Understanding Virtual Desktops (VDI)

More than 35 years ago, desktop virtualization – Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) – revolutionized the way organizations manage and deliver desktop computing environments. In essence, VDI allows for the virtualization of a user’s entire Microsoft Windows-based desktop experience, including the operating system, applications, and user settings. Users can access their virtual desktops remotely from any device with internet connectivity, essentially providing a familiar desktop environment regardless of their physical location.

While VDI-based remote desktops offered several benefits, such as centralized management and enhanced security, it also came with inherent challenges:

1. Resource Intensiveness

VDI requires substantial computing resources to host and maintain virtual desktop instances/virtual machines for each end user, typically on-premises in their own data centers. This can strain an organization’s IT infrastructure and result in considerable capital and operational expenses.

2. Complexity

Setting up and managing VDI environments can be complex and time-consuming, often demanding specialized expertise. IT teams must handle tasks like provisioning, maintenance, and updates for every virtual desktop.

3. Scalability Limitations

Scaling VDI infrastructure to accommodate fluctuating user demands can be cumbersome and costly. Many organizations found it challenging to adapt their VDI environments to rapid growth or unexpected surges in remote work.

The Move to Desktop as a Service (DaaS)

Recognizing the limitations of traditional VDI, businesses began embracing Desktop as a Service (DaaS) – sometimes referred to as “cloud desktops” or “cloud-hosted desktops.” DaaS combines Windows virtual desktop solutions with cloud computing, offering the promise of greater flexibility and scalability. With DaaS, third-party providers manage the underlying cloud infrastructure, freeing organizations from the burden of hardware and software maintenance.

Benefits of DaaS:

1. Scalability: DaaS allows businesses to scale their virtual desktop deployments rapidly, adapting to changing workforce needs without significant infrastructure investments.
2. Cost Savings: By outsourcing infrastructure management, organizations can reduce capital expenditures and shift to a predictable, pay-as-you-go model.
3. Accessibility: DaaS enables users to access their desktops from virtually anywhere with an internet connection, enhancing mobility and remote work capabilities.

However, despite these advantages, DaaS inherits some of the legacy issues associated with traditional VDI:

1. Resource Utilization

DaaS is a cloud service still relies on the provision of full virtual desktop instances for each user, which can lead to resource inefficiencies similar to on-premises VDI.

2. Operating System Dependency

DaaS solutions often tie users to specific operating systems, limiting the flexibility of accessing applications on various platforms.

Rethinking the Virtual Desktop: The Rise of Virtual App Delivery (VAD)

As organizations increasingly migrate to the cloud and seek efficient, user-centric solutions that provide more productive digital workspaces, the concept of the traditional virtual desktop is being re-evaluated. Instead of delivering full desktop environments, many are discovering that users primarily need access to their business applications, regardless of the underlying operating system, on any device or endpoint.

This paradigm shift has given rise to Virtual App Delivery (VAD) technologies like Cameyo, which offer a fresh approach to meeting the needs of today’s digital workforce:

1. Application-Centric Approach

VAD solutions, such as Cameyo, focus on delivering individual applications rather than full desktops. This approach optimizes resource utilization, as only the required applications are virtualized and delivered to users.

2. Platform Agnosticism

With VAD, users can access applications on various platforms, including Windows, ChromeOS, macOS, Linux, and even mobile devices. This platform agnosticism liberates organizations from OS constraints.

3. Simplicity and Efficiency

VAD technologies typically offer quicker setup and deployment times compared to traditional VDI or DaaS. This simplicity reduces the IT overhead associated with managing virtual desktop environments. VAD services like Cameyo are also available as either fully-managed services in the cloud, or can be self-hosted by an organization in any cloud, hybrid, or on-premises environment. For more about Cameyo’s fully-managed service in Google Cloud, check out this post.

4. Cost-Effective

By virtualizing and delivering only the necessary applications, VAD can be more cost-effective than providing full virtual desktops, especially for organizations looking to optimize resource usage.

Why Organizations Are Embracing Virtual App Delivery (VAD)

The growing adoption of Virtual App Delivery (VAD) technologies like Cameyo can be attributed to several compelling reasons:

1. Agility and Scalability

VAD solutions are inherently more agile and scalable, enabling organizations to respond rapidly to changing business needs without the complexity of traditional VDI or the resource constraints of DaaS.

2. Cost Savings

VAD reduces infrastructure costs and offers a more predictable pricing model. Organizations can allocate resources more efficiently and avoid over-provisioning.

3. Enhanced User Experience

VAD solutions provide users with a seamless application experience, irrespective of the device they use. End users get all the functionality of their desktop-based software, without the issues of virtual desktops. This enhances productivity and minimizes user training and support requirements.

4. Simplified Management

Managing VAD environments is more straightforward and less time-consuming than overseeing complete virtual desktop deployments. This allows IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than routine maintenance tasks.

Conclusion

The world of virtual desktops has evolved significantly, from traditional VDI to cloud-based DaaS, and finally to the application-centric approach of Virtual App Delivery (VAD). As organizations increasingly prioritize efficiency, scalability, and cost-effectiveness, many are re-evaluating the necessity of full virtual desktops.

For IT decision-makers seeking a forward-looking solution, it’s clear that the virtual desktop, while valuable in certain contexts, is not always the most efficient choice. Virtual App Delivery technologies like Cameyo offer a compelling alternative, creating a better user experience where employees simply get seamless access to the applications they need, regardless of the device or operating system. With VAD, organizations can embrace the cloud era with confidence, knowing they are equipped to meet the demands of a dynamic and digitally-driven workforce. To see for yourself the difference between virtual desktops and VAD, click here to get access to a free trial.

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The Difference Between Virtual App Delivery and Virtual Desktops

Cameyo is a Virtual App Delivery platform that grants users direct access to all of their applications – including Windows, Linux, SaaS, and internal web apps – from the cloud without requiring a full Windows virtual desktop environment (like those from Microsoft’s Azure Virtual Desktop, Citrix, VMware, Nutanix, etc.). On the other hand, traditional VDI and Desktop as a Service (DaaS) solutions provide complete virtualized desktop experiences, replicating the entire operating system with applications, files, and settings delivered from virtual machines hosted in the cloud or on-premises servers. Most Virtual Desktops were not designed as native cloud services, which often results in multiple layers of complexity that reduce scalability.

