The Case for Hosted Desktop Computing...The Cloud-based, always-on nature of hosted desktops helps...

The Case for Hosted Desktop Computing

“There are numerous benefits to the technology....improved management, better remote access functionality, more secure data access and storage .”

Executive SummaryFor many years, virtualised desktop solutions have over-promised and under-delivered. Advances in technology, not least the evolution of Cloud computing services, present new potential solutions to these problems, making hosted desktops a genuine contender for PC replacement programs.

There are numerous benefits to the technology, most of which come from improved management, better remote access functionality and more secure data access and storage provisions. Cost savings may stem from those benefits, but are unlikely to be recognised immediately.

Many of the cost savings created will be through the greater efficiencies of a mobile-enabled workforce who are able to work any place any time in exactly the same way they would as when sat at their desk in the office. Factor in the ability to access their hosted desktop from any device, and the gains are exponential.

Hosted desktop technologies also help reduce the risk of data loss from a single inhouse datacentre and the potentially disastrous consequences associated. These risks are reduced still further when corporate data is stored across disparate datacentres by a service provider, without compromising the any place, any time access which makes hosted desktop technology so attractive.

Where hosted desktop solutions align with corporate and IT strategy, the investment is likely to yield valuable dividends.

What is a Hosted Desktop?At the most basic level, hosted desktops look and behave exactly like a normal PC, but provide a layer of abstraction between the user’s client device and the standard desktop operating environment. TechTarget describe how the technology works:

“The desktop device is typically relegated to the role of what is called a “dumb terminal.” Dumb terminals simply pass keyboard and mouse data to the server, then display screen renderings of the desktop and applications the server returns.”

Multiple desktop devices are created and hosted on a virtual platform in remote datacentres, and accessed via the Internet. Although applications, data and user profiles are all stored on the remote server, the operation and experience is almost identical to that of using a local PC in the office.

The hosted desktop session can be accessed from a variety of client devices, including standard PCs, thin client devices, tablets and smartphones.

The promised benefits of hosted desktopDepending on the hosted desktop solution selected and the specifics of the deployment, the benefits of the technology are manifold.

Improved productivityBecause a hosted desktop is available from virtually any Internet-connected device, the potential for productivity increases exponentially. Hosted desktop

For further details: visit www.iomarthosting.com or email us at: [email protected] or call: 0800 040 7228

“Hosted datacentres will employ enterprise-class security technology.... Offsite data storage also protects against failures or disasters that may effect local systems at the business premises.”

solutions allow for anyplace, anytime, any device access to corporate resources with the same experience as sitting at a desk in the office.

Similarly remote workers reliant on mobile devices no longer require a collection of apps to perform individual tasks. A single hosted desktop app allows them direct access to the same computer session they use in the office, creating a seamless experience across all platforms. This homogeneity creates a familiar experience allowing staff to become productive instantly, regardless of the client device they are using.

Having a permanently productive workforce provides a significant competitive advantage for businesses adopting the technology. Some firms report productivity increases of at least 12% once their employees become fully productive on the road.

Improved data protectionIdeally, hosted desktop solutions will make use of Cloud-based storage hosted in offsite datacentres. These hosted datacentres will employ enterprise-class security technology and principles to prevent data from being lost or stolen from mobile devices, desktop PCs or even servers from an onsite datacentre.

Offsite data storage also protects against failures or disasters that may affect local systems at the business premises. Server mirroring and enterprise-class backup routines further safeguard data from loss using techniques that are probably unavailable to any but the largest of corporations due to the associated costs.

Reduced management overheadsOutsourcing desktop management helps to reduce the costs associated with maintaining and supporting physical PCs. The design of hosted desktops prevents many of the configuration problems that affected local PCs.

Consolidation of desktops also helps reduce the time-to-fix for end user issues. All diagnosis and troubleshooting can be conducted without the need for desk-side support for instance. There is also a reduced risk of malware affecting local devices because all computing operations take place inside the hosted desktop session. Some experts suggest that

hosted desktop solutions can reduce administration and operating costs by up 70% .

Extended hardware lifespansWith the computational overheads offloaded to the hosting provider, local desktop machines have little processing to perform. Acting more like a classic dumb terminal, the usable lifespan of desktop hardware is effectively infinite. In this way, hosted desktops can help reduce capital expenditure, and significantly increase the time between hardware refresh cycles.

Software and hardware consolidationAs part of the hosted desktop image creation process, suppliers will assemble and install all of the software required for the virtual machine to operate as expected. This will involve collecting or supplying software licenses to cover usage. At this point the service provider will assume responsibility for managing licensing, reducing the administrative overheads for customers.

