In recent years a much higher proportion of our computing has been carried out in the cloud with the global public cloud computing market expected to be worth $354 bn in 2020. One overlooked areas of the cloud market is the ability for it to connect us to our desktop machines, which is hugely important in this age of remote working.
Remote hosted desktops can put all of that in the cloud too and this has considerable advantages for business. Let’s look into them now.
The Remote Advantage.
Remote desktops have a number of advantages. Firstly, they are centrally administered so that you always get the latest version of the software each time you log on, with no need for updates. For administrators, it also means that it’s easier to distribute storage and processing resources among users according to demand.
Secondly, remote desktops don’t persist on your computer or other device. They are wiped out after each session. This means that any malware you may inadvertently download doesn’t have a chance to gain a foothold on the system.
There are cost advantages to adopting remote hosted desktops too as you need only pay for the resources you’re actually using and don’t have expensive software licences sitting idle.
You also benefit from the fact that systems will be continually monitored by the service provider, ensuring that any issues are dealt with quickly before they can develop into major problems. They are backed up remotely too, so if there is a problem you can quickly recover back to the previous state.
Tailoring the System.
With a remote desktop, the system can be adapted easily to the needs of your business. You can ensure that each user sees exactly the same screen, or you can tailor what they get according to their job role.
This also means that if someone makes an error or makes a change to their system that causes a problem, it’s simple to get things back to the way they should be. You can also, of course, centralise security, ensuring that effective solutions are applied to the entire system and that they are kept up to date with the latest definitions and patches. With a remote desktop, it’s easier to apply rules for the use of strong passwords too as well as multi-factor authentication.
Using Remote Desktops.
Remote desktop software is useful for businesses in a number of ways. Given the current coronavirus unpleasantness, with people being encouraged to work from home, using remote desktops hosted in the cloud ensures that your staff have the same systems they get in the office with identical look and feel.
Even in normal times, virtual remote desktops have considerable advantages for business. For workers on the road or working from home, it has the same advantages as above. It can also be used in hot-desking environments so that staff can work from any location in the office just by signing in.
This, of course, helps where staff are allowed to use their own devices too. Regardless as to whether you are using your own laptop or tablet or one provided by the company, the remote desktop ensures that you get exactly the same user experience.
So, to summarise there are some key benefits to be had from using virtual remote desktops, hosted in the cloud for your business:
Resources – you can redirect computing and storage resources to those that need them most, according to the demands of the business.
Security – antivirus and firewall measures can be managed centrally so that they are always up to date and offer strong protection. Password rules are easily enforced, and the system is non-persistent so malware can’t gain a foothold.
Updating – because all desktops are managed centrally, they can be kept up to date with the latest software without disrupting the user’s day-to-day work.
Compatibility – since all systems are centrally managed and you will encounter fewer issues with compatibility.
Cost – by only using the resources you need, when you need them, you are not paying for software licences and computing resources that might stand idle other than at peak times. This is good for the bottom line of the business overall.
Computing systems and the management of them can require a good deal of resources. In smaller businesses, this can be a disproportionate amount compared to large enterprises. Remote desktop systems hosted in the cloud can help to manage systems more efficiently. They offer greater flexibility as the business grows and can allow management to focus on the core business rather than the demands of IT.
