Could 'Hosted Desktop' Technology Future-Proof Your Business Computers?

Written by Shackleton Technologies

Desktop computers and laptops are vital to all the data-related operations in your business. However, as they age, these computers can slow down; unable to keep up with the demands of your employees – which means that productivity tails off as the machine ages.

From a strategic perspective, it is vital to replace older PCs but this could also involve a significant capital outlay. Businesses unwilling (or unable) to commit to regularly updating their hardware will be pleased to hear there is a way to future-proof your desktop computers using thin client devices.

A very old technology, reborn

In the early days of IT, businesses had one enormous, room-sized computer that did everything. Employees would use ‘terminals’, a series of screens attached to that one computer to work.

That concept has evolved slightly over the last 40 years to create a technology called ‘hosted desktops’. Now you connect to a ‘session’ that looks and behaves just like your PC desktop; the difference is that the session is taking place on a larger computer (server) located somewhere else, either in your data centre or the cloud.

Remote desktop technology is used with special ‘thin client’ hardware. As the computer starts up, a connection to the hosted desktop server is established, presenting the user with what appears to be the same applications they are familiar with, yet everything they see and do on screen is taking place elsewhere. The screen on your desk is little more than a window onto the remote desktop server.

Why does any of this matter?

The beauty of a thin client system, is that all of the processor intensive operations that can slow PCs down, are now carried out at the server.

It allows a more tightly controlled IT environment, requiring less admin overhead in upgrading applications, particularly with very remote workers, where maintaining control of versions of software can become quite onerous. In a hosted desktop environment this can be done once, on the server, rather than many individual PCs.

Hosted desktops also have another major benefit, resilience. If your office is inaccessible for any period of time, employees can connect to their hosted desktop using their personal laptop/PC/tablet at home. With access to all the applications, files and data they would use in the office, hosted desktop technologies allow your team to be productive anyplace, anytime.

It’s a technology that can be quite tricky to understand initially, which is probably why so many small businesses overlook it. However, the reality is, that this technology has potential to help your business work smarter and save significant costs as ‘thin client’ devices tend to be much less expensive than PCs.

To learn more about hosted desktops and how they can make your business succeed, please get in touch.