If you’re in the process of setting up a new business then it’s important to consider how your employees and customers will access your website and utilize online shopping portals, access to valuable data, and software services. While on-site servers have benefits to larger companies and corporations, smaller to medium-sized businesses may not have a large budget allocated to their IT department. It’s also becoming more common for employees to work from home or other locations such as conventions or clients’ locations. One of the best solutions is to subscribe to hosted virtual desktop services.
What Are Hosted Desktop Services?
Hosted virtual desktop services, also known as a virtual desktop solutions are different than dedicated server hosting. A dedicated server is when there is a specific server assigned to a company on their site, or at a location owned by the company.
In contrast, hosted desktop services are run by a specific company and offered to businesses such as yours over the internet. The operating system is preconfigured by the web host, as well as the software applications that you and your employees need to use.
The desktop services environment is separate from your business’s computers, or your employees’ laptop computers that they work on from home. One of the more common services is Microsoft remote desktop services, as that’s the most common operating system today.
What Types of Computers & Devices Can Access Virtual Desktop?
Most current types of desktop computers, laptop computers, smartphones, and tablets can access these hosted desktop services. These are known as endpoint devices that are utilized to access the virtual desktop solution. Your business doesn’t have to worry about keeping the virtual server up-to-date.
That’s the responsibility of the Microsoft remote desktop services provider. The hosted virtual provider is the one who installs the software on their end. Businesses can expect that this software will always be kept up-to-date and will work 24-7.
It is still the responsibility of the business to keep the operating systems on their own computers, laptops, tablets, and devices up-to-date so they can reliably access the software from the hosted services.
Is a Virtual Desktop Similar to a Physical Workstation?
Hosted virtual desktop services are made to look and feel like your usual physical workstation at a company. If no one told their employees, most would not be aware that the hosted services are off-site, as the security and log-in features are still there.
Employees will have a better user experience too because they now have access to a large amount of storage, databases, software, and other powerful resources that may not have fit on your average company server. And no matter what type of device or computer is used to access the virtual desktop, it will always look the same, with the same software, data, and information.
Is Security a Concern?
Security on the Microsoft remote desktop services is much stricter. For example, an employee couldn’t just go in and delete an entire folder or software application without permission. Software updates installation and deletions are done only by the host of the virtual desktop services. They will work with the IT manager of your business to ensure that the software applications continue to work for your business.
What Are the Benefits of a Virtual Desktop Service?
If you have several employees who need access to current data or information, then the virtual desktop will provide the most recent and current information. All employees will have access to the most recent version of the software, without having to do weekly time-consuming updates on their computers.
This is also a more secure way to protect valuable data, as it requires a strong firewall for access, and can’t easily be deleted. If a computer or device is lost, it doesn’t affect the data, as it’s securely stored at the desktop hosting site.
Hosted Virtual Desktop Service Provider
You’ll likely think up many more benefits to choosing the virtual desktop solution for your own business, company, or corporation. Please contact us here at iConnect Technologies Inc. to learn more about this valuable desktop solution.