Since its initial release in 1983, QuickBooks products have branched into industry-specific solutions that are tailored to specific business needs. As cloud-based services matured, the software’s developer, Intuit, launched an online version of QuickBooks that has also seen widespread adoption by organizations that aren’t wedded to the desktop version.

But what if you could use the full desktop version of QuickBooks on any device, without needing to install it, just like the SaaS version? What if you didn’t have to sacrifice functionality and features to get the full flexibility of the online version?

First, let’s review how QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online differ

QuickBooks online (also called QBO) has a few key differences with the desktop software. The most obvious one has to do with pricing. Whereas QBO, like many SaaS products, is a monthly subscription with pricing tiers that are graduated according to number of users or features, QuickBooks desktop charges an annual fee (or annual subscription, if you prefer to see it that way). 

More importantly, the functionality can vary greatly between the two product categories. Intuit seems to target QBO toward small business owners and distinguishes it through features like mobile app integration. QuickBooks Desktop software, by contrast, is actually split out into three different products—QuickBooks Pro Plus, Premier Plus and Enterprise—that offer industry-specific features and more advanced capabilities.

However, as their name suggests, the variants in the QuickBooks Desktop line are not optimized for remote access or mobile devices. This makes these QuickBooks products more PC-oriented, whereas QBO’s cloud-based and mobile app capabilities require an Internet connection.

Those differences raise an important and frequently asked question: Which QuickBooks version is best suited to your business?

Hard choices: QuickBooks Online vs Quickbooks Desktop

For organizations that can fulfill their bookkeeping requirements with QBO’s cloud-based accounting, there’s no need for them to feel pressured into using QuickBooks desktop products. The various tiers of QBO, including the basic Simple Start plan, do offer fairly rich accounting features like time tracking, expense tracking and PayPal integration as well as the ease of use that users expect from SaaS products. The monthly subscription model might also be more attractive than the desktop pricing.

Larger businesses that need robust bank reconciliation capabilities, highly scalable inventory management and flexible automation integration are probably better served by QuickBooks’ pro-grade desktop Premier and desktop Enterprise variants. In fact, even small businesses that primarily comprise desktop users might prefer some of the functionality of the desktop QuickBooks products to QuickBooks Online.

But many organizations might still be left feeling like both versions of QuickBooks have show-stopping pros and cons. Sometimes it can come down to a single essential accounting feature that one or the other is lacking. For example, an organation might want the enterprise-tier handling of bank transactions and inventory management of QuickBooks Desktop software without having to sacrifice some of the user-friendly mobile capabilities and remote access. 

Is there a QuickBooks product that offers the best of both worlds?

Cameyo turns QuickBooks Desktop into a cloud-native app

While the key differences between QBO and its desktop version counterparts will continue to exist for the foreseeable future, you can bridge the gap with Cameyo’s Virtual App Delivery (VAD) solution. Using Cameyo, organizations can provide all or part of their workforce with the desktop versions of QuickBooks—whether you’re talking Pro Plus, Premier Plus or Enterprise—on any device, no matter where those users happen to be. All without having to install & manage the application on any of those devices. 

Cameyo’s pioneering Virtual App Delivery platform provides access to the Windows-native app in real-time via a secure HTML5 browser session. That means employees on Mac, ChromeOS, Linux and Windows computers, not to mention mobile devices like iPads and Android devices, can use full-featured QuickBooks Desktop products securely at home, on the road, as well as in-house. There’s no software redevelopment involved, no compromise on functionality and no learning curve. Users can continue to work with a company file the same way they would in QBO or, say, one of the desktop pro products like QuickBooks Enterprise.

This doesn’t just open up new possibilities for organizations that feel torn between QuickBooks’ cloud-based and desktop software. It also allows desktop-centric organizations to rapidly SaaS-ify their existing QuickBooks solution. If you already have templates, a chart of accounts and ecommerce settings (such as credit card processing) configured for QuickBooks desktop, Cameyo gives you the ability to cloud-enable that install without having to engage specialized professional services to perform an on-prem to cloud migration. And Cameyo does that while also circumventing the need for expensive and insecure VPNs.