Some VDI providers have begin to re-position their services as “cloud desktops”, but that is often a misnomer, as these are often not natively cloud-based services. Instead, they are the same traditional remote desktops that are complex to manage, have significant security issues, and deal with issues like latency that degrade the end-user experience.

Luckily, for most companies and use cases, virtual desktops have been rendered obsolete by Virtual App Delivery. Your people can use any device and operating system they want, and they can still access all of their apps either in the browser or as PWAs without having to sign into a virtual Windows 10/Windows 11 desktop environment first.

Eliminating the Virtual Desktop

Virtual App Delivery is superior to traditional VDI in several aspects:

1) Enhanced Security: With Virtual App Delivery, applications are delivered independently, reducing the attack surface compared to full virtual desktop environments. IT decision-makers can apply granular security measures to each application, mitigating the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access. And Cameyo’s Virtual App Delivery platform is built with a Zero Trust security model at the core to further reduce the attack surface by eliminating the need to expose firewall and server ports to the open internet.

2) Cost-Effectiveness: Virtual App Delivery eliminates the need for costly virtual desktop infrastructure, resulting in reduced hardware and maintenance expenses. The seamless application delivery model saves valuable IT resources and optimizes budget allocation. And simple, all-inclusive per-user per-month pricing makes Virtual App Delivery solutions like Cameyo more cost-effective by an average of 70% compared to virtual desktops.

3) Flexibility: Cameyo’s Virtual App Delivery provides the flexibility for users to access applications from any device or endpoint with internet connectivity. And while Cameyo’s fully-hosted solution runs in Google Cloud, it also provides the flexibility to self-host Cameyo in any cloud or in your own on-premises datacenter. Cameyo’s flexibility also extends to your existing technology investments – preventing against the vendor lock-in that comes with many virtual desktop solutions.

4) Simplicity: Compared to traditional VDI setups, Virtual App Delivery is less complex to deploy and manage. IT administrators can streamline application delivery, updates, and user permissions, reducing the burden of maintaining full virtual desktop environments.

VAD Instead of VDI on GCP

As a Google Cloud partner, Cameyo leverages the robustness and security of GCP, ensuring a powerful and reliable application delivery experience. With two options available, companies can choose between fully-hosted or self-hosted solutions:

1) Fully-Hosted Service: Cameyo’s fully-hosted service runs on GCP, with all infrastructure expertly managed by the platform. This option offers a hassle-free experience for organizations seeking a turnkey solution without the burden of infrastructure maintenance.

2) Self-Hosted Service: For companies desiring greater control and customization, Cameyo can be self-hosted in their existing GCP instance or in their own on-premises data center. This option caters to specific security and compliance requirements while benefiting from Cameyo’s cutting-edge technology.

Performance and High Availability with GCP and Cloud Orchestration

Cameyo’s integration with Google Compute Engine API ensures optimum performance and high availability for Virtual App Delivery through:

1) Elastic VM Orchestration: Through the Google Cloud Compute Engine API, Cameyo provisions VM instances on-demand, allowing for elastic scaling to meet growing user demands. This flexibility ensures smooth application delivery, even during peak usage periods.

2) Efficient Snapshot Management: Capture, duplicate, and manage VM snapshots effortlessly with Cameyo and the Google Cloud Compute Engine API. Organizations can quickly deploy consistent images worldwide, enhancing the application delivery experience for users across different regions.

Secure Transmission with Google Cloud DNS API

Cameyo prioritizes security in its Virtual App Delivery solution through integration with Google Cloud’s DNS API, including Automatic DNS Name and SSL Certificate Provisioning. This enables the platform to provide DNS names and SSL certificates to orchestrated VM instances, ensuring secure data transmission without the complexity of manual SSL setup and management.

Cloud Tunneling for On-Premises Access

Cameyo’s innovative Cloud Tunneling functionality provides secure remote access to on-premises virtualization backend servers, providing secure access to apps without the need for VPNs. Cloud Tunneling establishes secure connections between end-users and servers without the need for VPNs or firewall adjustments. This streamlined access maintains network integrity while providing a smooth user experience.

Conclusion

Cameyo’s Virtual App Delivery on GCP revolutionizes the way companies access and deploy applications. By eliminating the need for virtual desktops, organizations can provide their workforce with seamless application access from anywhere, reducing TCO. The platform’s integration with Google Cloud Platform ensures enhanced security and flexibility, resulting in the best end-user experience. As validated by the Economic Validation study by Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG), companies can expect a 54% reduction in TCO compared to traditional virtual desktop solutions (download a free copy of the ESG report here). With Cameyo, the future of VDI on GCP is one where you can eliminate the virtual desktop altogether. With Google Cloud and Cameyo you can unlock the true potential of remote and hybrid work while simplifying app deployment, enhancing security, and empowering your workforce. Want to see it for yourself? Start your free trial here, or schedule a consultation call & demo here. 

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What is Zero Touch Provisioning?

Zero Touch Provisioning is a process that allows IT teams to remotely and automatically configure devices for end users without any physical intervention. With ZTP, IT administrators can eliminate the need to manually set up each device, reducing the time and effort required for deployment. By leveraging automation and predefined configurations, ZTP ensures a seamless and consistent experience for end users when they first log into their devices.

How Does Zero Touch Provisioning Work?

Zero Touch Provisioning works by leveraging preconfigured settings and automated workflows to provision devices remotely. IT teams can utilize tools and technologies that enable device imaging, remote configuration, and software deployment. By defining standardized settings, policies, and software requirements in advance, IT administrators can streamline the device setup process. When a device is powered on and connected to the network for the first time, it automatically retrieves the necessary configurations and applications, enabling users to start working without delay.

