Hosted desktop technology is an innovative new method for delivering desktops to end users. Part of the ‘cloud computing’ concept, a hosted desktop looks and acts exactly like a traditional PC but, instead of residing locally, all software and data are housed in ThinkGrid’s state-of-the-art data centres. Hosted desktops offer numerous advantages in terms of cost savings, security, resilience, flexibility and reduced management.
The future of computing
Hosted desktops are beginning to replace the traditional idea that all office staff must have a full PC sitting beneath their desks. Of course, in today’s world businesses need their employees to have access to computers to communicate and to perform all manner of tasks. However, the way in which this can be facilitated is evolving.
Buying, setting up and maintaining PCs is an expensive exercise, especially when you factor in the associated management time and costs. ThinkGrid removes this headache by providing you with a hosted desktop environment, which you can connect to from anywhere via the internet –at home, abroad or in the office. All you need is a PC, laptop,
thin client or mobile device and an internet connection. ThinkGrid does the rest. Because we provide you with a full Windows environment with all the functionality you’d expect, you’d never know you weren’t using a PC. Additional applications can be installed on demand, whilst we backup, manage and support the hosted desktops for you, ensuring they’re available 24 /7.
Business Benefits
Cut cost and CapEx
Rather than investing in depreciating assets, which require high CapExinitially and then
continue to be a drain on your resources, choosing hosted desktops means you no longer have to splash out on PC infrastructure or office applications. Instead, a transparent subscription-per-user model ensures predictable costs and great value for money.
Connect anywhere, Remote Working
Wherever you are you can connect to YOUR hosted desktop -our networks allow you secure access from any location you wish. Meaning you can join colleagues as if you were in the office.
No management or IT experience necessary
Hosted desktops are easy to use and easy to deploy. We take care of things so you don’t have to. With this type of infrastructure, there’s no longer any need to worry about
patching or administering your desktops, application compatibility or upgrades, or about which vendor’s technology is most suited to your needs –we do all of that for you.We can even provide you with a pre-configured ‘thin client’, which just plugs in, connects and away you go. These simple hardware devices are extremely cost-effective and reliable as they have no moving parts.
Never upgrade
Technology is advancing at such speed that PCs and software are typically becoming obsolete as quickly as 12 months after purchase as they struggle to cope with the growing demands placed on them. Being part of ThinkGrid’s infrastructure means you can access the most powerful systems and latest software available.
Add resources and software on demand
Scale resources up and down as you need them. Need more RAM or CPU? No problem -just click a button. We utilise a true cloud computing infrastructure to be able to deliver
resources to you instantly. Likewise, if you want the latest copy of Word or need to use Sage, just click a button and the application will be immediately deployed to as many desktops as you like. You can also install your own applications at any time -just like with a normal PC.
Reliability and uptime
Our systems are built for 99.99% uptime with redundancy, multi-site failover and more. You need never be without your hosted desktop, nor do you need to worry about losing
your data -our systems guarantee round the clock protection.
Safe and secure
With hosted desktops, you have much greater peace of mind over the security of your data.
Because end users no longer have to house it themselves –and it isn’t tied to specific hardware –sensitive company information is totally secure and cannot be lost, stolen or inadvertently erased.
A quick and simple way to cut costs
An option that is growing in popularity for forward-thinking companies, hosted desktops remove the burden of managing individual desktop environments in-house, leaving you to
concentrate on growing your business and maximising turnover. Information is stored in our highly secure datacentreand delivered to you via any internet browser, so your own, fully customisable desktop can be accessed wherever you are, whenever you want. It is exactly the same as using a PC -simply plug into your broadband connection and you’re ready to go.
With hosted desktops working out at
around 40% cheaper than regular PCs…
Cut costs by around 40% almost
immediately, which equals over $800 per user!
How does it work?
A hosted desktop is a fully-functioning remote workstation. Instead of being held on local
hardware, all software and data is housed in our state-of-the-art data centres. This data is then sent via the internet, to an end-user’s workstation (such as a PC or thin client), whilst industry-standard encryption (as used by the likes of Amazon and HSBC) ensures that no information can be accessed by external parties. Keystrokes and mouse movements are then relayed from the workstation to our data centres. This is an entirely seamless process and the end user’s Windows experience is identical to that offered by a traditional desktop PC, allowing interaction with the exact same applications in the exact same way. You‘d never notice the difference!
As a hosted desktop is no longer tied to specific hardware, it can be accessed 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week, from anywhere with an internet connection and end-device –at the office, at home, an internet cafe, on the move or even abroad. Moreover, since neither data nor processing reside locally, traditional PC hardware can be replaced by ‘thin clients’ –a device that itself does almost no work. As a result, thin clients are small, inexpensive, consume a fraction of the power of a PC, need little or no maintenance and rarely go wrong.
In addition, hosted desktops marry perfectly with ThinkGrid’s other services, such as hosted VOIP, hosted Exchange and hosted BlackBerry, to bring you a comprehensive
‘anywhere, anytime’ business infrastructure.
For more information or a quote contact Vadis