The best part is that this ability isn’t limited to QuickBooks. Cameyo enables any software for cloud-based remote access from any device—including processor-intensive titles like AutoCAD and Adobe Creative Cloud. This eliminates the pain of having to choose between the desktop features your organization needs and the simple, SaaS experience that your users want.

Whether you’re trying to decide between QBO and QuickBooks Pro Plus or you want to SaaS-enable an existing QuickBooks desktop product, sign up now for your free trial of Cameyo and see how to expand your options. Just because a software product says “Desktop” or “Enterprise” no longer means that it can’t be cloud-enabled for your workforce. And if you’d like more detail on Cameyo’s security and ease of use before giving it a test run, simply reach out to us and schedule a demo with one of our engineers instead.

The post QuickBooks Online vs. Desktop: Which Is Best for Your Business? appeared first on Cameyo.

Virtual desktops and virtual applications have been a major enabler of work outside the office and the newfound receptivity toward it. These virtualization solutions allow companies to get business-critical software to a remote endpoint that might be entirely off-network. But the methodologies they use are different. Those differences can have a big impact on cost, productivity, complexity and the overall user experience.

This post takes a brief look at the evolution of virtualization solutions starting with desktop virtualization, then app virtualization and, finally, Virtual App Delivery (VAD). The aim is to help organizations better understand what separates these technologies and to make the right choice when it comes to supporting their end users.

A short history of application virtualization

Virtualization solutions have their enterprise origins in desktop virtualization, most commonly known as virtual desktop Infrastructure (VDI). This creates a discrete virtual environment—usually Microsoft Windows—on a remote user’s device, effectively giving them a computer-within-a-computer. With VDI, the key element is that the guest computer is a virtual machine hosted on xa centralized server located in a data center. That server is sometimes called a hypervisor host, which refers to the software virtualization layer that helps to host and manage the virtual machines.

The VDI paradigm tends to center on the operating system (e.g., Windows, Linux). It assumes that end users need to be equipped with a complete, self-contained desktop environment to remain productive. With the rise of cloud computing and powerful platforms like Azure, many VDI solution providers integrated some cloud-based components to create Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS). DaaS is generally more flexible than VDI but retains its focus on the operating system as the cornerstone of the digital workspace.

Even as VDI was expanding into DaaS, some organizations felt that desktop virtualization in any form was overkill. They didn’t want to struggle with managing virtual machines and device drivers when users just wanted access to one or two Windows applications. A better approach seemed to be application virtualization, which put less emphasis on the operating system and more on provisioning specific applications to end users.

The significant financial outlay for VDI and the costs of DaaS naturally played a major role in this app-centric thinking. It was also accelerated by the widespread adoption of consumer-friendly smartphones and tablets that moved beyond the traditional desktop environment. Solutions like Citrix’s XenApp (since rebranded as Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops) rose to fill the emerging demand for remote applications as an alternative to remote desktops.

The next phase of application virtualization: Virtual App Delivery (VAD)

The broader category of app virtualization makes use of various technologies, including application streaming. One example of this is the Microsoft application virtualization solution known as App-V. This essentially runs a remote application with the aid of a proprietary software client on a user’s device, even though essential files still have to be downloaded and installed locally. The remote application is hosted on a dedicated Windows server and has to be repackaged into a special format that also bundles the executable components and other files.

Whether streaming or not, the assumed benefits of application virtualization start to diminish when you start to factor in other drawbacks.

Despite the focus on applications and flexibility, many of these solutions have minimal to zero compatibility with Android and iOS mobile devices. And although app virtualization was supposed to have a smaller overall footprint than VDI or DaaS, the reality has been quite different. Application virtualization software still requires much of the same backend infrastructure and operational overhead as its desktop-oriented counterparts: servers to handle authentication and host the virtual applications, complex administration of permissions and provisioning, limited portability between devices, plus the need to mitigate security risks from allowing remote access.

Then came a new virtualization model, which re-asked the question that led to app virtualization in the first place: What if remote users just want to access applications quickly, easily and securely? This model saw the potential of application delivery as a cloud-native, low-footprint, device-agnostic virtualization option—one that was truly designed for remote and hybrid end users. That marked the advent of Virtual App Delivery (VAD).

Cameyo: Taking Virtual App Delivery to its fullest 

VAD eliminates the baggage and caveats that have dogged virtualization solutions around since the beginning. And Cameyo, the solution that pretty much launched VAD as a product class unto itself, is still the best way to realize the full potential of Virtual App Delivery.

