End-User Computing (EUC)
& Desktop as a Service (DaaS)
Meet your workforce where they are.
Meet your workforce where they are.
To compete in today’s business climate, companies must strike the right balance between the flexibility to work remotely that employees now demand and the organizational imperative to manage and safeguard complex, decentralized systems.
But companies still struggle to do it properly while empowering staff to work how they want. To achieve both goals at the same time, organizations are moving toward an always-connected workplace where employees can access their work anywhere, on any device. Companies undergoing a digital transformation, adopting BYOD or CYOD policies, or implementing end-user computing (EUC) are in the ideal position to deploy a Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) solution.
Section 01
As recently as a few years ago, business computers were just a tool. Their role was to help office staff perform paper-based tasks more easily and efficiently. Today, a company’s ability to leverage technology is a critical element of success or failure.
Enter end-user computing (EUC) and Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS), which have in recent years disrupted how businesses work.
DaaS is a cloud computing service that allows users to access a cloud-based virtual desktop anywhere, on any device. A DaaS platform provides a fully functioning, hosted desktop for applications that users generally run on a typical desktop.
“DaaS is a cloud computing service that allows users to access a cloud-based virtual desktop anywhere, on any device.”
Section 02
In traditional desktop computing, each person in an organization accesses business software from their individual computer. This model may have worked for many years, but it hasn’t been without problems.
Top obstacles with traditional desktop delivery:
End-user computing (EUC) encompasses a broad range of user-facing resources, including traditional desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets, wearables, and other mobile devices, as well as cloud, web, and mobile applications.
Section 03
A tech stack combines programs, frameworks, and technology tools employees use to perform their tasks. A modern EUC stack can include:
A method of using virtual machines to provide and manage virtual desktops. VDI hosts desktop environments on a centralized server and gives end users access on demand from laptops, tablets, or mobile devices.
A fully outsourced solution that provides virtual desktops to businesses. This differs from VDI solutions that are usually operated and maintained by in-house IT staff. The vendor handles maintenance, backup, and updates.
Specialized programs running on a cloud platform instead of individual computers. These run on top of the standard DaaS software, similar to how Microsoft Office runs on Windows.
Section 04
DaaS accelerates delivery of virtual applications and desktops by leveraging public or hosted private cloud infrastructure. Click each card to expand the details.
Section 05
Determining your objectives is an essential first step in any project, and implementing DaaS is no exception. Select a topic below to explore the key considerations for a successful transition.
A use case outlines the reasons for implementing a solution, the desired outcomes, and the functions necessary to achieve them. It typically includes the possible sequence of interactions between systems and users in a particular environment.
Most common use cases for outsourcing a desktop environment:
Data Security & ComplianceCritical in the current high-risk cybersecurity landscape.
Business ContinuityCompanies with cloud-hosted operations were ahead of the pack when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Cost ReductionComputer hardware is subject to price fluctuations and supply chain volatility.
Other Use CasesGraphic-intensive apps, BYOD and remote work support, and reducing the company’s climate impact.
Choosing a DaaS service effectively depends on how compatible the service is with your apps and data. Identify the location of your assets before selecting a product.
Questions to ask:
For data stored in a public cloud, selecting a desktop solution that runs close to the data location may be necessary.
Speed of operation is critical in most industries. Networking latency refers to the time it takes for data to travel between two points. In a DaaS service, a distance exists between the user’s screen and the application.
Even though data travels at the speed of light, interstate and transcontinental distances can impact performance. When users’ desktops are hosted in a different data center from the data, it can lead to higher network latency, delayed logins, and slower applications.
Key principle: To get the best performance from DaaS, servers should be located relatively near the cloud data center hosting the desktops.
Security is a primary consideration in any successful DaaS implementation. Most security risks result from errors on either the user’s or the provider’s part. Here are the key dangers and how to combat them.
