monthly OPEX from one vendor.

Dell’s Desktop as a Service Made Easier enables companies of all sizes including SMB’s to take advantage of cutting edge cloud technology and the highest levels service and end user performance that enterprise customers have always experienced. Leveraging the benefits of cloud (flexibility, scalability, security etc.), this bundle enables small and medium businesses who typically have to make do with limited IT budget and resources to unburden their IT departments, maintain a competitive edge and grow their workforce by swapping their VDI headaches for an outsourced desktop as a service (DaaS) model. Now companies can obtain end to end virtualization their way, quickly and easily configuring purchasing and delivering desktops with minimal investment and minimal expense.

Benefits of Dell DaaS Made Easier include:

Cost Effective: With leasing made available by Dell Financial Services^** (DFS) or Dell Business Credit^ê, qualified customers can acquire the thin clients and licenses necessary to set up any Dell DaaS solution.
Secure: Control access to data and applications through a secure desktop virtualization solution.
Easy: No complicated architectures. Easy, simple deployment that works together seamlessly; licensing complexities can be eliminated.
Scalable: Going from 50 users to hundreds is easy. Just add DaaS desktops and Dell Wyse or your own endpoints as they are needed.
Maintenance Free: Future Dell innovation updates automatically included with subscription price.

Check out the Dell community blog to read more, or the Dell DVS Simplified DaaS site. Follow #DellSolves on Twitter to stay on top of simplified DaaS news.

Desktone’s Virtual Desktop Platform Certified with Cisco Routers to Help Branch Offices and SMBs Support Mobile and Remote Workforces

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST

This morning we announced that the cloud-hosted Desktone virtual desktop platform is now certified with the Cisco UCS-E series router. Working together, Desktone and Cisco will offer the Desktop Virtualization Cloud Connector to enable service providers to deliver simple, cost-effective Windows desktops and applications as a hybrid cloud service to help SMBS, branch and remote offices meet demand for mobility and remote workforce support.

"Small and mid-sized organizations are quickly migrating to cloud computing solutions as a way to adapt to changing business needs," said Mark Lohmeyer, VP product management, Cisco. "With the inherent flexibility and scalability the joint solution offers, virtual desktops hosted on the Cisco ISR G2 and UCS E Series Server are an ideal solution for customers with branch offices and remote workforces who are tasked with supporting numerous employees and devices with limited IT resources."

If you happen to be lucky enough to be strolling the halls of @CiscoLiveEurope this week, swing by the Cisco booth to get a live demonstration of virtual desktops and applications hosted on the UCS-E Series thanks to today’s newly announced Desktone / Cisco interoperability. What a mouthful! But here’s the skinny on this exciting new pairing:

What is it and what makes it unique? Desktone’s desktop virtualization software comes pre-installed on Cisco Integrated Services Router Generation 2 (ISR G2) and UCS-E Series Server. This enables service providers to deliver a turnkey desktop virtualization solution to SMB customers who prefer a hybrid cloud deployment. Due to Desktone’s multi-tenancy and tiered role separation service providers can manage multiple ‘tenants/customers’ under one management interface delivering a new cloud service revenue stream while meeting demands of their customers. For the customer, you get a turnkey desktop virtualization solution that requires no installation and ongoing management and you get a superior desktop experience with no WAN limitations and end users can access full-functioning desktops with local compute and all their applications from any device they choose.

Why is this cool? Why is this newsworthy? Desktone has completed interoperability verification testing required by Cisco so service providers and customers can feel comfortable that the solution will deliver high performing virtual desktops.

Why does this matter and who will care? For one, SMBs and branch offices demanding mobility and remote workforce support, who are well aware that the options for virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) are, as a whole, too complex and costly for legitimate consideration will be very interested in this offering. Now, the promises of VDI are made attainable by Cisco and Desktone, removing virtualization barriers by enabling organizations to receive all of the benefits of VDI managed from the cloud. Service Providers will also be intrigued by the option to offer a superior desktop experience with no WAN limitations and end users can access full-functioning desktops with local compute and all their applications from any device they choose.

