All About Managed DaaS

Managed DaaS emerges as a transformative solution, addressing the complexities inherent in deploying and managing Desktop as a Service (DaaS). This specialized undertaking involves intricate processes, from provisioning network architecture to ensuring compliance and managing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). To overcome these challenges, enterprises are urged to partner with a competent Managed DaaS Provider (MDP). This comprehensive guide explores key criteria for selecting the right MDP, covering technical competency, compliance and security measures, end-to-end support, backup and disaster recovery capabilities, and a nuanced evaluation of pricing models. As businesses increasingly rely on DaaS for digital workspace enablement, a strategic partnership with the right MDP becomes instrumental in driving efficiency, scalability, and a seamless user experience.

Managed DaaS, the Digital Workplace Enabler

Deploying and managing Desktop as a Service (DaaS) is a specialized undertaking, demanding a sophisticated skill set and substantial resources. This intricate process involves navigating various complexities, including:

• Provisioning the underlying network architecture and existing resources
• Configuring workloads, applications, and integrating peripherals
• Executing OS migration and User Acceptance Testing (UAT)
• Adapting group-based policies, ensuring governance, compliance, and licensing
• Managing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and adhering to stringent Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
• Monitoring the virtualized environment and providing round-the-clock support

To navigate these challenges effectively, enterprises are encouraged to opt for a Managed DaaS Provider (MDP). A competent MDP can alleviate struggles related to quick scalability, DaaS application compatibility management, diverse use case simplification, enhanced application performance, and finding the optimal balance between flexibility and stability.

Choosing the Managed DaaS Provider

Selecting the appropriate implementation and management partner is crucial to mitigate frequent business disruptions, curb talent attrition, and prevent a decline in user productivity that may result in adverse business outcomes. Opting for the right Managed DaaS Provider (MDP) holds the potential to facilitate a smooth workload transition and significantly improve end-user experiences. The following section outlines essential factors for evaluating the right MDP:

1. Technical Competency: Assess the provider’s technical proficiency to ensure they possess the necessary skills for seamless DaaS implementation and management.
2. Focus on Compliance & Security: Prioritize providers with a strong emphasis on compliance and security measures, safeguarding your business against potential risks.
3. Keeping You in Business – Backup & Disaster Recovery: Evaluate the provider’s backup and disaster recovery capabilities to ensure business continuity and data protection in the face of unforeseen challenges.
4. End-to-End Support: Seek an MDP that offers comprehensive end-to-end support, covering every aspect of DaaS deployment and ongoing management.
5. Price versus Absolute Value: Consider not just the cost but the overall value offered by the provider, ensuring that the pricing aligns with the quality and scope of services provided.

1.      Technical Competency

Choosing the right Managed DaaS Provider (MDP) necessitates a demonstration of competence in rightsizing and resource allocation tailored to an enterprise’s business needs. Evaluating the provider’s ability to establish a well-structured workload migration process and articulate a clear cloud adoption roadmap is essential.

Addressing typical technical challenges such as bandwidth, network connection speed, failover facilities, latency-related concerns, remote access for distant locations, and BYOD compliance is imperative for a proficient MDP. A provider equipped with extensive cross-domain expertise spanning virtualization technology platforms, network technologies, Cloud platforms, Active Directory, and Server Management capabilities accelerates application rollouts. This not only maximizes application availability but also ensures minimal business disruption.

Post-implementation, round-the-clock monitoring and management play a pivotal role in the success of any DaaS implementation. Swift resolution of critical end-user issues in collaboration with enterprise IT ensures a satisfactory end-user experience. An MDP that offers an outcome-oriented Service Level Agreement (SLA) takes accountability for promptly addressing user concerns.

2.      Focus on Compliance & Security

In the face of a significant surge in the risk of identity theft and security breaches, enterprises are compelled to adhere to stringent regulations, local laws, and established protocols.

Managed DaaS vendors and providers play a crucial role in ensuring compliance with the organization’s security guidelines, local device directives, industry mandates related to the cloud, government ordinances, licensing requirements, and group policies. It is imperative for providers to establish a well-structured process for proactively implementing security measures to thwart malware intrusions, ransomware attacks, data cross-contamination, and hacking, thus preventing any potential data leaks from the organization.