What makes Cameyo the best choice for most virtualization use cases? It boils down to three chief benefits.

• Simplicity: Cameyo is incredibly easy to deploy, provision and use. Most organizations can start publishing their essential Windows apps within a matter of minutes. It’s even easier for end users. With Cameyo, they can access applications with a few clicks using any modern HTML5 web browser.
• Scalability: It doesn’t matter whether your current or future users are running Mac, Linux, Windows, Android, Chrome OS, iOS or a combination of all the above. They can all work with full desktop versions of Windows apps because Cameyo’s compatibility doesn’t depend on the specs of a user’s device. Plus, you can limit or expand access to virtual apps as your pool of remote users changes.
• Security: Desktop and application virtualization solutions often rely on VPNs and open RDP ports to accommodate off-network users. Virtual app delivery with Cameyo leverages industry-leading technologies and best practices to mitigate risk. In fact, Cameyo enhances security while facilitating hybrid work, so you can enforce zero-trust policies even as you empower your remote workforce.

“Cameyo’s Virtual App Delivery platform is the perfect blend of simplicity, a seamless user experience and advanced security,” said Mario Zúñiga, IT Director, Digital Workplace at the Fortune 500 company Sanmina. Zúñiga and his team chose Cameyo over VDI and classic app virtualization in order to get full Windows apps on Chrome OS devices. The inherent optimization of VAD reduced hardware costs, minimized support resources and streamlined the user experience.

“We’ve surveyed users to collect feedback on their experience using their apps through Cameyo, and the results were phenomenal,” Zúñiga said.

You can read the full Sanmia case study here.Sign up for your free trial of Cameyo today and see how virtual app delivery can support your unique use case better than legacy virtualization solutions like VDI or app virtualization. To get a personal tour of VAD-enabled digital workspaces, request a demo and a Cameyo engineer will walk you through the essentials.

The post The Evolution from Application Virtualization to Virtual App Delivery (VAD) appeared first on Cameyo.

One of the resources in the DevOps toolkit is application modernization. App modernization is a process whereby software that might fall short of today’s system requirements (also known as legacy applications) is enabled to run in up-to-date app environments and handle modern workloads.

This article is for anyone new to the concept of application modernization and is contemplating Microsoft Azure as a potential route to achieving that goal. It also speaks to anyone trying to determine if a full-scale modernization effort is necessary for their existing applications and whether it’s suited to their business needs.

First, we’ll take a brief look at the primary candidates for application modernization. Then we’ll dive into what’s typically involved in software modernization or rearchitecting initiatives. We’ll wrap up by considering available alternatives to software redevelopment that could be easier, faster, and less expensive than Azure migration. 

Who Needs Application Modernization?

First things first: App modernization means different things to different audiences.

For some, it’s about breathing new life or bringing new functionality to the software they license or have purchased from external vendors. For others, application modernization is about taking the software they develop in-house or offer to other organizations and imbuing it with new modes of access and scalability.

Some of the typical candidates for app modernization include:

• Cloud enablers: These companies are using legacy Windows software that lacks web app functionality altogether. However, their end-users need cloud access to their existing applications. The hurdle here involves making cloud-native applications out of software that isn’t natively enabled for use with standard cloud platforms.
• Feature enhancers: Some companies might be working with a legacy version of a Windows app that has already been web-enabled, only to discover that the web application doesn’t have the feature set they need. For these organizations, the main concern is getting desktop-class applications to their users without the usual desktop dependencies.
• ISVs: On the other side of the equation are independent software vendors (ISVs – see an example like ProSolutions) who develop and sell their software solutions. These businesses want to web-enable their software to offer their customers a SaaS version. But they quickly realize that the application development effort needed to turn legacy software into cloud solutions is time-consuming and expensive—and it still might not deliver the desired customer experience.

All three of these examples fall under the more extensive digital transformation process, which is about taking analog processes and legacy software and turning both into streamlined, cost-effective modern applications.

Modernizing Legacy Applications with Microsoft Azure

If your app modernization strategy centers around Microsoft Azure, you have a couple of options. The most popular of these options involve the cloud platform’s serverless infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), platform-as-a-service (PaaS), or containers-as-a-service (CaaS) offerings.

