In today’s IT landscape, businesses are increasingly adopting Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) in addition to modern cloud management technologies and strategies. In fact, Gartner research into EUC (end user computing) spending predicts that all segments of the public cloud market, that underpin digital transformation and IT modernization, are expected to grow this year.
This transformative shift to DaaS eliminates the need for on-premises hardware and costs related to its operation. In this blog post, we will go over the fundamentals of DaaS and application management, the application-related challenges that arise in DaaS environments, and finally, we will look at the future of application management within DaaS.
What Is DaaS?
Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) represents a cloud-based computing model that provides users with virtual desktops as a service. With DaaS, users can access virtual desktops on demand from internet-connected devices. Leveraging the power of the cloud, DaaS eliminates the complexities of managing on-premises infrastructure, offering businesses a flexible, scalable, and cheaper solution, if configured properly.
Exploring Application Management
In its most generic definition, application management involves managing the lifecycle of software applications regardless of the underlying computing model. This includes tasks such as deploying, configuring, patching, maintaining, and retiring applications to ensure their availability, security, and compliance.
Addressing Application Management Challenges with DaaS
While DaaS simplifies some aspects of application management due to the centralization of the compute model, challenges persist within this space. We must confront the following key challenges:
Application Compatibility
Ensuring application compatibility with the chosen operating system is critical. Some applications may have specific configurations or dependencies that may not be supported in a DaaS environment. Thorough testing and validation of application compatibility are vital to avoid any deployment issues.
Application Security
Safeguarding our DaaS environments from unsecured apps is of high importance. As applications reside in the cloud and have access to our confidential data, securing both becomes a critical concern. DaaS providers offer robust security measures to protect the infrastructure and meet industry regulations. We must do our part and make sure the applications are secure and up to date. Updating applications to a new version with minimum overhead and disruption to users becomes essential.
Application Compliance
Adherence to industry regulations and compliance standards within DaaS environments poses a unique challenge. DaaS providers must ensure that their infrastructure meets necessary security and privacy requirements while managing applications in a compliant manner. We can leverage DaaS-native and solutions like Nerdio Manager for Enterprise, to enable efficient monitoring and enforcement of compliance policies within the DaaS environment.
Application Complexity
Managing applications in large-scale DaaS deployments can be complex, necessitating coordination and integration across various systems and tools. We must efficiently handle application deployment, updates, and user access across multiple virtual desktops. Nerdio Manager for Enterprise offers centralized management capabilities, streamlining application management tasks, and provides a unified interface to simplify operations in DaaS environments.
The Future of Application Management in DaaS
As the DaaS market continues to grow, the demand for efficient application management solutions will soar. We need to continue to seek ways to simplify and automate application management within DaaS environments, catering to the ever-evolving needs of the modern workplace and its plethora of different users and needs.
Here, the inclusion of Unified Application Management in Nerdio Manager for Enterprise, further simplifies and automates deploying, configuring, patching, maintaining, and updating applications. Nerdio Manager for Enterprise offers integration with third parties such as Rimo3, Liquidware, Liquit, and more that handle compatibility checks, streamlined packaging workflows, and acceptance testing. This empowers IT teams to efficiently deploy, configure, and maintain applications in the cloud, significantly enhancing the overall DaaS experience.
The future of application management in DaaS is promising as IT teams continue to enhance productivity, security, and compliance in the ever-evolving digital landscape. DaaS presents promising technology that enhances business efficiency and reduces costs. Effective application management is a critical component for maximizing the benefits of DaaS. Leveraging Unified Application Management in Nerdio Manager for Enterprise, organizations can simplify and streamline application management within their DaaS environments. For further reading, check out our Functional Overview of UAM in the platform, linked here.