Hosted desktop solutions tend to work best in conjunction with Cloud-based file and application services to reduce latency in operation. Over time, migrating applications and services to the Cloud will allow businesses to consolidate their own back-end IT systems, reducing the onsite datacentre size and complexity, further reducing management and running costs.

Improved collaborationThe Cloud-based, always-on nature of hosted desktops helps to improve collaboration between staff, particularly where they are based in different locations. Hosted desktops allow for staff to work together easily without many of the problems traditionally encountered with facilitating access between remote offices and local data stores.

Cloud storage provides a centralised repository for data that, like hosted desktops, is available any place, any time to authorised users.

The ChallengesAs with any new technology, there are always a few challenges that need to be addressed for a successful deployment.


“Increased efficiency through improved management was of greater value than the headline cost savings, especially where businesses choose to use a hosted solution, rather than trying to implement their own system onsite.”

Cost expectationsAlthough hosted desktop solutions can cut operational costs, the savings are usually indirect; early estimates suggest that initial savings may be as low as 2% (or as high as 13%) . Although the existing desktop real estate can be pushed back into service with hosted desktop solutions, businesses may choose to invest in thin clients to provide connectivity, initially increasing the deployment costs. Computing Magazine’s research suggests that 54% of businesses believe upfront capital outlay is a major hurdle to adoption .

Similarly businesses may find it hard to justify an on-going annual subscription to a hosted desktop service that costs almost as much as a completely new budget desktop PC per user. Over time, the investment in hosted desktop technology will begin reaping significant returns however – just not as quickly as some business decision makers expect initially.

The same Computing Magazine survey asked IT professionals to name their top three benefits of hosted desktops for their organisations and discovered:

• 57% of respondents chose overall greater manageability of the desktop estate.• 46% said lower TCO.• 45% cited centralised control.

In reality, increased efficiency through improved management was of greater value than the headline cost savings, especially where businesses choose to use a hosted solution, rather than trying to implement their own system onsite.

Connectivity and loadThe largest challenge to hosted desktop success is Internet connectivity and available bandwidth. Where connectivity is slow, the user experience will suffer greatly, a concern echoed by 47% of businesses surveyed by analyst Brian Madden .

Businesses adopting hosted desktops will need to ensure they have dedicated network bandwidth to reduce latency, ensuring the hosted session operates in the same way as a local PC. This may require the installation of a secondary Internet connection and sufficient internal networking infrastructure to route hosted desktop traffic so that there is enough available bandwidth for a positive user experience.

In-house hosted desktop/terminal server installations experience significant problems with ‘boot storms’ where multiple sessions starting simultaneously cause the host server(s) to run out of available computing resources. According to Wikibon, “Boot storms are a particularly heinous barrier to [hosted desktop] adoption with a high Pareto I/O workload. A clean Windows 7 boot might take 150,000+ I/Os and a Windows 7 boot and login with lots of anti-virus and other background services might take 1M I/Os (with up to half of those writes).”

Using Cloud technologies, boot storms can be minimised by spreading load across multiple server blades transparently. Unlike an onsite system, hosted desktop providers can allocate additional resources dynamically to cope with spikes in demand, reducing the impact and improving end user experience.

Initial learning curveAlthough the actual hosted desktop behaves in the same way as a local PC, there are a few differences that may confuse end users initially. Users will need basic training to understand how to launch a dedicated viewer app in order to access the hosted desktop for instance. The learning curve is not too steep, but 18% of businesses believe that the change in working patterns is a barrier to adoption .

Wherever possible, businesses will need to make the launch of the hosted session as transparent as possible, preferably by booting directly into the session.

BYODBring Your Own Device support has become an unstoppable force for change within business as users seek to use their own mobile computing devices to access corporate data and systems. Hosted desktop solutions can help provide access to corporate systems, but how the business chooses to provision these devices could create problems for the CIO.

That said, a 2013 survey by analyst Brian Madden found that 45% of businesses investigating hosted desktop solutions were doing so as a way to improve BYOD support .


“Hosted desktop adoption is a strategic decision because it changes the back-end operations of the business.

If a proposed solution is not going to deliver any form of strategic benefit, it should be discarded from consideration ”

Personalisation vs HomogenisationFor the lowest deployment and running costs, hosted desktops should be homogenised wherever possible. This approach makes deployment of multiple desktops relatively quick and simple, providing major cost savings for the company.

However, users may need to adapt some of their existing working practices to meet the restrictions of a more tightly-controlled environment. In order to keep hosted systems running smoothly, and to reduce the manual intervention required in maintaining them, providers will implement certain policies to prevent end users from adjusting settings and installing software.