A Typical Zero Touch Provisioning Process

A typical ZTP process involves several key steps that enable IT teams to remotely configure and deploy devices to end users. Here’s an overview of the steps involved in a typical ZTP workflow:

1. Preparing the Device: Before the device is sent to the end user, IT teams ensure that it is properly prepared for Zero Touch Provisioning. This may involve verifying hardware compatibility, IP address, performing initial configurations, logging the device’s serial number, and installing any necessary firmware updates or drivers.
2. Defining Configuration Profiles: IT administrators create standardized configuration files that encompass various config settings, policies, and software requirements. These profiles serve as templates for device provisioning and include details such as network settings, security configurations, application installations, and user preferences.
3. Device Shipment: Once the new devices are prepared and the configuration profiles are defined, IT teams ship the devices directly to the end users. The devices are typically pre-registered and associated with the appropriate configuration profiles in the ZTP system.
4. Device Activation: Upon receiving the device, the end user powers it on and connects it to the network. The device then initiates the Zero Touch Provisioning process by automatically contacting the ZTP server or cloud-based provisioning service.
5. Configuration Retrieval: The ZTP server or cloud-based service responds to the device’s request and retrieves the appropriate configuration profile based on the device’s unique identifier. The profile includes all the predefined settings and policies required for the user’s role or department.
6. Configuration Application: The device applies the retrieved configuration profile, automatically applying specific configurations for network settings, security policies, and software installations (if needed). This step ensures that the device is provisioned according to the organization’s standards, reduces the opportunity for human error, and provides a consistent and secure working environment.
7. Application Delivery: If utilizing a virtual app delivery solution like Cameyo’s VAD, the device will automatically show each user the necessary applications based on the user’s role or department. This enables users to access their required applications immediately after signing in for the first time, eliminating the need for manual software installations.
8. User Onboarding: With the device now provisioned and applications available, the end user completes the login process and gains access to their personalized and fully functional workspace. They can begin working right away without any additional configuration or setup.
9. Post-Provisioning Management: IT teams can remotely manage and monitor the provisioned devices using centralized management tools. This includes applying updates, pushing new policies, performing remote troubleshooting, ensure devices and their operating systems remain secure and up-to-date, and even returning devices to their factory default configuration/basic configuration if a user leaves the company.

By following a typical Zero Touch Provisioning process like the one outlined above, IT teams can streamline device deployments, reduce manual effort, and provide a seamless experience for end users, enabling them to start working productively from the moment they receive their devices.

But, what if there was an even easier way…

Virtual App Delivery and Zero Touch Provisioning

The whole purpose of ZTP is to simplify the process of getting devices into your users’ hands so that they can be productive, without physical device configuration. Also, as organizations approach their next device refresh cycles, many are realizing that they can dramatically reduce cost and increase security by moving to cloud-first devices like ChromeOS or IGEL and/or by moving to a BYOD model. Regardless of the approach, these organizations need a secure way to deliver all the apps their people need to be productive from anywhere, regardless of device – and all without requiring IT to physically provision those devices in advance.

Cameyo’s Virtual App Delivery (VAD) solution empowers IT teams to provide end users with instant access to all the applications they need to be productive – regardless of the device’s operating system. With Cameyo’s VAD solution, IT administrators can ensure that users have access to their essential applications immediately upon logging into their devices (after authentication via the organization’s SSO provider of choice). This eliminates the need for manual software installations and updates, allowing users to dive into their work without delays.

In particular, Cameyo has a solution called Cameyo for Cloud Workers which addresses the needs of modern organizations by allowing them to issue cost-effective cloud-first devices or allow end-users to utilize their own devices, all without sacrificing security or their people’s access to critical applications. With Cameyo for Cloud Workers:

• Whether the user is on a cloud-first device or their own personal device,  Cameyo enables them to simply sign-in with credentials provided to them by IT, leveraging their SSO of choice. 
• When the user signs in, all their apps appear immediately as Cameyo Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) with no need for IT to touch the device. 
• Cameyo provides the user with ultra-secure access to all the apps they need to be productive in a way that protects sensitive data and locks the user into the session, regardless of device. 
• And with Cameyo for Cloud Workers, organizations can take advantage of a concurrent pricing model that enables them to pay only for what’s being used. 

Cameyo for Cloud Workers is specifically available as a self-hosted solution, meaning organizations can host it in their own data center or in any cloud service provider of their choice (like Google Cloud, AWS, Azure, etc.). Self-hosting in their own data center enables them to keep everything behind their own firewall, if needed,

What are the Advantages of Zero Touch Provisioning?

Zero Touch Provisioning offers numerous advantages for IT teams, including:

1. Time and Cost Savings: With ZTP, IT administrators can provision multiple devices simultaneously, significantly reducing the time and effort required for deployment. The automation eliminates the need for manual configurations and on-site visits, resulting in cost savings for the organization.
2. Enhanced Efficiency: ZTP enables IT teams to streamline their device deployment process by eliminating manual interventions. IT administrators can focus on more critical tasks while ensuring a consistent and error-free device setup experience for end users.
3. Scalability and Standardization: Zero Touch Provisioning allows IT teams to scale their device deployment efforts effortlessly. By establishing standardized configurations, policies, and applications, organizations can ensure consistency across all devices, improving security and compliance.
4. Remote Deployment: ZTP enables IT teams to provision devices remotely, regardless of their physical location. This capability is especially valuable in today’s remote work environment, where employees may be spread across various geographical locations.

To highlight the advantages of enabling Zero Touch Provisioning with Cameyo, QAD – a Cameyo for Cloud Workers customer – says:

“The combination of ChromeOS and Cameyo gives us the ability to eliminate the provisioning of user laptops and drastically improve the security of our end user devices,” said Scott Lawson, Director, IT Security, and Architecture at QAD. “Because of how integrated Cameyo is with ChromeOS and the Google Admin console, we’re able to publish apps in minutes and push those to the appropriate users so that when they log in, the apps are there waiting for them. It’s seamless and secure.”

