Desktop-as-a-Service

An Introduction to Desktop-as-a-Service: Windows 365 And Azure Virtual Desktop

  • By The Cloud Factory
  • November 9, 2022

People want the freedom to work and collaborate from anywhere, anytime, whether at the airport, when travelling or shopping in a mall. Most don’t want to return to their old office cubicle anymore. Flexibility is the new mantra for them. And the pandemic of 2019 has also proved that a hybrid workforce can succeed regardless of all the challenges.


However, this took a toll on the IT teams, which increased their responsibility of managing multiple desktops, apart from routine troubleshooting tasks. This is where Desktop as a Service (DaaS) comes into the picture. Managed desktops are considered an excellent solution for companies that want to reduce the time, effort and cost of maintaining multiple PCs in-house.


What is DaaS (Desktop as a Service)?

DaaS is a cloud-based service that allows users to access their virtual desktops wherever they go, from home to the office and from one remote location to another. They need a device with which to connect to your desktop environment.


DaaS: Business Benefits

Here are some of the benefits of DaaS

  • Reduces IT Expenses: DaaS solutions can run on devices that require far less computing power, thus saving on expensive hardware cost.
  • Enhances Productive Time: IT teams no longer need to deploy, configure and manage desktops, significantly reducing the administrative workloads.
  • Facilitates Remote Work: With DaaS, moving data seamlessly and securely among different platforms and devices becomes easy, irrespective of users’ work location.
  • Enhances Security & Compliance: DaaS offers a secure cloud-based ecosystem through which users can securely and in compliant way access corporate data and applications.


What is Windows 365?

Windows 365 work as a Virtual Desktop, a single-user desktop application powered by Azure for virtual desktop deployment. Therefore, the core of Windows 365 resides in Microsoft's Azure cloud and is fully managed by Microsoft. Therefore, users get the same benefits of productivity, security and collaboration advantages of Microsoft 365.

Windows 365 as it makes collaboration simple and fast by allowing users to stream their windows screen on any device and share apps, data, content, device settings and storage.


The Rise of Virtual Desktop

With a Virtual Desktop, such as Azure Virtual Desktops, users can access their work applications and data from wherever they are. They can view the same files and resources on their office Desktop.

Virtual Desktop solutions are not new. The problem was deploying a virtual desktop solution was not easy and affordable and technically complex. Also, it was expensive to set up and manage as a large server infrastructure was required. However, Azure Virtual Desktop made this accessible and affordable for all businesses.


Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop: Key Differences

Though Microsoft offers both Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktops, there are significant differences between them based on features, licensing, support and other factors. Here is a tabular chart that can help you understand the main difference between the both:


Windows 365 Azure Virtual Desktop
Permanently dedicated to individual users. Auto scaling is not possible. Auto-scaling is possible with AVD.
Ideal for organizations up to 300 seats. Suitable for large enterprise needs.
Windows 365 simplifies the IT management by making it similar to managing physical desktop assets and other Microsoft tools. It runs on Azure concepts and the learning curve is higher compared to both.
It is subscription based with flat pricing plans. Azure Virtual Desktop offers the Pay as you use model.
Windows 365 strength lies in simplicity. Azure Virtual Desktop aim is to provide flexibility.

The Big Decision

As the hybrid and remote work culture has started gaining traction, SMBs now realize they do not have sufficient resources to meet the demands for virtual desktops. The challenges for large enterprises are different. They have concerns regarding security as their user discs reside in Microsoft subscription. Both run on Azure cloud architecture, and the final decision rests on your unique business requirements. That’s where The Cloud Factory can help.

Why not drop an email to set up a 30-minutes call to know more about how you can leverage Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop to meet the demands of the hybrid era.