It’s easy to get deep into the weeds when discussing the differences between these options, so we’ll cover some of the basics here:

• The Azure App Service is an HTTP-based service designed for hosting web applications, REST APIs, and mobile backends. With this suite of tools, you can take code based on different application architectures (e.g., .NET, Java, Ruby, Node.js, PHP) and rework it into what is essentially an Azure application.
• For applications that use SQL servers, the Azure SQL Database is a cloud infrastructure alternative to on-premises datacenters. Instead of rearchitecting SQL-dependent software from scratch, some organizations might see added business value in migrating to this cloud-based solution.
• Microsoft’s Azure Database Migration Service can help import existing SQL database(s) to the Azure SQL Managed Instance (PaaS) or SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines (IaaS). Organizations can also leverage this same cloud migration service with non-SQL databases, such as moving MongoDB on-premises to the Azure Cosmos DB API.
• Azure DevOps provides a range of developer services and microservices intending to support dedicated enterprise-class DevOps teams. With access to features like Azure Pipelines and Azure Repos, those teams can strategize, collaborate, build and deploy cloud-native applications.
• As detailed in this article, Microsoft now offers an Azure Migrate: App Containerization tool that allows organizations to put apps in standalone virtual “bubbles” that include all necessary dependencies. These apps are powered in part by the Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) or the Azure App Service (AAS). As of this writing, the containerization tool supports ASP.NET applications and a limited set of Java web applications.

None of these options is for the faint of heart. One glance at any diagram in those linked articles shows the complex tangle of microservices and backends involved in simple Azure cloud migration.

And any mention of “easy” clearly has to be taken into context. Sure, it might be easy for the IT professional who’s steeped in software refactoring, Windows server programming, and managed services. But even with a highly skilled DevOps team at your disposal, your organization is looking at a significant investment of time and money just to move a single legacy application to the cloud.

Furthermore, a seamless Azure migration experience still doesn’t guarantee that your newly rearchitected web application will retain all the functionality and availability that your end-users or customers will expect.

Alternatives for Accelerating Microsoft App Modernization

Cameyo’s virtual application delivery (VAD) platform puts powerful, straightforward application modernization tools into everyone’s hands. Any organization, including ISVs, can transform existing software into SaaS-enabled web applications overnight. The reason it’s so quick, easy, and cost-effective is that there’s zero redevelopment or rearchitecting required.

How Cameyo works is simple. It makes legacy applications running in standard Windows server environments accessible to users via any HTML5-capable web browser. By initiating an HTTPS-encrypted session through that browser, users can interact with their familiar desktop software just as if they were running it on their local device. Cameyo’s secure, platform-agnostic approach means they can enjoy the complete feature set and performance of their business-critical desktop software, even on slim mobile devices and Chromebooks.

With Cameyo, ProSolutions Software modernized its spa and salon management software suite for more than 1,200 customers at a considerable savings of time, money, and headache.

According to ProSolutions COO Mark Wiggins, “We received a quote that told us it would cost between $3–5 million to redevelop our platform for the web, and it would take 12–18 months. And in the end, it would likely only have had around 80% feature parity with our existing version. There was no way we were going to pay millions of dollars, only to provide our customers with less functionality than they were used to.”

The European enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions provider Vantea SMART faced a similar problem.

“Redeveloping our solutions for the web would have taken at least one year and would have cost a minimum of $250,000 – and probably much more. At the end of the day, we needed a simpler and more cost-effective way to deliver the desktop experience that our customers are used to, through the browser instead of an installed app,” said Leonardo Nuzzo, Team Leader, Research & Development at Vantea SMART.

Cameyo was key to turning the company’s entire suite of solutions for business operations, accounting, logistics, digital storage management, point of sale, and eCommerce into modern web applications within a single week.

Zero-redevelopment App Modernization for ISVs and Beyond

ProSolutions and Vantea SMART aren’t alone. Moblize and Tático ERP achieved similar results by pairing their existing applications with Cameyo to reach new levels of scalability and availability while satisfying their customers’ evolving business needs.

If you’re an ISV who wants to take your software into the cloud without compromising the customer experience or sinking more resources into digital transformation, Cameyo could be the ideal application modernization solution. Check out all that our VAD platform can do for you—all the way from the trial phase to ongoing managed services.