A reputable DaaS provider will offer and insist you use multi-factor authentication. Without it, an attacker who intercepts login credentials gains access to the entire virtual desktop.
The service must be regularly patched and operate under the protection of a dedicated cyber-security team at all times.
All devices accessing the network must be protected against hacking, malware, and social engineering. If one user is affected, the entire system can be compromised.
One of the easiest ways for hackers to intercept valuable information is via an unsecured network or a flaw in the protocol connecting users to the virtual desktop.
Section 06
Many companies implement a DaaS outsourcing project without fully understanding the implications. Unless you’re aware of the potential for error, it’s easy to make common — and costly — mistakes. Expand each one to learn how to avoid it.
Performance and speed are critical factors in the success of DaaS. Neither of those are achievable without careful sizing and optimization of your workload virtual machines (VMs), mainly when you’re dealing with multi-user/session environments.
Simply depending on sizing guidelines without the use case context can lead you astray and result in under- or over-loaded VMs. It’s important to understand precisely what your users need to do to determine whether you’re accurately loading the machines or not.
How to avoid this
A single-user workload means one dedicated VM per user session, while in a multi-user model, a VM hosts more than one user session simultaneously.
It’s risky to apply traditional thinking about which option is better without verifying what works in your specific environment. A simple multi-user model with a predictable level of resource usage is usually cost-effective when hosted on-premises. However, when hosted on workload VMs in a public cloud, several key considerations come into play.
When a higher-than-usual number of users demand access, you’ll need to be able to reduce inactive users to accommodate them all. During non-peak times, a single-user model might result in cost savings — but only if it’s sized correctly for both maximum and minimum usage times.
How to avoid this
Your data locality is the physical location that hosts your users’ profiles, application databases, file servers, and services. Ideally, this needs to be a reasonably short distance from where users run the applications and access the data to reduce latency risk.
Don’t assume your data locality is more important than user locality. Focusing on data locality in relation to workload VMs could lengthen the distance between the end user and the workload VM — resulting in a poor end-user experience.
Applications that commonly require locality considerations include: Microsoft Dynamics 365, large ERP systems such as SAP HANA, Oracle and EBS, engineering and design applications, electronic medical records (EMR), and IoT and mobile applications.
How to avoid this
Deciding where to host your DaaS solution also impacts the efficiency and success of your project. On-premises hosting typically offers more robust security and better peace of mind, but usually entails buying a license or copy of the software, plus in-house server software, integration capabilities, and IT staff costs — which can run a lot higher than external cloud-computing platforms.
In a public or hosted private cloud environment, a third-party vendor takes responsibility for all these functions. There are no capital expenses, and customers pay only for the resources they need. The option to scale up or down is an added benefit, along with the ability to increase resources almost instantly.
Picking the wrong platform can have far-reaching results, especially in the area of financial cost.
How to avoid this
Meeting users’ expectations is an essential factor in outsourcing DaaS to a provider. Most users want enterprise-class performance combined with the ability to use familiar devices and applications anywhere, any time.
Key user expectations include: using their own devices (BYOD), freedom of location, self-service support, and seamless operation and handoff across devices and locations.
End-user computing is now driven extensively by user expectations. Workers have grown used to high-performance computing with fast loading speeds, customizable interfaces, and rapid access to data. Overlooking any aspect of the desired user experience can lead to dissatisfaction among employees and resistance to using your DaaS solution.
How to avoid this
Companies face challenges in balancing user expectations with the tough realities of budgets, staff capabilities, security issues, and corporate governance requirements. More organizations are opting for desktop-as-a-service to provide users with the tools they need to work while managing costs, complexity, and usability.
US Signal delivers ReliaCloud DaaS — a dedicated, managed private cloud desktop platform combining Citrix end-user computing, Nutanix Cloud Platform, and US Signal managed services. A completely integrated solution to the end user, not just the desktop.Contact us today to learn more about moving your organization to a world where you break free from the slow integration and delivery of legacy business-critical applications.