Third party involvementBy moving desktops offsite, businesses are increasingly reliant on third parties for the smooth running of their desktop real estate. For some organisations this may seem like an increased risk to business continuity, particularly when switching to an offsite IT support provider.

The flip side to this argument however is that the service provider undoubtedly employs a team of experts to ensure that services not only run, but run at peak performance. For most businesses, hiring an equivalent team of experts would be deemed too costly and unnecessary. The hosted desktop scenario is also designed to reduce potential for problems in advance, thereby lowering the support requirement

Data securityWhere data is stored and accessed in the Cloud, CIOs and CEOs may be concerned about the security of their sensitive business data. Many feel that with data stored on site, they are at least in control of (and responsible for) their own security.

But the enterprise-class nature of Cloud services means that the providers will have access to better systems and resources than the customer. Data is likely to be more secure when provided by a third party, many of whom hold ISO 27001 certification, proving that a robust information security framework is in place.

How to choose the right Hosted Desktop for your businessIt is important to note that not all hosted desktop solutions are the same. Businesses will need to address several issues if they are to secure the correct hosted desktop platform for their needs:

How does the proposed solution meet regulatory obligations and industry standards?Organisations in the financial and medical sectors are subject to different standards and legislation to those in business services or manufacturing, and they each require IT platforms that are compliant. The hosted desktop solutions under consideration need to not only comply with these requirements, but improve operation too.

How will the hosted desktop technology align with business strategy to deliver against goals and targets?Hosted desktop adoption is a strategic decision because it changes the back-end operations of the business. Although usage is relatively transparent, the adoption needs to align with business strategy, such as improving mobile productivity. There also needs to be clear goals against which to measure the success of such a deployment, and a way by which they are measured.

If a proposed solution is not going to deliver any form of strategic benefit, it should be discarded from consideration.

What is the motivation behind hosted desktop adoption? Can the proposed solution meet those needs?Business and IT strategy should be the motivation behind a hosted desktop deployment, but it is also important to examine secondary considerations too. If the deployment is simply to cut desktop hardware costs, the result is likely to be deemed a failure because the cost savings come from other IT cost savings.

Always check that the motivation behind adoption is aligned to business strategy to avoid a “failed” deployment.

When is the correct time to make the move to hosted desktops?Whether there is a “perfect” time for desktop migration is unclear. There are however certain factors that may make the move easier to justify, and more cost-effective:

• At the end of a desktop hardware lifecycle.• When a software lifecycle has completed, such as the end of support for Microsoft Windows XP.• When deploying and equipping a new office or business unit.• Where a business is making a major shift towards mobile working or BYOD.

Any of these factors, when aligned with the wider business strategy could indicate the correct time for a move to hosted desktops. 65% of IT professionals surveyed by Spiceworks plan to buy new desktop hardware within the next six months , providing an opportunity to make the hosted desktop switch if required.


“Covered by comprehensive SLAs offering a 100% uptime guarantee, nightly backups of virtual desktops and server-side anti-virus, customers can rely on the iomart DaaS platform to always be secure, protected and ready to serve their business needs.”

How iomart delivers Hosted Desktop to customersThe iomart hosted desktop offering is built on enterprise-grade technologies to provide robust security and enhanced reliability for service users.

The iomart DaaS service is built around VMware® Horizon View™ (formerly VMware View) - a virtual desktop infrastructure solution that simplifies desktop management and provides users with what they need, when they need it. Horizon View provides a range of industry leading edge technologies allowing organisations increased control of desktops, applications and data by delivery and managing them as centralised services.

Built upon HP and EMC infrastructure the iomart DaaS platform allows all the benefits of desktop virtualisation without the usual headaches surrounding hardware, software, performance and maintenance.

The iomart DaaS platform employs the latest generation of HP Converged Infrastructure - the HP BladeSystem provides a highly reliable, cloud-ready system architecture which easily scales with business growth, reduces management and hardware complexity, and decreases operating costs, allowing iomart to provide an unmatched DaaS service and experience. The iomart DaaS platform uses EMC VMAX Cloud edition SAN technology to deliver high-performing unified storage with unsurpassed simplicity and efficiency, optimised for virtual applications. With fully automated storage tiering, flash-accelerated performance and high-bandwidth fibre-channel connectivity, the iomart DaaS platform has the performance to meet the demands of your virtual desktop users. Covered by comprehensive SLAs offering a 100% uptime guarantee, nightly backups of virtual desktops and server-side anti-virus, customers can rely on the iomart DaaS platform to always be secure, protected and ready to serve their business needs.The hosted desktop itself comprises:• Windows 7 Enterprise (64-bit edition).• Microsoft Office 2010 (Professional or Standard).• Exchange 2010 or iomart Businessmail for messaging.