How does it work? The Desktop Virtualization Cloud Connector comprises the Desktone Platform bundled with the Cisco Integrated Services Router Generation 2 (ISR G2) and UCS-E Series Server. The Desktop Virtualization Cloud Connector delivers simple, turnkey cloud-based virtual desktops that are:

pre-packaged on hardware
remotely managed from the cloud by a service provider
easy to budget OPEX
affordable alternative to complex and costly VDI
purpose-built for the cloud
centrally managed and supported desktops & apps
hosted on cloud-based platform on UCS-E Series Server
secure, integrated, easily managed
quickly adapt to changing business needs by leveraging cloud technology
extend your limited IT resources without adding headcount

How is this offering any different from other desktop virtualization vendor offerings? This is the only hybrid virtual desktop solution available. By utilizing the cloud to deliver converged virtual desktop and networking solutions, Service Providers can easily provide their customers with flexible, secure virtual desktops wherever and whenever they are needed.

Cisco’s UCS E-Series Server modules are next-generation, power-optimized, x86, Intel® Xeon® 64-bit blade servers designed to be deployed in Cisco ISR G2. These price-to-performance-optimized, single-socket blade servers balance simplicity, performance, reliability, and power efficiency. They are well suited for applications and infrastructure services typically deployed in small offices and branch offices. Cisco ISR G2s and UCS E-Series servers lower the TCO by reducing server hardware shipping costs, power consumption, cooling, cabling, space, and support costs. The built-in lights-out server management through CIMC provides remote server monitoring and configuration management for virtualized and bare metal deployments.

Cisco will offer demonstrations of virtual desktops and applications hosted on the UCS-E Series at Cisco Live 2013 in London, January 28 – February 1. Stop by and check it out!

Don't forget to check out our Desktone & Cisco Cloud Connect for Virtual Desktops data sheet!

Equinix Partners with Desktone to Deliver DaaS to Service Providers

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST

There are a lot of things to be excited about in yesterday's announcement of our new partnership with Equinix but some of the top ones for me are:

'In February 2013, a Solution Validation Center (SVC) demo environment will be available from Equinix to further complement the Desktone offering. Built using NetApp storage systems, the demo environment will be deployed across three geographically dispersed data centers, allowing Equinix customers to test Desktone solutions from different parts of the world and validate performance metrics around DaaS.'

'For service providers, the Desktone opportunity translates into additional infrastructure and services revenue with low risk, since pilot environments can be quickly established in the cloud with easy try and buy options for customers. A 1,000 desktop trial that would otherwise take six to nine months to complete can be deployed in 45 days using Desktone’s convenient reference architecture. With Desktone’s reference architecture, footprint and software package, service providers can bypass the time and resources required to build their own data center footprints, and instead, rapidly deploy and scale DaaS environments without massive capital expenditure costs. This ease of use and spin up enables accelerated time to market.'

Many service providers we speak with clearly see the market demand for desktops as a cloud service and want to offer DaaS, but they do not have the available resources to build out data center capacity. Now Equinix is not only offering a global footprint to make this easier but they are also offering access to data center resources (NetApp and Cisco hardware and Desktone software) to enable service providers to 'try before they buy'. Like any new product offering it takes time for service providers to build the business case, plan the offering and build out the data center all while creating a pipeline of opportunities. Now service providers can start building a pipeline of end user opportunities before they build out their own DaaS infrastructure.

Unlike traditional desktop virtualization solutions, Desktone was built from day 1 for cloud delivery so the cost model is 30-40% lower than competing products. Couple this cost savings with the reach of Equinix and you can see how service providers are building a new service offering quickly with large margins.

If you are lucky enough to be at the The Pacific Telecommunications Council (PTC) 13' event this week be sure to stop by and talk to Equinix about this new revenue opportunity.

2013 Brings Leading Cloud Provider to Desktone’s Global Network of Partners

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST

As we launch headlong into a new year that, according to IDC, promises to bring an increase of 91 million mobile users, Desktone is happy to welcome Dimension Data to our global network of service provider partners who have chosen to expand their cloud solution offerings with Desktone’s platform to enable them to deliver desktops and applications as a cloud service. With over 60 offices in APAC alone, Dimension Data further expands the Powered by Desktone network of providers. This expanded network of providers and locations is critical for virtual desktop performance. By having a data center close in proximity to the end user the latency is reduced and the performance is significantly improved.

Surveying the desktop virtualization marketplace, service providers quickly realize that only a few major players have risen to the top in their ability to meet the rapidly evolving needs of a always on, mobile workforce who demand access to their desktop environments anywhere, anytime from any device they choose (BYOD Bring Your Own Device).

