What is the Purpose of a Virtual Desktop?
In one of the first blogs on this site, we gave a brief introduction to the virtual desktop and why businesses should consider trying it out. Here, we will dive deeper into the virtual desktop and cover the various purposes of a technology that is simple in concept yet incredibly versatile in function.
What is a Virtual Desktop?
Virtual desktops are preconfigured images of operating systems and applications in the form of a workstation which is hosted on a remote server and managed by an administrator. The desktop environment or workstation is separate from the physical device used to access it. Users of a virtual desktop can access their workstations remotely and with any device. Such devices included PCs, tablets, laptops, desktops, and smartphones.
Below are the various purposes and use cases of a virtual desktop.
Employees that Need Occasional Access to Work Applications
A business will choose to use a virtual desktop if an employee or a set of employees only need occasional or temporary access to their work applications. In the case of interns and part-time employees, a business may not want to give them a company PC and alternatively have their temporary workers use personal devices. In which case, this intern or part-timer still has access to all necessary work applications just on their own PC or laptop.
Employees Who Travel Frequently
Another use case, where a business would opt for a virtual desktop, would be for employees or staff who travel frequently. It is impossible to lug around a company PC, but it is possible, through a virtual desktop, to have the needed workstation on a laptop or even a smartphone. Moreover, the company data is secured on their servers or cloud and is not on the endpoint (the device) itself. Due to the location of the private data in the cloud or on a server, it is safeguarded from a traveling employee losing or having their device stolen.
Cost-Effective Solution After Hiring Many New Employees
A virtual desktop could additionally serve the purpose of a more cost-effective replacement to a high-performance PC. In the scenario where a business decides to take on many more employees but doesn’t want to invest in a whole fleet of new PCs, they can use a virtual desktop. Employees can use their low-cost devices, enjoy the same level of experience, with the bonus of the company’s information being controlled and encrypted.
Streamline Employee Onboarding
Similarly, a business could utilize a virtual desktop to make the onboarding process of employees much more streamlined. Due to the nature of a virtual desktop, new employees of a company can get immediate access to important material and any employee that leaves a company will lose access.
Summary
The virtual desktop gives users access to a virtual workstation through any device which is hosted on a remote, isolated, and secure server. Businesses use virtual desktops for their temporary employees or staff who travel frequently. Virtual desktops can likewise be used to cut costs of buying hardware in bulk and for streamlining the new employee onboarding process.
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