Conclusion

Zero Touch Provisioning has become an indispensable tool for IT teams seeking to streamline device deployments and enhance user productivity. By leveraging virtual app delivery solutions like Cameyo, organizations can further simplify the ZTP process and optimize productivity on their devices. To learn more, check out https://cameyo.com/news/cameyo-for-cloud-workers/

The post How to Use Zero Touch Provisioning to Simplify Device Deployment appeared first on Cameyo.

When talking about context switching when it comes to human productivity, people are usually referring to the amount of time people lose when switching between different tasks throughout their workday. Research shows that there’s a significant cost of context switching, in that it takes an average of 9.5 minutes to get back into a productive workflow after task switching. This is why so many time management and productivity experts suggest that, to truly achieve a state of deep work you should focus on a single task until it is complete. For bigger projects that will take a long time, people suggest things like breaking the task up with the Pomodoro technique, using time blocks, or the bundling of similar tasks to facilitate more focused work and tackle your to-do list.

Now, when we talk about context switching as it relates to software and computing, that refers to the disruption that is caused when someone has to switch from one environment to another in order to complete a new task. One common example of the cost of context switching when it comes to computing is the use of traditional virtual desktops environments.

The use of virtual desktops (whether legacy VDI or DaaS) skyrocketed during the pandemic as orgs needed a way to give their people access to the apps & data they need to do their work from any device, anywhere. In some cases those orgs needed to send their people home with whatever devices they could find (or afford), and in other cases they needed their people to work on their own personal devices. The issue that orgs then have is that you may have people on multiple different operating systems like Windows, MacOS, ChromeOS, and more – but those people still need access to the business-critical apps and data needed to do their jobs.

By implementing virtual desktops, this creates a bifurcated experience in which your team members may have some applications installed locally on their device, and they also likely access a lot of their apps via SaaS – but then they have to log into a separate virtual desktop environment to access their business-critical apps (like your ERP, CRM, EHR, etc.). When a user has to stop working in one environment and then start a new process or application in another environment, that context switching takes a toll on your employees’ productive time and leads to attention residue that makes it harder for your people to get their focus time back.

Context Switching and its Impact on Digital Transformation

As part of their digital transformation efforts, many organizations are looking to move more of their infrastructure and applications to the cloud. Similarly, there is an accelerated demand for cloud-first operating systems (OSs), like ChromeOS, due to the cost, manageability, and security benefits. In fact, analyst firm IDC recently released a study titled “Accelerating Enterprise Adoption of Cloud-First Operating Systems with Virtual App Delivery (VAD)” addressing that trend.

But at the end of the day, the traditional virtual desktop approach to delivering apps is inherently problematic for the long-term adoption of cloud-first OSs like ChromeOS because it requires context switching that degrades the user experience & disrupts productivity. 

For example – on ChromeOS, users access most of their apps as SaaS directly from Chrome or as PWAs. But when they need to access legacy Microsoft Windows, Linux, or internal web apps – the traditional virtual desktop model forces users to log in to a separate Windows OS-based environment. This context switching results in an awkward, bifurcated experience that (at best) annoys the user or (at worst) confuses them. In either case, it is an interruption to their workflow that distracts them from important tasks.

The context switching that virtual desktops force is one where users must switch back and forth between a modern, cloud-first computing model and the legacy model of a traditional Windows desktop. Virtual desktops and their reliance on the legacy Windows OS will always anchor organizations to the past, making it harder to fully adopt the future of computing. 

Eliminating Context Switching for Cloud-First Operating Systems like ChromeOS

Cameyo has believed since day one that the future of computing is the elimination of the traditional desktop (the Windows OS, and therefore all legacy virtual desktops, too). Cameyo pioneered the Virtual App Delivery (VAD) market to make virtualization invisible to the end user, simply letting them access all of their apps the way they always have, as if they were installed locally, regardless of device. And we do so by eliminating the virtual desktop altogether and simply letting users access their apps from any device/operating system with no change to their behavior.

Cameyo is the only virtualization solution that eliminates context switching on cloud-first operating systems like ChromeOS. For example, with ChromeOS and Cameyo, a user simply logs into their ChromeOS device and can access all of their apps either from the browser or as PWAs. Even legacy Windows, Linux, and internal web apps can be deployed as Cameyo PWAs on ChromeOS, so the end user simply clicks on the app icon in the taskbar/shelf and the app launches in its own window. To the end user, Cameyo doesn’t exist – they simply click an app icon from the ChromeOS taskbar and work the way they’ve always worked (rather than logging into a Windows OS-based virtual desktop before launching their apps).

The Future of Computing, Unlocked

The world is increasingly aware of the security, manageability, and cost benefits of cloud-first operating systems – especially ChromeOS. Accelerated adoption of ChromeOS is not an awareness problem – it’s a legacy roadblock problem. Many enterprise IT leaders know that ChromeOS would yield many benefits for their org, but they are held back because they either think that they simply cannot access Windows (and other) apps on ChromeOS, or they think that the only way to do so is with virtual desktops which, in addition to the context switching problem, introduce cost, complexity, and security issues. 

ChromeOS is the modern approach to computing that today’s cloud-first enterprises need. But organizations’ perceived need to adopt legacy virtual desktops in order to gain access to their critical apps on ChromeOS – forcing their people to switch back and forth between the future and the past – will continue to impede adoption. 

ChromeOS and Cameyo (a Chrome Enterprise Recommended virtualization solution) unlock a future of computing where organizations no longer have to give any thought to which OS is required to run their apps. Orgs can now embrace the world’s most secure, manageable, sustainable, and cost-effective operating system and simply know that their people will be able to access all of their apps with absolutely no change to their behavior. As a result, a cloud-first operating system like ChromeOS can become the future of computing, with no need for users to ever switch back to the past.

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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.

VDI was one of the earliest ways for modern organizations to enable their users to stay productive while offsite. It’s been around for several decades, which is why VDI’s approach to virtualization is based on the traditional workstation computing model — back when everyone used desktop PCs. Through the use of virtual machines (VMs), VDI tries to replicate that classic operating system-style desktop environment. From a technical standpoint, your standard VDI environment is built on a lot of hardware and software like data centers, thin clients, load balancers, Windows servers, authentication mechanisms and so on.

