Hosted desktop
Encyclopedia
A hosted desktop is a product set within the larger cloud-computing
sphere.
The product set commonly involves a browser-based connection to a desktop environment
which includes an office productivity suite
alongside other desktop applications
. The desktop is hosted
, run, delivered and supported from a central location, usually a secure data center with high-quality and resilient connections to the Internet/cloud. Cloud Desktop is a term often used to refer to a container of a collection of virtual objects, software, hardware, configurations etc., residing on the cloud, used by a client to interact with remote services and perform computer related tasks .
Connecting clients run pre-installed or downloaded viewer applications via one of many remote desktop protocols
. Clients can include thin clients, PCs, workstations, mobile and handheld devices running a variety of operating systems such as Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and others.
The move towards hosted desktops, of which Virtual Desktop Infrastructure
(VDI) is a subset, is predicted by Gartner
to account for 49 million business desktops by 2013equal to more than 40 percent of the worldwide professional PC market.The development of applications by service providers such as Google
and Microsoft
have accelerated this process, as has the evolution of new licensing schemes which allow fee-paying based on a subscription rather than on purchase.
Hosted desktop services can be a comparatively simple method for applying outsourcing principles within a business although care is warranted in ensuring service provider quality to ensure compliance, data security and data protection standards meet requirements.
"[...] a combination of IT infrastructure, applications, email, and data storage provided through a subscription model where you will only pay based on what your IT requirements are. With hosted services, you no longer have to worry about managing hardware or software; you eliminate capital investments through the convenient pay-as-you-go subscription model, and experience the benefit of IT solutions that are deployed quickly, on demand and can scale with your business needs."
A UK provider describes its hosted desktop on its website as:
Hosted Desktop replaces the “traditional” office network environment with a hosted desktop, “Desktop in the Cloud”. This will look and feel exactly the same as a normal Windows desktop PC.
Cloud computing
Cloud computing is the delivery of computing as a service rather than a product, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices as a utility over a network ....
sphere.
The product set commonly involves a browser-based connection to a desktop environment
Desktop environment
In graphical computing, a desktop environment commonly refers to a style of graphical user interface derived from the desktop metaphor that is seen on most modern personal computers. These GUIs help the user in easily accessing, configuring, and modifying many important and frequently accessed...
which includes an office productivity suite
Office suite
In computing, an office suite, sometimes called an office software suite or productivity suite is a collection of programs intended to be used by knowledge workers...
alongside other desktop applications
Application software
Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...
. The desktop is hosted
Internet hosting service
An Internet hosting service is a service that runs Internet servers, allowing organizations and individuals to serve content to the Internet. There are various levels of service and various kinds of services offered....
, run, delivered and supported from a central location, usually a secure data center with high-quality and resilient connections to the Internet/cloud. Cloud Desktop is a term often used to refer to a container of a collection of virtual objects, software, hardware, configurations etc., residing on the cloud, used by a client to interact with remote services and perform computer related tasks .
Connecting clients run pre-installed or downloaded viewer applications via one of many remote desktop protocols
Remote desktop software
In computing, the term remote desktop refers to a software or an OS feature allowing applications, either command line programs or graphical applications, to be run remotely on a server, while being displayed locally. Remote desktop applications have varying features...
. Clients can include thin clients, PCs, workstations, mobile and handheld devices running a variety of operating systems such as Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and others.
The move towards hosted desktops, of which Virtual Desktop Infrastructure
Desktop virtualization
Desktop virtualization , as a concept, separates a personal computer desktop environment from a physical machine using the client–server model of computing....
(VDI) is a subset, is predicted by Gartner
Gartner
Gartner, Inc. is an information technology research and advisory firm headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, United States. It was known as GartnerGroup until 2001....
to account for 49 million business desktops by 2013equal to more than 40 percent of the worldwide professional PC market.The development of applications by service providers such as Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
and Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
have accelerated this process, as has the evolution of new licensing schemes which allow fee-paying based on a subscription rather than on purchase.
Key characteristics
The centralized nature of hosted desktops can overcome common issues with mobile working, delivery of a common infrastructure across physical sites, disaster recovery, cost control and scaling up/down in timely fashion. The limitations of available bandwidth can be an issue in some deployments but where a suitable network connection is in place the hosted solution works well.Hosted desktop services can be a comparatively simple method for applying outsourcing principles within a business although care is warranted in ensuring service provider quality to ensure compliance, data security and data protection standards meet requirements.
Real-world examples
A Canadian provider describes its hosted desktop on its website as:"[...] a combination of IT infrastructure, applications, email, and data storage provided through a subscription model where you will only pay based on what your IT requirements are. With hosted services, you no longer have to worry about managing hardware or software; you eliminate capital investments through the convenient pay-as-you-go subscription model, and experience the benefit of IT solutions that are deployed quickly, on demand and can scale with your business needs."
A UK provider describes its hosted desktop on its website as:
Hosted Desktop replaces the “traditional” office network environment with a hosted desktop, “Desktop in the Cloud”. This will look and feel exactly the same as a normal Windows desktop PC.