Along with zero redevelopment time, there’s zero risk in determining whether Cameyo will work for your app modernization use case. Simply sign up for a free trial or schedule a demo of Cameyo today.

The post What You Need to Know About Microsoft Application Modernization appeared first on Cameyo.

• Rise of the virtual machines: What is virtualization?
• Hypervisors, hosts and hardware: What is virtualization software?
• From Citrix to Cameyo: How did virtualization software evolve?
• Making the choice: Which virtualization software is right for you?
• To VAD or not to VAD?

In the era of remote work, distance learning and online meetings, there’s a lot of talk about virtualization. And that conversation isn’t just among IT pros. Even folks who aren’t necessarily tech savvy are looking for ways to adapt their traditional face-to-face workflows to new, virtual ways of doing things.

With that in mind, it might be helpful to take a step back and review the basics of virtualization:

• What exactly do we mean when we talk about virtualization and virtualization software?
• How do virtual machines and operating systems like Windows and Linux come into play?
• What is desktop virtualization and how is it different from application virtualization?
• And above all, which approach is right for your organization?

Rise of the virtual machines: What is virtualization?

Virtualization is by definition a process of simulating something. In IT circles, it typically means abstracting physical computing resources so that applications or end users are presented with functionality that is running atop a software layer rather than directly on the hardware/physical servers itself. 

Here’s a real-world example:

One of the most common virtualization use cases has to do with operating systems. If a user is running a PC that natively boots into Windows, that same user can also use a virtual machine (via server virtualization) to run a full-fledged Linux operating system (OS) in a self-contained virtual environment at the same time. It’s like picture-in-picture on your TV, only this is an OS within an OS.

In this example, the virtual machine “tricks” the Linux OS into thinking that it’s running on a dedicated computer. Virtual machines can even emulate basic hardware like CPUs. This is what would enable a user to run native applications on different operating systems – like the ability to run Windows apps within Apple’s macOS (or Mac apps on a Windows Server) even though the architecture that underlies these operating systems is very different.

Hypervisors, hosts, and hardware: What is virtualization software?

As its name suggests, virtualization software is the layer of code that automates the ability of IT teams to create virtual networks, virtual desktops and virtual servers. This software often goes by the name hypervisors or virtual machine monitors.

VMware vSphere/VMware Fusion, Citrix, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Parallels Desktop are all well-known virtualization software providers or virtualization solutions. However, each of these virtualization platforms take different approaches. VMware Workstation, for instance, is a hosted hypervisor that runs within an OS, just like our example above. Hyper-V, on the other hand, is what’s called a bare-metal hypervisor. That means it runs on the actual physical machine itself from the firmware-level BIOS.

Virtualization software can be run on-premises, on desktop and mobile clients, or even through cloud services and remote data centers. That versatility and scalability is actually part of its appeal. Most organizations use virtualization to overcome the limitations of hardware, provisioning or administration, so the more flexibility it offers, the better.

From Citrix to Cameyo: How did virtualization software evolve?

The idea of virtualized computing has actually been around since the late 1950s. But it really took off around the millennium when personal computing hit a new level of maturity. As a result, solutions like Citrix’s thin-client computing architecture and VMware’s hosted hypervisor became both practical and popular.

First came desktop virtualization. These days, it broadly takes two forms:

• Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI): Desktop virtualization enables organizations to deliver a full desktop experience to their users in the form of a virtual environment. In this model, client computers connect to virtualization software—usually hosted in an on-prem server or data center—that provides them with their computing session. VDI requires a heavy investment in dedicated infrastructure, especially for large, distributed organizations like enterprise companies and school districts.
• Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS): You can think of DaaS as cloud-hosted VDI, sometimes referred to as a virtual PC. Since the advent of cloud computing and work-from-anywhere models, DaaS has become a more attractive choice for many organizations that want VDI benefits but don’t want to purchase or maintain all the servers, storage and network infrastructure that goes along with it. Many virtualization solution providers like Citrix and Microsoft now offer DaaS products.

Desktop virtualization was soon followed by application virtualization. On one level, app virtualization offered organizations a more streamlined method for providing specific functionality to their end users. After all, why equip users with a complete desktop environment when all they need is access to a single app?