Once mobile devices and cloud-based computing technologies started to mature, everyone from IT leaders to ordinary users started reframing things in terms of workspaces. VDI followed suit. Its model shifted slightly to desktop as a service (DaaS), which essentially took VDI’s on-premises infrastructure and swapped all or part of it for cloud infrastructure. But DaaS isn’t a huge departure from classic VDI solutions. Although it adopts SaaS-style pricing, DaaS is still very much focused on replicating the Windows-centric user experience on endpoint devices.

If DaaS is just cloud-based VDI, what’s a VDI workspace?

A VDI workspace is, in a nutshell, the environment users have to log into in order to gain remote access to their apps. The term itself doesn’t really distinguish whether that workspace is provided through classic on-premises VDI or DaaS managed services.

However, what nearly all VDI workspaces have in common is that they stick to the desktop-first paradigm that is the hallmark of VDI solutions like Citrix and VMware. They force the end user to log into a Windows OS “workspace” just to access their apps. It’s effectively the 20th-century workstation concept with some 21st-century dressing.

The result is a user experience that’s completely at odds with today’s more modern, fluid technology landscape. VDI workspaces insist that the growing numbers of Mac, Linux or Chromebook users have to go through a separate Microsoft Windows environment in order to work with their apps. That separation just isn’t conducive to most contemporary workflows. It creates barriers to remote and hybrid work by trying to make user devices fit the outdated mold of desktop workstations.

The digital employee experience (DEX): Seamlessness, not segregation

In recent years, and especially since the workplace upheavals of 2020–2021, IT thought leaders have begun placing increased emphasis on the digital employee experience (DEX). In fact, DEX has become so important that Gartner estimates that half of IT organizations will have a DEX strategy and tools in place by 2025.

At its most basic, DEX is a way for organizations to assess how well their technologies are empowering their users. To determine where your organization’s DEX strategy currently stands, it helps to start asking questions like these:

• Are our technologies generic and one-size-fits-all? Or do they cater to different workflows and workloads?
• How can we truly optimize our technologies for different use cases?
• Do our end users have access to their essential productivity tools anywhere and on demand?
• Are we still thinking exclusively in terms of desktops and laptops? Or are we considering all mobile devices?
• Can we achieve an unparalleled user experience alongside cost-effectiveness and zero trust security?

There are plenty of DEX resources out there, but it might be helpful to know that many of the leading articles on DEX recommend “going beyond portals” (a legacy of the workstation mindset) to make it easier for users to engage with their colleagues and their productivity tools. That means phasing out practices like VDI workspaces that channel users through what is essentially a segregated, self-contained Windows environment.

Those at the forefront of DEX and digital transformation are instead advocating for seamless digital workspaces — that is, workspaces that aren’t bound to a specific operating system, user device or workflow. Which makes Virtual App Delivery a key enabler of the secure digital workspace.

Cameyo boosts DEX (and productivity!) through flexibility and security 

As the only virtualization solution that doesn’t force users into a Windows workspace, Cameyo’s VAD platform provides the seamlessness and flexibility that enhance an organization’s DEX right out of the gate. Cameyo transcends VDI’s outmoded workstation models by getting apps, not operating systems, into users’ hands on any device, regardless of OS.

Cameyo also streamlines DevOps processes by enabling IT professionals to deliver all the apps their people need directly to their devices as progressive web apps (PWAs). No software redevelopment is necessary as part of this, and users don’t have to change their behavior at all. With Cameyo, they simply use their Windows, Linux, SaaS, and internal web apps from any device—including Macs, Chromebooks and mobile devices (e.g., iPhone, Android tablet)—within that device’s native environment. It’s completely transparent to them, so they can work as they’ve always worked.

On top of that, Cameyo’s VAD is an integral part of Zero Trust Network Architecture (ZTNA). So organizations can implement security best practices while also boosting the DEX for end users.

You wouldn’t adopt a VDI solution without testing it first, and we wouldn’t expect you to adopt a VAD solution without the same due diligence. Sign up now for your free trial of Cameyo to see how quickly you can start publishing and delivering your business-critical apps to end users. If you’d rather have one our engineers take you through things in a bit more detail, don’t hesitate to schedule a demo instead.

The post What is a VDI Workspace? appeared first on Cameyo.

Otherwise, please read on! 

Here’s the scenario: You’ve got a Chromebook (or are thinking about getting one) and you’ve got a copy of Windows 10. And if you can just figure out how to install Windows on that Chromebook, you believe you’ll achieve the perfect marriage of form and functionality. Or maybe you work in IT, and you have ambitions of getting an entire fleet of ChromeOS devices to run Windows instead.

The logic behind that is understandable. But isn’t swapping out operating systems an extreme solution to a much simpler problem? Because, when you think about it, the real goal of carrying out a Chromebook Windows installation is the ability to run Windows software, not Windows itself.

So let’s proceed from that starting point instead. You want to run Windows apps seamlessly on your Chromebook. Is ditching ChromeOS for Windows 10 really the best way to do it?

The answer is no. And here’s why.

For starters, most Chromebook models aren’t made to run Windows. They’re designed to run ChromeOS, which is why they get such great battery life, why they’re so affordable, why they’re more manageable and why they have inherent security benefits. To put it bluntly, turning your Chromebook into a Windows laptop defeats the purpose of owning a Chromebook in the first place.

That also applies to a dual-boot setup, which is where you choose which operating system to use when you power on the computer. When you’re in the ChromeOS environment, you’ll get the customary Chromebook advantages. But when you’re booted in Windows, you sacrifice those advantages just for the sake of running Windows apps. You’ll also have to choose your operating system and skip OS verification every time you start your Chromebook!

To truly get the best of both worlds, Cameyo is the perfect solution. Cameyo’s Virtual App Delivery (VAD) platform gives Chromebook users seamless access to all of their business-critical Windows software, including legacy Windows apps, directly within the ChromeOS environment. They can work with the native Windows version of Microsoft Office or even specialized programs like AutoCAD or Quickbooks without the need for a compatibility layer.