The core hosted desktop solution provides all the basics required of a workstation, with the ability to add custom applications according to specific business needs.

The iomart ‘Desktop as a Service’ offering also includes several tools to improve user experience and management of the virtual estate.

• Desktop persistence to maintain virtual desktop settings according to the user’s preferences. In this way, many of the common complaints about personalisation and hosted desktops can be

overcome by maintaining a similar user experience to that of a desktop PC. • Persistent storage • Persistent icon placement • Persistent bookmarks • Persistent user settings

• User and organisation based storage and shared drives maintain internal security so that sensitive information is restricted to the relevant employees. • Access control • Quotas

• “Locked” Corporate Desktop Strategy with streaming vApps available helps to create a homogenised, secure environment. • Support for all VMWare ThinApp compatible applications

• Support for any applications that fall outside the standard desktop image. • Bespoke packaging and deployment of in-house applications and systems

• Active Directory integration with group policy support to ensure desktop images fit neatly into the existing network infrastructure. • 2-way trust for user and policy management

• An Administrator control panel improves IT management and gives greater control of the virtual desktop estate to the client organisation. • User Management • Storage Management • Standard Application Deployment

For more information about the iomart Desktop as a Service solution, go to http://www.iomarthosting.com/hosted-desktop-vdi

ConclusionHosted desktop solutions continue to grow in popularity, despite the many challenges posed by the technology. These range from insufficient Internet bandwidth to poorly managed expectations regarding cost savings. But technology improvements and rapidly increasing Internet connection speeds mean that hosted desktops are now a viable alternative to thick clients.

With technological solutions available, organisations need to carefully define the business goals they hope to achieve with hosted desktops. Direct cost savings alone are unlikely to be sufficient reason for adoption however, as the majority of savings come from secondary sources, such as improved management and consolidation of resources.

The key to a successful hosted desktop deployment is this definition of the business case for adoption, aligned against IT and business strategy. For some businesses, such justification may be impossible. But for most, particularly those that are expanding rapidly, the increased management potential, flexibility and cost-savings should offer enough incentive to make the jump.



Images for illustrative purposes only. © iomart 2014. Lister Pavilion, Kelvin Campus, West of Scotland Science Park, Glasgow, G20 0SP

Bibliographyi) This clients vs. thick clients for desktop virtualization – TechTarget - http://searchitchannel.techtarget.com/feature/Thin-clients-vs-thick-clients-for-desktop-virtualization

ii) Appraisal Firm Uses Hosted Desktop Solution to Boost Productivity by 12 Percent – Microsoft - http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/Windows-Server-2008-R2/Valuation-Technology/Appraisal-Firm-Uses-Hosted-Desktop-Solution-to-Boost-Productivity-by-12-Percent/710000001103

iii) Calculating the savings of thin client computing – 2X - http://www.2x.com/whitepapers/savings-thin-client-computing/

iv) Total Cost of Ownership Comparison of PCs With Hosted Virtual Desktops, 2011 Update – Gartner Research - http://img2.insight.com/graphics/pl/gartner/article12.pdf

v) Managing the desktop estate: the low-risk route to desktop virtualisation – Computing Magazine - http://www.cbsinteractive.co.uk/i/ads/paid-ads/Whitepaper/double-take/D-Take_Desktop-virtualisation_v4.pdf

vi) Managing the desktop estate: the low-risk route to desktop virtualisation – Computing Magazine - http://www.cbsinteractive.co.uk/i/ads/paid-ads/Whitepaper/double-take/D-Take_Desktop-virtualisation_v4.pdf vii) Desktop Virtualization in 2013: Brian Madden’s Analysis - http://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/pdf/vdi_survey_results_bm_2013.pdf viii) Desktop Virtualization Cold Hard Facts – Wikibon - http://wikibon.org/wiki/v/Desktop_Virtualization_Cold_Hard_Facts ix) Managing the desktop estate: the low-risk route to desktop virtualisation – Computing Magazine - http://www.cbsinteractive.co.uk/i/ads/paid-ads/Whitepaper/double-take/D-Take_Desktop-virtualisation_v4.pdf x) Desktop Virtualization in 2013: Brian Madden’s Analysis - http://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/pdf/vdi_survey_results_bm_2013.pdf xi) State of SMB IT 1H 2013 – Spiceworks - http://itreports.spiceworks.com/reports/spiceworks_voice_of_it_state_of_smb_2013_1h.pdf

The Case for Hosted Desktop Computing...The Cloud-based, always-on nature of hosted desktops helps...

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