With more businesses moving to remote working setups, virtual desktop solutions are taking centre stage. Not all virtual desktop infrastructure is made the same, however, and it’s important to identify the best virtual desktop solution that suits your organization.
There has been significant innovation in the virtual desktop space in recent years, including the emergence of hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI). HCI makes it easier for administrators to allocate virtual desktop resources because it allows them to see both the back-end system and specific details of each individual virtual machine configuration.
In this article we’ll take a look at what we consider the 8 best virtual desktop software solutions today and highlight some of their key features and tools.
Top 8 Virtual Desktop Solutions
1. Ace Cloud Hosting VDI
Ace Cloud Hosting VDI can make devices with different specifications into flexible virtual desktop environments, so it’s a good fit for businesses of any size. It also has features including instant provisioning, local drive access and OS hardening, meaning management of BYOD and distributed workforces is made simple.
Furthermore, Ace Cloud Hosting VDI is hardware-agnostic, so you don’t need new hardware. It’s also highly configurable and comes loaded with enterprise-grade security features such as single sign-on, multi-factor authentication, and permissions.
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2. V2 Cloud
V2 Cloud is a good option for businesses looking for a fully managed and scalable virtual desktop solution. It allows for up to 250 users per desktop, each with their own private folders on the same virtual machine. It also has one-time application installs, which helps to keep licensing costs down, and gives admins a 360-degree view of all cloud desktops.
V2 is strong in the areas of user-friendliness, remote access management, and data protection, and is well worthy of your consideration.
3. Shells
Shells is a solid option for freelancers, start-ups and growing small businesses. It’s a desktop-as-a-service platform that converts any enabled device into a virtual desktop. Software compatibility is very rarely an issue and Shells make it easy to upgrade devices and for users to access apps.
Shells should be considered for its cost-effectiveness, high flexibility and commitment to data security.
4. Amazon WorkSpaces
Amazon WorkSpaces is a popular choice for businesses that want a managed and highly secure cloud desktop service. It can be used to provision Windows or Linux desktops in minutes, with the ability to rapidly scale to thousands of desktops globally. It’s a cost-effective solution that removes many of the admin associated with managing traditional desktops.
Amazon WorkSpaces is designed to help businesses reduce overheads by being fully managed and being bundled into packages that best suit a company’s requirements.
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5. IBM Cloud
IBM Cloud is known for integrating with leading-edge graphics and storage capabilities to help businesses ensure high performance through virtual desktop infrastructure. Users can enjoy a workstation-like desktop on any device and access even the most process-heavy applications wherever they are.
Even with its high speed and excellent collaboration features, IBM Cloud is still a very cost-effective solution when compared to the costs of workstation hardware and individual software licenses.
6. Cisco VXI
Cisco VXI (Virtualization Experience Infrastructure) is a powerful virtual workspace solution that brings together virtual desktops, voice and video functionality. It offers businesses an all-in-one infrastructure that can make a big impact on productivity and efficiency.
Cisco VXI is a great choice for businesses that need fast, flexible and secure virtual desktop software. It’s one-stop-shop nature allows for a streamlined deployment and a highly integrated experience for your users.
7. VMware Horizon Cloud
VMware Horizon Cloud is a cloud-based virtual desktop solution that provides remote employees with full access to enterprise systems and files. It does so in a way that is highly secure and allows unified administration from a centralized control panel. All in all, it’s a highly flexible and powerful piece of software.
Why You Need to Choose the Best Virtual Desktop Tools
There are numerous benefits to choosing the right virtual desktop infrastructure, but you need to make sure it’s implemented correctly. This involves evaluating your available resources to ensure you are getting the most out of them and don’t become over or under-staffed.
You should also take care to fully prepare your staff for what to expect when working over a virtual desktop (for instance, not all solutions work over a web browser and may need a desktop app). This includes training them on possible issues and problems such as latency and system failures.
Identify and Deploy Virtual Desktop Software Best for Your Business
Now that you know the best virtual desktop solutions, you can start thinking about how to get started. Note that we’ve not talked about all the offerings available in the market, including a couple of well-known ones such as Microsoft Azure’s virtual desktop and Windows Virtual Desktop.
Virtually every business has unique needs, and managed service providers can help them choose and implement the right software (and reduce the cost per user per month). MSPs can also provide ongoing expertise and support for data centres.
Fusion Computing is one of Toronto’s leading managed service providers and we have plenty of experience helping businesses across the GTA select and roll out virtual desktop infrastructure that is seamless and effective. Book a free 30-minute consultation with an expert to learn more about choosing a virtual desktop solution that will reduce costs, improve productivity and enable trouble-free remote working.