Cameyo isn’t a remote desktop. Nor does it force you to use proprietary viewer clients or deploy on-prem infrastructure like VDI. VAD is a cloud-native technology that transforms full-featured desktop apps into progressive web apps (PWAs) with just a few clicks. On ChromeOS, they can integrate with the launcher and file system for a completely transparent cloud desktop experience.

In fact, Cameyo moves beyond the operating system entirely, opening up access to Windows apps across all devices. It’s able to deliver apps via any modern HTML5-capable web client like the Safari or Chrome browser, which means users can access desktop Windows apps on macOS devices as well as mobile devices like an iPhone. Also, our new Cameyo for Linux capabilities extend VAD’s capabilities to Linux apps too. Thanks to Cameyo’s pioneering VAD platform, it’s all done in a simple, secure, centralized and cost-effective way.

Instead of spending hours trying to hack Windows 10 to run on your Chromebook, take a minute to sign up for your free trial of Cameyo. You’ll be using Virtual App Delivery to access desktop-tier Windows apps from Chrome OS in no time. Or, if you’d like a little more insight into how Cameyo’s Virtual App Delivery works, schedule a demo to get an engineer’s take. Either way, you’ll gain a better understanding of why Cameyo is the optimal solution when your organization’s goal is using Windows software on its Chromebooks.

Still Determined to run Windows on your Chromebook? Keep Reading

If you’ve read to this point and you still think installing Windows is worth a try, below we offer some background on getting Windows 10 (and possibly other versions of Windows) onto your Chromebook.

However, these instructions come with a huge disclaimer! They are not a guaranteed, foolproof method of Windows installation on Chromebooks. We’re only providing them below to illustrate the cumbersome, potentially dangerous steps involved in the installation process.

Not only do these actions require some familiarity with a Linux-style terminal and confidence with computer hardware, there’s also a real risk of damaging your ChromeOS device and/or voiding your warranty because you’re making essential, unsupported changes to the BIOS (among other things).

In a nutshell, anything that goes wrong is entirely on you.

To start, you’ll need the following:

• The Chromebook you want to install Windows on
• A separate Windows PC or Windows laptop
• A USB flash drive for installation media
• A USB keyboard and mouse

To prepare your Chromebook:

• Turn off the Chromebook by shutting down or pressing the power button.
• Open the back of the Chromebook and remove the Write Protect Screw (consult teardown guides for its location).
• Press ESC + Refresh + Power to enter Recovery Mode.
• Press CTRL + D and then press Enter to enable Developer Mode.
• Press CTRL + D to boot Chrome OS.
• Press CTRL + ALT + T to open up a terminal.
• Type in shell and press Enter.
• Copy and paste this command into the terminal: cd ~; curl -L -O https://mrchromebox.tech/uefi-flash.sh && sudo bash uefi-flash.sh
• Press Enter.
• Select Full coreboot Firmware from the options.
• Press Y to confirm.
• Press U to install the UEFI firmware

To create Microsoft Windows installation media:

• Open a browser on your Windows PC or laptop.
• Go to Microsoft’s website and download the Windows 10 ISO (or whichever version of Windows is current).
• Open the file you downloaded and click Accept.
• Insert the USB flash drive.
• Select “Create Installation media” (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC.
• Click Next.
• Choose “Use the recommended options for this PC” and click Next.
• Choose “USB flash drive” and click Next.
• Wait for the process to complete, then click Finish.
• Note: You can also use the tool Rufus to create bootable Windows and Linux installation media.

To install Windows on your Chromebook:

• Take the Windows installation media (i.e., USB flash drive) and plug it into the Chromebook.
• Your Chromebook should boot directly from the USB device. If nott, press ESC as soon as the Chromebook boots. Find your USB device in the menu and select it.
• Connect your USB keyboard and mouse to the Chromebook.
• Select your language and your region, then click Next.
• Click “Install now.”
• When asked to enter the product key, select “I don’t have a product key.”
• Select the version of Windows you want to install. This will likely be Windows 10 Home or Pro.
• Select “Custom: Install Windows only (advanced).”
• Delete all partitions listed. Ignore any warnings that might appear, then click Next.
• Let Windows finish installing and then reboot.
• Remove the USB drive if asked to do so.
• Set up Windows. Skip the Internet connection step.
• Install drivers for Windows.

Even if everything goes smoothly up to this point, this last step could be your undoing. Incorrect drivers can cause software crashes, random shutdowns and other ongoing problems. The right drivers will depend on variables like your system hardware (an Intel or an AMD CPU, for example) and your peripherals.

A developer known as CoolStar has some tips on solving the many issues and driver incompatibilities that occur when installing Windows on common ChromeOS devices from Acer, Samsung and other well-known manufacturers. Typing “Coolstar Windows install Chromebook” into your preferred search engine should get you closer to finding those resources.

Install Windows 10 on your Chromebook? Why endure the hassle?

In the event that you made it safely through those steps, you can’t escape the fact that running Windows on a Chromebook still negates many of the benefits of ChromeOS. And what’s more, it doesn’t exactly ensure a smooth Windows experience either! If you’d like to see a better way to access all your Windows apps on Chromebooks, schedule a demo with Cameyo today.

The post How to Install Windows 10 on Chromebook (But Wait, Why?) appeared first on Cameyo.

Not all remote desktops are VDI, but you could say that VDI is a form of remote desktop. It effectively creates workspaces—usually Windows environments—that end users can access through specially configured devices or software clients. The infrastructure (the “I” in VDI) consists of on-premises host servers running virtual machines (VMs), and it’s these virtual machines that users connect to and interact with.

What’s so wrong with virtual desktop infrastructure?

Virtual desktop infrastructure achieves a particular end, but it’s not the most elegant or efficient solution. Generally, it has three main drawbacks.