Going a step further, and offering desktops as a cloud service (vs. costly and complex onsite VDI solutions) adds an additional layer of complexity requiring a technology that will enable service providers to grow their cloud solution offerings in a manner that is easy to use, secure, offers a scalable infrastructure, delivers true multi-tenancy and of course won’t break the bank. Other virtual desktop vendors were built for enterprise deployments and are clearly missing key features required for cloud delivery.

Recognized by Gartner, Inc. in the Leaders quadrant of the Magic Quadrant for Cloud Infrastructure-as-a-Service[i], Dimension Data looked around, considered their options, and chose to leverage Desktone’s Platform to enable their customers to better support corporate and remote workers, the rapid adoption of mobile computing and other enterprise initiatives in a way that’s scalable, improves performance and reduces operational costs and complexity.

Dimension Data is just one of the many global service provider partners leveraging Desktone’s platform to:

Flex infrastructure to align with demand and changes in business
Reduce capital expenditure while supporting BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)
Provision, deploy and scale desktops on demand
Eliminate expense and complexity of building and maintaining on-premise infrastructure
Enable end-users to access any program and application from any device

Desktone looks forward to the inevitable growth in 2013 and beyond of cloud based solution adoption and helping service providers to deliver desktops as a service (DaaS) as the affordable alternative to enterprise VDI for device independence and lowered IT CAPEX.

With cloud-hosted virtual desktops, Dimension Data can deliver complete virtual desktops in a truly scalable cloud environment that’s easy to manage, without worrying about hardware or software costs.

[i] Gartner “Magic Quadrant for Cloud Infrastructure-as-a-Service by Lydia Leong, Douglas Toombs, Bob Gill, Gregor Petri, Tiny Haynes, 18 October 2012

Desktone 2013 Predictions: The Convergence of Virtual Desktops, App Delivery and the Cloud

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST

Posted on VMblog.com by Desktone CTO, Danny Allan

With big changes happening in the IT industry every day, the one constant growth area is mobility. Being able to access your information from anywhere is quickly becoming the standard across industries, and more organizations are looking to provide access to enterprise programs and applications on all types of employee devices. In 2013, we'll see a heavy push toward virtual desktop and application deployments in the cloud to support enterprise mobility. In particular, we expect to see many large organizations looking to combine the app data delivery experience with the desktop to make mobile access more convenient and affordable.

A growing number of companies are offering corporate app stores, which are specifically designed to enhance their employees' mobile work experience. A logical, and cost-effective, next step is to combine corporate app delivery with cloud-hosted virtual desktops, giving organizations greater control over mobile policies without having to invest in on-site infrastructure. By implementing desktops and apps delivered as a cloud service, organizations are able to realize the efficiencies of the cloud, such as multi-tenancy, scalability, multi-location management, and low OpEx costs, for end user workspaces. The cloud makes it simple for IT professionals to...

Read the full blog on VMblog.com

Announcing Application Delivery to the Desktone Platform – Check it Out at DellWorld!

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 12:00:00 EST

Today we announced that we have added the ability to deliver applications to our proven multi-tenant virtual desktop platform. With the addition of applications to the industry’s only virtual desktop platform built from day 1 for the cloud, we now provide a unified platform that is available TODAY for delivering the workspace of the future. There have been rumors about the end of the Windows PC for years, and although we here at Desktone have never believed this was going to happen anytime soon, we recognize that the workspace of the future is varied and requires more than just one desktop model.

As the pioneer of Desktops as a Service (DaaS), it might look like we’re cheating on our longtime friend the desktop, but we’re just evolving the desktop to ensure that the end user gets the right cloud service depending on their device, location and what they are trying to accomplish. Because we have been delivering virtual desktops as a cloud service since 2007, we have been lucky to see this evolution happening.

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiatives, mobility and the end of Windows XP are driving organizations to reevaluate their end user computing strategies. Couple these drivers with the end of life on the horizon for many popular installed versions of Citrix XenApp, many organizations are looking for alternatives rather than upgrading expensive infrastructure to support new versions of complex on-site solutions. A cloud-hosted model provides an affordable, easy-to-use alternative with additional capability to deliver enterprise applications from a single platform. Service providers are looking to capitalize on this opportunity and they require a purpose-built platform for delivering a cloud service with the flexibility, scalability and security that multi-tenancy offers.

At a 50% savings over existing solutions for delivering hosted applications, Desktone’s Platform enables delivery of desktops and apps as a cloud service enabling service providers to transform their customer workspaces seamlessly and securely. Breathe easy IT, Desktone’s global network of service providers will enable you to meet increasing demands.