However, the infrastructure that underpins app virtualization is more or less the same as for desktop virtualization. That comes with the same sizable investment in cost and resources. It also leaves application virtualization exposed to the same security risks that VDI and DaaS might pose.

Virtual App Delivery (VAD) is the latest evolution in virtualization technology—one that’s better suited to the age of mobile computing and remote/hybrid workplaces. VAD can be a more targeted, right-sized approach because it allows end users to access only the business-critical software they need, without a virtual desktop. At the same time, it has leaner infrastructure requirements and less virtualization management overhead, in addition to more streamlined pricing. Some VAD solutions, such as Cameyo, enable users to work securely with Windows software on any device by effectively “streaming” applications through the HTML5 protocol.

Making the choice: Which virtualization products are right for you?

Because every organization is unique, their workflows and workforces will differ, sometimes even from department to department. To figure out which virtualization software is the best fit, start by asking yourself and your team what your organization is trying to accomplish.

• What do your users need to be most productive? Complete desktops or select apps?
• Do you have the resources to purchase and manage the infrastructure required for desktop and/or app virtualization?
• Would you prefer to keep things in-house or shift the heavy lifting to the cloud?

You might be surprised to find that your users’ needs are best met by a combination of virtualization tools and hosting methods. In many cases for large enterprises, >10% of users might require a full desktop virtualization solution (for specific workloads, like heavy video editing). But 90% of users usually only need access to 8-10 business-critical apps so that they can be productive form anywhere and on any device.

Regardless of the solution (or mix of solutions) that you identify, the most critical question is this: How important are cost, complexity and security to you? Let’s break that down.

1. Cost: The total cost of any virtualization solution is the sum of its licensing, administration, infrastructure as well as its effects on productivity. Of all the available options, VAD tends to be the most budget friendly. It’s less resource intensive and more flexible/versatile.
2. Complexity: The average user doesn’t always know an operating system from a CPU. Most IT teams are already overtasked and don’t want to manage more infrastructure. That’s why ease of use and simplicity of deployment are key for any virtualization solution. VAD is superior on both counts because of its user-friendliness and low IT overhead.
3. Security: A number of virtualization technologies make use of always-open ports or virtual private networks (VPNs), which unfortunately create several risks. Hackers have learned to exploit these vulnerabilities, leading to a rise in ransomware attacks. VAD solutions like Cameyo use innovative technologies like Secure Cloud Tunneling, NoVPN and Port Shield to thwart malicious attacks without sacrificing ease of access.

Of course, if your some of your users absolutely need virtual machines or desktop virtualization, you can leverage VDI for those specific people. But in a growing number of scenarios, including distance learning and hybrid workplaces, virtual app delivery is the more cost-effective, streamlined and secure choice.

To VAD or not to VAD?

Determining the best virtualization strategy can be a big decision. It isn’t something you should have to research based on words alone. Without actually working with a given virtualization solution, it’s not always easy to tell if it will integrate seamlessly into your environment and deliver the intended benefits.

That’s why we offer a free, no-strings trial of Cameyo as well as the opportunity to schedule a one-to-one demo of our virtual application delivery platform. Whether you want to self-host Cameyo or run a fully hosted cloud instance, you’ll be able to evaluate its features, its flexibility and its simplicity firsthand.

The post What is Virtualization Software? Evaluating the Best Virtualization Solutions for Your Needs appeared first on Cameyo.

Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is an established Microsoft technology that has existed since the late 1990s, back when it was known as Terminal Services (terminal server). RDS is a thin-client architecture, which, in a nutshell, means that the end user’s computer functions as an input device and the actual computing session is hosted by a remote desktop license server to which that computer is connected. At the risk of oversimplification, you can think of it like a monitor and keyboard attached to a PC located miles and miles away.

The great thing about RDS is that all the heavy lifting is done by the Microsoft Windows server. Because the remote client is more or less an interactive window onto that server-hosted computing session, it doesn’t have to be an expensive, cutting-edge powerhouse. Lower-spec’d machines can save IT departments a lot of money on procurement. Plus, they minimize some of the financial toll of user-caused damage.