• Cost: On-premises infrastructure is expensive. The servers that host the virtual images, store data and assist with authentication during remote access sessions all have to be purchased and maintained. VDI also requires organizations to purchase specific endpoints. These can be specialized thin or zero clients or laptops that have been provisioned for use with VDI. Plus organizations will also pay to license the VDI solution and the Windows operating system on the VMs.
• Complexity: Desktop virtualization solutions claim to be optimized for easy provisioning and administration, but they don’t just manage themselves. Some organizations have entire in-house teams of trained, certified IT professionals to oversee their VDI implementation. Others have to pay to outsource that responsibility. Either way, those teams constantly have to optimize VDI deployments for particular workloads and help users troubleshoot the various problems that can emerge.
• Security: VDI has a troubled history with security. End users need remote access to the VDI host servers, and this is typically done via a virtual private network (VPN) in combination with the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). RDP in particular has several well-known vulnerabilities, and VPNs have the potential to allow complete access to the corporate network if they’re compromised. That runs completely counter to today’s zero trust best practices.

In recent years, the advent of the public cloud has enabled VDI to transition into what’s called desktop as a service (DaaS). DaaS largely follows the same model as traditional VDI except the infrastructure is transferred to cloud-based backends like Azure or Amazon Web Services (AWS). That removes some of the need for expensive on-premises data centers, but it’s not as if the SaaS-style pricing of cloud infrastructure is free.

More importantly, DaaS comes with many of the same drawbacks as traditional VDI. Even seemingly straightforward solutions like Amazon Workspaces can’t escape the steps involved in provisioning virtual desktops to end users or the licensing costs associated with operating systems.

What about Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops?

Like VMware Horizon View, Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops is one of the more popular virtual desktop solutions. Because of Citrix’s long history in the desktop virtualization space, the name alone still carries a lot of weight in IT circles.

But that same popularity also makes Citrix solutions a known target for malicious actors, which raises worrying security concerns. As recently as December 2022, the United States National Security Agency (NSA) was sounding the alarm over two Citrix networking products. With the backing of the Chinese government, the APT5 hacking group was actively exploiting a zero-day vulnerability Citrix ADC, an application delivery controller, and Citrix Gateway, a remote access tool, to gain wide-ranging access to targeted networks.

These exploits can be directly attributed to the various components that Citrix uses to power its virtualization solutions. This highlights how VDI’s complexity can become its Achilles heel: The more moving parts, the greater the attack surface. 

VAD: The true virtual desktop alternative

As these issues of cost, complexity and security make clear, finding virtual desktop alternatives isn’t as important as finding an alternative to VDI itself. Even a low-cost, open-source VDI solution, if one existed, would still bear many of the inherent shortcomings of the virtual desktop infrastructure model.

The true virtual desktop alternative is one that isn’t bound to any particular operating system. It’s one that enables end users to work with ALL of their essential apps – Microsoft Windows, Linux, SaaS, and internal web apps – from any device. It’s quick to deploy, easy to provision and incredibly intuitive for end users. Above all, it’s cloud-native and supports zero-trust network architecture by design.

That’s exactly what Virtual App Delivery (VAD) offers. VAD transcends the limitations of a virtual desktop, instead creating a flexible, secure, user-optimized digital workspace. And, as a pioneer of VAD technology, Cameyo is able to provide streamlined remote access to business-critical and even legacy apps without compromising the seamless user experience or the rock-solid security that modern organizations need to stay agile and productive.

Here are just a few of the many ways that Cameyo supports zero trust practices:

• Segmentation – Cameyo separates end users’ sessions and isolates their devices from corporate networks and data. Should a device become infected with ransomware or malware, the malicious software has no way to reach the corporate network/data or the Cameyo system.
• Least privilege – All traffic is encrypted, and apps are delivered via a secure HTML5 web browser. Along with maintaining device segmentation, this eliminates the need for VPNs for remote access.
• Identity & access management – Cameyo integrates with your preferred Single Sign-On (SSO) provider. Any Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) that the SSO utilizes also applies to Cameyo.

That tight security, combined with cost-effectiveness and simplicity, is what makes Cameyo’s VAD so superior to VDI when it comes to remote work enablement. With just a click, end users can start working with full-featured desktop versions of their essential apps from any of their devices — whether it be an Android tablet, an iPhone running iOS, a Mac or a computer running a Linux operating system (including ChromeOS). You can think of it as a highly customizable, app-first cloud desktop.

These are the reasons why Computerworld called Cameyo “the new alternative to Citrix.” And it’s also why the industry as a whole is moving away from virtual desktops in favor of Virtual App Delivery. VAD is more streamlined, more versatile, more secure than VDI and easier on your bottom line, as former Citrix customers like Ur&Penn have already discovered after migrating to Cameyo.

Sign up for your free trial of Cameyo today and discover how easy it is to roll out app-centric digital workspaces to your end users. Or maybe you’d like more details on how exactly Cameyo supports your zero trust IT practices? In that case, simply schedule a demo and one of our engineers will reach out to provide you with the right info.

The post Your Options for a Virtual Desktop Alternative appeared first on Cameyo.

Of course, a good chunk of that rapid growth can be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mid-size and large-scale businesses needed to pivot quickly away from decades-old workplace models and equip their newly remote end users with cost-effective tools to remain productive. But what does it say about Chromebooks that they were the go-to choice for facilitating that pivot?

What’s driving the move toward the Chromebook enterprise?

It wasn’t too long ago that the “Chromebook enterprise” was considered a fanciful notion. Certain misnomers about Chromebooks—and their native operating system, the Linux-based ChromeOS—arose when the devices were still in the process of carving out their own unique technological form factor. And, unfortunately, some of those assumptions have persisted over the years.

The Mac, so the thinking ran, was for creatives. Chromebooks were for students. And Windows devices were for businesses.