Don't try to evolve these desktops/users overnight. Start with baby steps. Just as no two workers will customize their windows desktops to be identical, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all use cases’ when it comes to the virtual workspace. Some users will never need a full Windows desktop, some just need access to their applications, yet other situations will only ever call for shared RDS sessions. Start with moving physical desktop workers to a virtual desktop with mobile access to applications from that desktop. Once they are comfortable with this new environment and you are able to analyze their needs you can possibly move them to a new model (RDS or apps only). Our unified platform lets you manage this transition seamlessly.

It’s nice to see that other vendors in the desktop virtualization space have started to notice how important the cloud is, and they’re helping raise awareness for this model. But the issue remains that their products were built for enterprise onsite deployments. This architecture just doesn't work for the cloud, and trying to retrofit these products for the cloud is going to be a long, difficult process. Cloud providers require self service, multi-tenancy, scalable grid architectures, and low cost models like they have for other services. Only Desktone delivers this architecture. Get a deeper look at why our architecture is so different from the rest.

Why wait to deliver desktops and apps as a cloud service? There is a platform available now to capitalize on this growing demand for end user cloud services! After all, our global network of service provider partners such as Dell, Fujitsu, Navisite, Quest Systems and NEC are leveraging Desktone’s platform to deliver desktops and apps as a cloud hosted service TODAY!

If you are going to be at DellWorld in Austin this week drop by and check out this new application delivery functionality being demoed with PocketCloud or check out a detailed demo of the new functionality from our CTO, Danny Allan.

Desktone Platform VCE Vblock Ready? You Bet!

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 12:00:00 EST

Desktone is pleased to announce our certification on VCE Vblock. Enterprises, Governments and Educational Institutions face a serious dilemma, as today’s users need the freedom and flexibility to access their desktops, applications and data from their device of choice, in any location. However, meeting these needs increases costs, and IT departments must balance end user needs with corporate policies and compliance requirements.

VCE and the Desktone Platform enable cloud providers to leverage all of the scale, ease, and economies of the cloud to deploy virtual desktops and applications across the enterprise, simplifying the end user deployment process and reducing the virtual desktop provisioning time to any supported client to minutes, rather than weeks and months with other solutions.

We all know that high performing storage is critical when deploying virtual desktops. Now our service providers have another option when deciding what storage provider to leverage. The Desktone platform enhances Vblock environments by providing industry-leading multi-tenancy while simultaneously remaining in compliance with Microsoft licensing terms. By offering a platform for delivering desktops as a cloud service, Desktone enables a single, easy-to-use platform for delivering a variety of desktops, from shared to fully featured, all depending on the exact need of the end user.

The benefits of offering a desktop as a cloud service with VCE and the Desktone DaaS Platform are extensive, but just to name a few:

Fully Outsourced - All hardware, software and operations are provided by the Service Provider. Companies only need to managed the VDI desktop.

IT Friendly Administration Self Service Portal – Desktone’s platform provides an easy to use administration portal to manage your desktop images, virtual machines, user assignments, and desktop support.

Extended Credentials and Security Policies - Manage your virtual desktop security just like you manage your existing infrastructure today with the same credentials and permissions.

Ultimate Mobile Desktop Support – Anywhere, Any Device - No laptop handy? You can still access your virtual desktop from and iOS or Android device, over WiFi or 3G/4G.

Persistent-State Save - Virtual desktops don’t need to be turned off, so leave the office with your document in mid-sentence and log back into your Virtual Machine from home to finish writing without powering down or up.

High Level of Desktop Performance - Desktone desktops can be tailored to meet the simplest or most demanding workloads, from the call center software to CAD and 3D Graphics packages.

No Compromise Fully Customizable Desktop Experience - Every user can have their own virtual workspace customizable to their application, and look and feel needs, just like a physical desktop or laptop.

Welcome to the world of cloud-hosted desktops VCE!

Microsoft Licensing & DaaS: You asked...we answered! Part 4 The Kitchen Sink

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 12:00:00 EST

We had so many fantastic questions following our recent Microsoft Licensing & Delivering DaaS webinar, that we've decided to follow up with a multi-part blog series. Check back with our blog all this week as we answer your questions addressing everything from licensing, to hardware, to documentation and cost.

Part IV - THE KITCHEN SINK

Q: So what's holding back the virtual linux desktop?
A: My own thought is that the general population are most familiar with Windows interactions based on 20 years of experience with it. They know that if they click on an EXE file, it will “install”. If they click on a ZIP file, it will open an archive. A migration of the mass market to Linux is unlikely to occur in the short term. This said, we are obviously seeing the adoption of Mac in huge growth mode for those that consume technology, rather than interact with it. We also see incremental Linux growth as well, but mostly for the developer use case.