Remote Desktop Services also gives organizations more curation and control over the computing session itself, as nothing is stored on the user’s computer. That allows for more consistency and ease of configuration. And, finally, RDS can deliver a Windows desktop environment to any machine that supports the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) regardless of operating system, including iOS, Chromebook, and Android devices. In this day and age, when device agnosticism is more important than ever, that can be a huge advantage.

What are RDS CALs?

To provide your people with access to  Microsoft products via RDS, you’ll first need to purchase client access licenses (CALs)/device cals through a Microsoft license program. The Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) server hosts the resources—such as Windows apps or files—and then clients connect to the RDSH to access the resources.

It’s important to note that the RDSH that hosts the resources must have a Windows Server 2016 (or above) CAL that matches the OS version, and remote clients that access the server must have a User CAL. Newer RDS Client Access Licenses are capable of working with older RDSH servers, but older RDS CALs cannot work with new RDSH servers – which means you’d need a new license agreement.

To install and keep track of all your concurrent RDS CAL licenses in your RDS environment requires a RD Licensing Server, which is a component of the RD Session Host Server. When users connect to an RDSH server, the server checks to see if each user has an active User CAL by contacting the RD licensing server. If the RDS CAL is available, the RDSH server accepts the connection from the user and starts a session.

When it comes to determining the right number of licenses, it’s worth noting that you need a Windows Server CAL and an RDS CAL for each user or device.

What are the downsides to Remote Desktop Services?

Organizations typically encounter two important hurdles when it comes to Remote Desktop Services 

• Security: As RDS relies on RDP, that protocol has to be exposed to the Internet (via ports 3389, 3387 and 3392) whenever remote users need access—which is 24-7 in most cases. This leaves servers with RDP enabled vulnerable to brute-force attacks. Malicious actors will make repeated RDS login attempts using passwords that are weak or based on known dictionary values.
• Complexity: Remote Desktop Services require infrastructure and administration. That involves tasks like setting up RD gateway servers, creating special RD roles, fine-tuning the deployment types and properties, and then configuring the provisioning for each user who needs to be supported with RDS. And, of course, all of these will need to be monitored and updated on an ongoing basis.

Faced with these considerations, many organizations pause and ask themselves if every remote user really needs a complete desktop environment as part of their digital workspace.

That’s where application virtualization comes in. Virtual apps offer a more streamlined supplement or alternative to the traditional RDS implementation, enabling organizations to provide their remote users with Windows applications that don’t necessarily require a Windows desktop too.

Cameyo simplifies and secures remote productivity

Cameyo is ideal for organizations that want to strike this balance and provide their off-network workforce with a more tailored digital workspace experience, with some users supported by remote desktop applications while others are able to access full Remote Desktop Services. This is because our Virtual App Delivery (VAD) platform is built on the robust, proven functionality of RDS, yet it eliminates the sticking points of security and complexity in two important ways.

To begin with, Cameyo’s Virtual App Delivery includes our proprietary Port Shield technology. Instead of keeping a known list of RDP-specific ports open all the time, Cameyo Port Shield opens and closes them dynamically to establish SSL-encrypted connections between clients and the server. It performs this whitelisting and blocking of RDP traffic at the Windows firewall level and in real time based on authenticated users. This minimizes the attack surface without resorting to VPNs or asking users or admins to jump through additional hoops.

Similarly, Cameyo’s ease of use makes provisioning and productivity much more straightforward. On the backend, admins can quickly restrict or allow access to individual Windows applications on a per-group or per-user basis. And users don’t need to fire up an entire RDS session to use that remote desktop application. With Cameyo, they can simply click on a link that enables them to start working with their standard Windows application in a browser window—no matter where they are or what device they’re on. 

Right-sizing your digital workspace

At one time, Remote Desktop Services was the go-to method to get Windows applications in the hands of off-network users. The advent and maturity of application virtualization has changed that. Cameyo makes it possible for organizations to equip their remote users with the apps they need—including legacy Windows software—without also having to provision a full Remote Desktop Services session and all that entails. 

Best of all, it doesn’t take weeks to see if Cameyo’s Virtual App Delivery platform will round out your RDS implementation and help you create secure, user-optimized digital workspaces. Sign up for your free trial of Cameyo today and you can be publishing Windows applications to your remote workers within a matter of minutes.

The post What are RDS CALs, and Do You Need Them? appeared first on Cameyo.