An effective Managed DaaS Provider (MDP) should demonstrate organized processes for implementing security access, defining user roles, and establishing group memberships to address security and compliance concerns during the design phase of the DaaS architecture. This proactive approach is essential in safeguarding the organization against potential security threats and ensuring robust compliance with industry standards and regulations.

3.      End-to-End Support

In a newly virtualized environment, critical considerations such as patch upgrades, security updates, change management, troubleshooting, and monitoring of cloud desktop environments take center stage. The Managed DaaS provider bears the responsibility of consistently and promptly addressing these factors to ensure operational consistency and an enhanced end-user experience.

The availability of 24×7 monitoring and support by the Managed DaaS Provider (MDP) becomes paramount to ensure the infrastructure remains operational at all times, avoiding any disruptions to business activities. Proactive identification of performance, capacity, and configuration issues, coupled with the accessibility of a responsive helpdesk, is imperative for ensuring the swift resolution of emerging issues.

The MDP should demonstrate a robust ability to manage all incidents and conduct Root Cause Analysis (RCA) to prevent the recurrence of issues. Striving for continuous improvement in performance and minimizing the impact of change-related incidents on service quality reflects the commitment of the MDP to deliver a seamless and resilient virtualized environment.

4.      Backup & Disaster Recovery

Unforeseen events such as outages, natural calamities, or data center failures can significantly disrupt business continuity. It is crucial for the Managed DaaS provider to implement failover mechanisms, ensuring users can continue working with minimal downtime. The ability to offer robust Backup and Disaster Recovery facilities becomes paramount in sustaining business continuity in the face of unexpected challenges.

Given that end-users utilize their own devices while working remotely, the Managed DaaS Provider should empower them to work seamlessly from any location and on any device. It is imperative for the MDP to clearly articulate whether Backup and Disaster Recovery facilities are integral to their offering. Additionally, any associated fees for these services should be transparently disclosed at the proposal stage, ensuring clear communication and understanding between the provider and the client.

5.      Commercial vs. Absolute Value

The Managed DaaS Provider (MDP) should offer diverse pricing models, considering factors such as the number of users and resources utilized, encompassing options like per user per month, pay-as-you-go, and fixed-cost models. When enterprises assess commercial proposals, the emphasis should shift from the service cost alone to the potential impact on outcomes—such as elevated application availability, enhanced service levels, consistent performance, streamlined management, and an immersive end-user experience.

Ensuring transparency, the MDP must present pricing in conjunction with the absolute value it delivers. This involves a commitment to reducing the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) by eliminating associated and hidden costs. The MDP’s focus should center on transforming CAPEX expenditure into an OPEX model through an outcome-oriented Service Level Agreement (SLA), providing enterprises with a clearer understanding of the true value and cost-effectiveness of the DaaS solution.

Related: All About the Benefits of DaaS

Final Thoughts

Managed DaaS emerges as a pivotal enabler of the digital workplace, demanding specialized expertise and resources. Enterprises navigating the complexities of DaaS deployment should wisely choose a Managed DaaS Provider (MDP). Evaluating technical competency, compliance, support capabilities, disaster recovery, and pricing transparency is essential. A proficient MDP not only addresses challenges but enhances scalability, application compatibility, use case simplicity, and overall performance, striking a balance between flexibility and stability. The right MDP becomes a strategic partner, facilitating a seamless transition and significantly improving end-user experiences. As businesses delve into the Managed DaaS realm, careful consideration of the provider’s capabilities and commitment to outcomes ensures a transformative and value-driven partnership.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Difference Between SaaS and DaaS?

Software as a Service (SaaS) delivers software applications over the internet, while Desktop as a Service (DaaS) provides virtual desktop environments, allowing remote access to a full desktop experience.

What Is the Difference Between DaaS and VDI?

Desktop as a Service (DaaS) is a cloud-based solution offering virtual desktops as a service, whereas Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) involves hosting virtual desktops on-premises or in a private cloud.

What Are DaaS Companies?

Leading DaaS companies include VMware Horizon Cloud, Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop, and Amazon WorkSpaces.