The Best Desktop as a Service (DaaS) Providers of 2020

With numerous virtual desktop providers on the market, choosing the right one for your business may be difficult. Various providers may offer similar apps or features but different integrations or performance qualities. 

Three common ways to deliver DaaS are desktop-hosted, server-hosted and session-hosted infrastructures. 

• Desktop-hosted: A desktop operating within a virtual machine that's hosted on a server in a data center is what most would describe as a desktop-hosted VDI deployment. 

• Server-hosted: A server-hosted infrastructure refers to a desktop running in a server OS that's only available for one user at a time. This is common with remote PC access. 

• Session-hosted: These infrastructures are individual sessions inside a server OS. These sessions can take place either on a virtual machine or on-premises.

The best DaaS providers offer numerous features for performance, application deployment and configuration, security and reliability, and administration and support. You can expect the benefits of desktop virtualization to include the following. 

Performance 

In a virtual infrastructure, all databases are stored in the cloud, which results in high-quality performance under all circumstances. These rapid speeds ensure safe app delivery and smooth redirection to secondary servers during failover, allowing your business to use cloud resources as a backup data center. 

Administration and Support 

The best DaaS providers support businesses by managing app delivery, which usually costs far less than hiring on-premises consultants or IT staff. There's also no need for oversight or to arrange office space when managing a team. This creates an unobtrusive work environment for all users. 

We gave special consideration to DaaS providers that offer 24/7 phone or live chat support, free trials or demos, and great customer service. Some providers offer a free year of standard service to see if it fits all of your needs. 

Session Reliability 

Session reliability usually refers to the presence of a troubleshooting step to turn a virtual machine on or off. With the possibility of configuration errors occurring in the access flow, disconnections can happen because of bad network connections, from frozen screens to the infamous "black screen of death." Most DaaS platforms come with safeguards to prevent crucial data loss in the event your session abruptly times out. 

Virtual Apps 

In most IT environments, applications are installed on each machine. When an application is installed, it creates numerous files on the user device. These virtual apps are optimized to run in a virtual environment. 

One of the most common types of virtual apps is a remote app. Remote apps provide ease of access because they can be hosted in a mobile session rather than a full desktop session. This can increase connectivity and cohesion for employees throughout your company. 

Bring Your Own Device 

BYOD is an evolving trend in DaaS where users bring their personal devices to use in the workplace. The device could be a laptop, mobile phone, tablet or even hard drive. Many DaaS providers also offer the option to bring your own computer (BYOC). 

It's important to keep track of what type of devices are connected to your virtual infrastructure. This way, you can ensure proper security measures are in place to reduce the chance of data loss or legal risk.

Although there is no shortage of DaaS providers for organizations in metropolitan areas and it is gaining acceptance in certain circles, plenty of companies remain reluctant to get on board, citing several concerns. 

One of the biggest concerns for prospective customers is latency. With so many local service providers available and the prevalence of high-speed internet, the issue of latency has largely been resolved. VMware, for example, offers various tiers of service that can even accommodate 3D graphics and video. Furthermore, pixel painting protocols greatly reduce bandwidth needs by only replacing pixels on the screen that have changed. 

Another major concern is security or, more specifically, trust. 

"Cost was always the motivation to move to the cloud, but security was the reason to stay out, particularly for the enterprise," said Mike Chase, executive vice president and CTO of dinCloud. 

Shopping for a DaaS provider is much like finding a web hosting company. You must find a provider that you trust with your most prized assets – in this case, your data. 

For those who remain unsure, WebGap CEO Guise Bule says to consider the idea that DaaS providers could be much better at protecting your overall security than your own company could. 

"However, that being said, we have federal customers who would never trust us with their data but still use our hosted desktops," Bule said. "With DaaS, you don't have to make that choice, and your data can stay in your own PC. But still, we would protect it better than you can. It comes down to resources." 

Even if trust is not an issue, you must closely examine the service-level agreement to find out what recourse you have in the event of downtime, data loss or data theft. It is worth noting that certain industries do not allow companies to host data in the cloud because of compliance laws and other regulations.

DaaS is typically best for small and midsize businesses (SMBs). It certainly makes sense for companies on the smaller end of the spectrum that require quality IT services but lack the need and finances for a full-time systems administrator. With an average entry-level cost of $10 to $20 per user per month, some companies see significant savings with DaaS, particularly in BYOD scenarios. 

Other types of businesses that can benefit from this technology include startups, businesses with seasonal employees or high turnover, or companies with many remote users. DaaS allows these businesses to easily scale up or down as needed. 

Another market for DaaS is cash-strapped companies running legacy operating systems like Windows XP. To avoid the immediate capital expenditure required to upgrade all their PCs to run a current OS, they can serve Windows 7 or 8 from the cloud on their XP machines. Potential candidates can also include any organization that has a need to free up resources to focus on their core competencies. 

Why not enterprise-level customers? "Larger customers can afford the overhead associated with standing VDI up, but smaller firms cannot," said Roger L. Kay, founder and president of Endpoint Technologies Associates. "Therefore, they turn to cloud services as an alternative. DaaS is sort of a poor man's VDI." 