Q: If an organization wants to offer DaaS, does it need to approach Desktone or companies like Dell, Fujitsu...?
If an organization wants to host and offer a DaaS offering, Desktone offers a software platform and rich knowledge base to enable this business. If an organization wants to consume cloud hosted virtual desktops, they should approach our Service Providers like Dell, Navisite, Quest and others.

Q: Is there a way to offer this to non-business consumers?
A: We do have Service Providers offering DaaS in the hosted personal model to end consumers. We can put you in contact with an appropriate SP.

Q: How do you manage the dedicated machine issue? You imply that you can do it with Desktone?
Correct. The Desktone software platform orchestrates both the compliance for dedicated compute as required for VDA, and also allows for a shared compute model for Server based and Linux desktops.

Q: Who is/are Desktone's competition and what are your differentiators in this model?
A: Desktone is a purpose built platform for Service Providers. This means that our differentiators are based around many of the core requirements that you heard during this webinar including full compliance with Microsoft licensing in a multi-tenant model, scalability from both a numerical and geographical perspective, a security model that allows the customer to manage their own networks and directory services without requiring trusts and an inherent role separation between the three constituents: the service provider, the desktop engineering team and the end consumer of the desktop. We are happy to provide more information should you contact us.

Q: How does bandwidth affect the reliability of the DaaS delivery?
A: One of the differentiators of the Desktone platform is the ease with which you can try the service with a very small number of desktops. This lets you monitor and exactly determine what the DaaS offering provides. It is important to note of course, that a reliable network connection is needed for any cloud service.

Q: How do you deal with the distance between the backend application servers and the DaaS service.
A: Some backend corporate servers are not sensitive to high latency (eg. Active Directory and web applications), while others such as File Servers providing CIFS file shares are. The ease with which you can test the service at a small scale is an important component of the platform.

Q: How do you address bandwidth and the performance of the hosted desktop?
The Desktone platform is engineered for an easy try-and-buy experience. One of the components of this is to validate the performance and bandwidth requirements of the desktop using different protocols. For example, a task worker might be able to work with RDP, while a power worker would want a premium protocol like PCoIP. The ease with which you can test and compare this is important.

If you have additional questions, ask them here and our CTO Danny Allan will answer them.

Desktops as a Cloud Service – A Real DR Story

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 12:00:00 EDT

This blog post was inspired by a funny article in the Boston Globe about how many employees used their day off (thanks to Hurricane Sandy) for a day full of drinking and shenanigans, coupled with a more serious article by Virtualization Review's Elias Khnaser called ‘Does Hurricane Sandy Reignite the Desktop Virtualization Conversation?'. Yesterday here in Boston we got hit with Hurricane Sandy and our Governor asked all companies to keep their employees home. Coincidentally, last year (almost to the day) we had a freak snow/ice storm that knocked out power. Like most other companies, we listened to our governor and closed our office yesterday. Many workers around Boston got the day off and decided to partake in extra-curricular activities - but not us.

We here at Desktone 'eat our own dog food' and use cloud-hosted virtual desktops so everyone was able to work from home on their corporate desktop. The experience is exactly the same from home as it is sitting in the office. My day started in my basement office while I still had power and ended at a local Starbucks once I lost power. If you factor in the potential loss of productivity for our entire organization, the DaaS monthly service would have easily paid for itself. Not to mention the many other benefits (mobile device access, security, centralized management, etc.).

I am assuming that this event will further increase the interest in cloud-hosted DaaS for Disaster Recovery. Most organizations have significant DR and business continuity (BC) plans but unfortunately the majority of these plans do not include desktops. That is unfortunate because a few days away from the office can be disastrous for many employees and organizations. Most recognize that DR for desktops is needed both for traditional physical desktops (what if I can't get into the office) and for virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) that is deployed on a customer premise. If power goes out where the VDI is deployed - all desktops are out of commission. Cloud-hosted VDI gives you the ability to have desktops available on any device, anywhere, making them a true DR solution.

It’s good to know when a disaster hits, employees at Desktone and our customers can stay at home or work from their nearest Starbucks and still maintain their productivity by accessing their virtual desktops through personal PC's, laptops, iPads, or Androids. Let’s hope power gets restored soon and everyone stays safe!