AWS re:Invent is a premier event, and ESG always makes it a priority to attend. The event captures an audience of IT decision makers and business leaders who are hungry to learn and discover where Amazon is planning to shake up or enhance IT and business strategies. At the event this year, I’ll be paying close attention to Amazon Workspaces.
If you’re not familiar with Amazon Workspaces, here are several reasons you may want to get acquainted:
- Windows 10 is creating an ideal catalyst to look at alternative desktop delivery, management, and security posture.
- If you are questioning the trust you have in certain devices, the desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) model can help capture control on untrusted devices.
- Microsoft Windows applications are sticky so companies need to maintain support for them, but Windows may not be the endpoint operating system of the company’s future.
- VDI proved to be valuable with certain use cases but dragged along complex IT infrastructure. DaaS can offer the same benefits as VDI, but without the investment in IT infrastructure.
- Companies can provide Windows desktops to onsite and remote employees as well as contractors and part-time workers without having to deal with a complex hardware provisioning process that finds itself outdated and vulnerable to security holes upon leaving the hands of the IT administrator.
I’ll be watching for Amazon Workspaces deployments at scale and looking to see if attendees are standardizing on DaaS, or if DaaS is being used for smaller use cases. I’m also very interested to see how security is impacting IT’s decision to embrace Amazon Workspaces, and the value security professionals may be placing on the DaaS model.
ESG has been researching the VDI and DaaS market for years. The latest ESG research indicates:
- 76% of all organizations surveyed use or are interested in DaaS.
- 77% of DaaS users feel DaaS is fundamentally more secure than traditional desktop environments.
- 55% of DaaS users cite one or more tangible productivity benefits.
- 52% of DaaS users cite one or more tangible security benefits.
- 79% expect their DaaS environment to grow.
Amazon has been setting the pace in the DaaS market. While Amazon re:Invent can be overwhelming (between keynotes, technical sessions, training, etc.), it’s worth taking the time to explore Amazon Workspaces and see how it may align with business, and the potential impact it can have on desktop management, security, and user productivity. Enjoy Amazon re:Invent!
Hope to see you there!
ESG Senior Analyst Mark Bowker focuses on all things related to virtualization and cloud computing. Read more ESG blogs here.