There is also the issue of scalability. As the number of users increases, so does the complexity of IT needs. Suddenly, you need more memory, faster processors, different applications for various departments and so on. Furthermore, DaaS works best when service providers are nearby, which may not work as well when a company has multiple locations situated away from the service provider. Larger companies, even those in a single location, may find that their needs cause the cost of a DaaS solution to meet or even exceed an in-house solution.

Anh Trinh is the founder and CEO of GeekWithLaptop, a 2-year-old media startup. Trinh's company moved from an apartment with a team of five people to a coworking space with a team of 10 people within seven months. 

GeekWithLaptop uses DaaS to save time and effort. Trinh started using Microsoft Azure for his company after a friend told him about the service. 

"I did my research, and I like the service as a concept," Trinh said. "It's one of the best DaaS providers I've seen." 

Trinh said that what he likes most about Microsoft Azure is its security; Microsoft has convinced him that it's the safest platform out there. The company spends about $1 billion annually on its cloud security. Trinh likes that Microsoft Azure also offers a lot of other services, such as cloud computing, analytics and cloud storage.  

Before implementing Microsoft Azure, Trinh used Citrix as his DaaS service. He believes it is also an excellent service, saying it's about equal to Azure. 

"There are even times when it shows it is even better, since it is also compatible with smartphones and other OSs," Trinh said. "However, it didn't feel as secure as Microsoft Azure, which is why I withdrew their service." 

When implementing a DaaS solution, Trinh says, you must cover your bases: 

1. First, make sure that you have a good internet service provider. Create a backup network plan in case your first one fails.
2. Pick a good DaaS provider and work your way from there.
3. Put standard operating procedures or README files on your virtual desktop so that employees can learn on the spot.
4. Create policies for employees and users to prevent misuse of the service.
5. Secure important files so your employees won't accidentally delete them. 

Andy Lipnitski is the IT director at ScienceSoft, a provider of IT consulting services and custom software development. ScienceSoft uses Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops because its testing results showed that Citrix was the best option. 

Lipnitski said ScienceSoft previously tried VMware Horizon but didn't go for it, because it was not multiplatform and didn't support Linux at the time. ScienceSoft now has a distributed hybrid multiplatform DaaS in place that uses two on-premises hypervisors, VMware ESXi and XenServer, and AWS and Microsoft Azure clouds. 

After implementing his DaaS solution, Lipnitski is pleased with the results. 

"Our DaaS solution works well with all types of hypervisors and public clouds, which allows us to be flexible while building a distributed fault-resistant infrastructure instead of having to stick to a particular platform," he said. "I also like that it supports Linux, UNIX and all versions of Windows." 

While the pros and cons of DaaS vary depending on the user and virtual desktop solution, there are a few general commonalities. 

"As the key advantage of DaaS, I see the ability to implement the BYOD (bring your own device) concept within an enterprise without putting corporate cybersecurity at risk," Lipnitski said. "DaaS also allows employees to work at any time, place and device, and enables IT infrastructure managers to flexibly set up enterprise applications to satisfy employees' individual needs." 

Lipnitski said the main drawbacks of DaaS are the cost and additional equipment required for a data center.

DaaS is typically best for small and midsize businesses (SMBs). It certainly makes sense for companies on the smaller end of the spectrum that require quality IT services but lack the need and finances for a full-time systems administrator. With an average entry-level cost of $10 to $20 per user per month, some companies see significant savings with DaaS, particularly in BYOD scenarios. 

Other types of businesses that can benefit from this technology include startups, businesses with seasonal employees or high turnover, or companies with many remote users. DaaS allows these businesses to easily scale up or down as needed. 

Another market for DaaS is cash-strapped companies running legacy operating systems like Windows XP. To avoid the immediate capital expenditure required to upgrade all their PCs to run a current OS, they can serve Windows 7 or 8 from the cloud on their XP machines. Potential candidates can also include any organization that has a need to free up resources to focus on their core competencies. 

Why not enterprise-level customers? "Larger customers can afford the overhead associated with standing VDI up, but smaller firms cannot," said Roger L. Kay, founder and president of Endpoint Technologies Associates. "Therefore, they turn to cloud services as an alternative. DaaS is sort of a poor man's VDI." 

There is also the issue of scalability. As the number of users increases, so does the complexity of IT needs. Suddenly, you need more memory, faster processors, different applications for various departments and so on. Furthermore, DaaS works best when service providers are nearby, which may not work as well when a company has multiple locations situated away from the service provider. Larger companies, even those in a single location, may find that their needs cause the cost of a DaaS solution to meet or even exceed an in-house solution.

Are you still unsure about the basics of virtual desktops? We've got you covered. 

Our business.com expert community member Jason Bergeron, CEO of Stratify LLC, has 25 years of experience in IT and more than 15 years of experience running an IT consulting firm. We asked him some of the industry's most common questions. 

Q: What is DaaS, and how does it work?   

A: DaaS is a solution where the virtual desktop is delivered, but you do not have to purchase or support the infrastructure and software to deliver the virtual desktop. DaaS has also been referred to as "hosted desktop services." It is very similar to a VDI setup where you just must have hardware to load the VDI, but the VDI is delivered from the cloud. 

Q: What's the difference between DaaS and a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI)?  

A: With a VDI, you must purchase the servers, software and supporting hardware. You are then performing the install, configuration and support of the system. With DaaS, you are paying for a cloud-delivered and -supported virtual desktop solution. Your main concerns are the hardware for the user and connectivity. Also, VDI doesn't have the performance of DaaS. A DaaS deployment can allow you to save a significant amount of budget (almost 50%). DaaS is an outsourced VDI solution. 

Q: Which DaaS provider(s) are best for small and medium-sized businesses? 

A: Amazon WorkSpaces, VMWare Horizon Cloud, Citrix XenDesktop and Microsoft Virtual Desktop are the best solutions. These companies have been involved in this business for as long as anyone.  

Q: What are the key aspects of DaaS to look for when choosing a desktop solution? 

A: The phrase "DaaS" refers to the solution being cloud-hosted. The major factors are reliability, uptime, backup and failover. If you are working in a DaaS environment, you want to minimize or eliminate downtime. Reliability is a functioning solution that is easily expandable, and resources fluctuate based on load. Uptime relates to having a solution that doesn't lose connectivity and/or isn't accessible. 

Backups are important from a corruption standpoint. If your OS is corrupted, what do you lose, and how long does it take you to get back up and running? As it relates to failover, if a rack, a server and/or connectivity is lost, you can remain functional without skipping a beat. 

Q: How has DaaS progressed and developed throughout the years? 

A: DaaS started with companies providing a Citrix-type desktop across 56K connection. Microsoft then developed their Remote Desktop technology to compete with Citrix. It then evolved to companies that were providing virtual desktops to their own enterprise. As the cost of cloud came down, technology evolved, and high-speed internet connection became more available, the logical next step was to host the entire solution in the cloud. 

The primary benefits include not having to have the staff to support on-premise servers, lower cost of support, and the ability to have better protection from cybersecurity attacks.  

Q: What technological advancements can business owners expect to see from DaaS in 2020? 

A: Business owners can expect to see greater flexibility, ease of administration and reduced costs in 2020. 

Q: Should a small business choose a big-name provider that offers DaaS? Or are big-name providers more suitable for enterprises? 

A: Amazon WorkSpaces and Microsoft Azure are at the top of the list when it comes to hosting anything in the cloud. At the end of the day, the business needs to understand all the pros and cons. If they don't have internal support, they should look for a technical consulting provider they know and trust that has experience with the solutions. If they have internal support, it depends where you are in the cycle.  

For example, if you are currently utilizing an on-premise version of VMware Horizon Cloud, it might be easier to migrate to their solution. Citrix has been in the space forever and is very experienced, but their minimum is 25 seats. If you have 10 to 15 seats, you might want to look at another solution. You should go with what you know and are familiar with. The major issues will happen in the migration. Once the solution is migrated, you shouldn't have to deal with any further issues. 

Q: How can DaaS help a business save money? 

A: Implementing a DaaS solution can save your business money that would have otherwise been spent on the upfront expenses of the traditional, one-time purchase of on-premises equipment. DaaS eliminates bulk hardware purchases and allows businesses to replace hardware when necessary. 

Q: How can DaaS help a business become more efficient and productive? 

A: A DaaS solution can help your business become more efficient and productive by providing a global customer reach, rather than restricting itself to only local customers. DaaS can also change the way your employees work and interact with one another. Full-time, part-time and remote employees can access all the information needed to complete their work from anywhere. 

How to Implement DaaS 

To implement DaaS, it's best to begin with a free trial or demo to test out the solution and see if it's right for your company. Most DaaS solutions offer free trials that range from seven days to a few months. After testing the solution, it's important to consider the number of users who will need access, the types of applications your company requires, the storage and memory capacity you need, and monthly pricing. 

In addition to the number of users, recognizing the type of user helps determine your bandwidth requirements for DaaS. While bandwidth requirements vary by DaaS provider, you can perform this calculation to analyze your bandwidth utilization if you know your internet connection, file and application size: 

Bandwidth in Kbps x 0.8 / User type high value

(factoring 80% utilization of total bandwidth) 

For example, if you have a standard high-value user of about 150Kbps with a total bandwidth of 1500Kbps, you could host eight concurrent users on a T1 line. 

Bandwidth = T1 = 1.5Mbps = 1500Kbps

1500 x 0.8 / 150 = 8 concurrent users on a T1

Our search for the best DaaS solution began with research on business and review websites, and then we ventured throughout the industry for a broader perspective. We compiled this information into a list of nearly 20 companies. Eventually, we narrowed our list down to eight finalists. 

To determine our best picks, we looked for companies that provide the best features and offer quality performance. Affordability is a crucial aspect for many small businesses, so we also looked for companies with low monthly fees, top-notch support and great integration capabilities. 

Although most DaaS providers offer more than one way of connecting your users to your company information, we focused on rates, the number of apps offered and OS compatibility for this review.