However, some open-minded technology experts outside of the K–12 space started to recognize Chromebooks for what they are:

• More Cost-Effective: Largely due to ChromeOS, Chromebooks accomplish more with less. Whereas even laptop PCs need to be powered by beefy (and expensive) AMD Ryzen or Intel Core i5 processors to run Microsoft Windows and all its related software, Chromebooks can achieve the same level of performance with more budget-friendly specs, such as Intel Celeron CPUs. Being cloud based, they also don’t need the same amount of SSD storage space.
• Great for ROI: It isn’t just that Chromebooks have lower upfront costs. They introduce new efficiencies to IT as well because, through programs like the Chrome Enterprise Upgrade, an entire fleet of ChromeOS workspaces can be administered easily from a single console. Furthermore, some studies have shown that Chromebooks can save SMBs as much as 45% on software licensing costs alone.
• Longer Lasting: This applies in day-to-day use, as many end users report Chromebooks’ long battery life to be one of their most valued attributes. But it also applies to the lifetime of the device. Rather than being disposable, rapid-upgrade devices, Chromebooks actually maintain the same level of functionality over a longer period of time. That’s why it’s not uncommon to find a vintage Mac or PC struggling a lot more than a Chromebook of the same age.
• Secure by Design: ChromeOS has more than flexibility and efficiency going for it. It gives IT tight control over trusted apps, updates automatically to apply the latest patches and provides proactive protection against malware threats. These security features make Chromebooks some of the most secure devices available. 

When it comes to connectivity, Chromebooks have also largely kept pace with their bulkier, pricier Windows PC cousins. Although barebones Chromebooks certainly exist, it’s not hard to find a Chromebook with all of the necessary business connectivity options like HDMI, current-gen Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, a webcam, IPS displays with Full HD (FHD) or higher resolution as well as UHD graphics, USB-C ports, a headphone jack and even a stylus and touchscreen. This menu of ports and specs enables end users to connect to a wide variety of detachable peripherals, further extending the functionality of their Chromebooks.

What’s the best Chromebook for your needs?

In the traditional laptop corner, you have trusted standbys like the Dell Latitude, the HP Elite series and the Lenovo ThinkPad. These brands and models are well known in the enterprise world and have generated a lot of loyalty on account of their durability and feature set.

But even if a handful of your end users are wedded to their ThinkPads for life, that doesn’t mean that you can’t find viable replacements for all or part of your fleet in options such as the Asus Chromebook line, the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook line, the HP Chromebook line, the Lenovo Chromebook line, Google’s Pixelbook Go, the Acer Chromebook Spin series and many more from smaller-scale manufacturers.

Each range will bring its own inherent strengths and functionality, and the constant updates to their form factors and specs make any definitive recommendation difficult. Your best bet is simply to survey the Chromebook landscape (our go-to source for current Chromebook reviews and specs is Chrome Unboxed) just before you’re ready to purchase and make sure that your proposed devices offer the connectivity, warranty and price your organization is looking for. Need help determining which devices are right for your organizaiton’s specific use cases? Reach out to Cameyo here and we’ll connect you with one of our reseller partners who specialize in ChromeOS devices. 

What barriers remain to Chromebook enterprise adoption?

With Chromebooks having matured into enterprise-grade devices and so many options to choose from, it seems like enterprise adoption would be virtually guaranteed across the board.

And yet there’s been a sticking point for IT when it comes to fully embracing ChromeOS: the ability to provide all of their users with seamless access to all of the apps (including Windows apps) they need to be productive on Chromebooks. Previously, this limitation ruled out ChromeOS for end users who needed to do hardware-intensive tasks like video editing — or even those who just needed to work with the desktop version of Microsoft Office.

Cameyo completely removes that limitation. Its Virtual App Delivery (VAD) solution clears the path for enterprises everywhere to finally make the shift to ChromeOS and not look back. With Cameyo, organizations of any size can provide their end users with access to desktop-class applications across their devices, Chromebooks included.

Let’s say, for example, a remote Chromebook user needs to work with the Windows version of Microsoft Excel on account of macros and compatibility. Through Cameyo’s Virtual App Delivery platform, that user can access their business-critical native Windows software right from within their ChromeOS workspace. Cameyo integrates seamlessly, as you’d expect from a Chrome Enterprise Recommended partner, so users can easily continue multitasking with their ChromeOS and Windows apps alongside one another, with nothing new to learn for your end-users.

Fortune 500 manufacturing company Sanmina utilized Cameyo to remove the roadblocks to Chromebook adoption, and is in the process of migrating it’s 30,000 employees to ChromeOS while giving them seamless access to all of their apps with Cameyo. The large Swedish consortium Klarahill leveraged Cameyo to transition to Chromebooks without sacrificing support for legacy Windows apps — and reduced their remote desktop costs by 85% in the process. Retailer Ur&Penn deployed Cameyo to smooth their transition from Windows PCs to Chromebooks by maintaining effortless access to their essential Windows software. And the list goes on and one (see more case studies here).

The takeaway to all this? When paired with Cameyo, any Chromebook can be the best Chromebook for your organization. There’s no compromise in functionality because the operating system is no longer a limitation. Your end users enjoy all the cost, security, and manageability benefits of Chromebooks plus the advantages of working with all of their full-featured desktop Windows, Linux, and other apps.

And it’s easier than you think to get started. Sign up for your free trial of Cameyo today to begin testing its Virtual App Delivery platform right away. If you have questions that need answering beforehand, that’s fine too. Simply schedule a demo to have one of our engineers take you through the basics and show you how Cameyo bridges the enterprise gap between ChromeOS and your essential Windows software.

The post The Rapid Adoption of Chromebooks for Business appeared first on Cameyo.

Chromebooks were designed for a more secure, cloud-connected approach to computing. But in the past it’s been tricky to bridge the gap between the classic Windows PC paradigm and today’s more nimble, flexible workplace. 

But in 2020, when Chromebooks outsold Apple Macs for the first time, even more CTOs and IT departments in enterprise organizations took notice. ChromeOS had proven to many that it was a far more secure platform than Windows OS, but still, enterprises needed access to ther Windows apps. So how do you bridge the “app gap”?

In this post, we’re going to take a look at some of the most common ways your organization can get Chrome OS and Windows software to play nice. The good news? Yes, you can run Windows software on a Chromebook. But how you choose to do it can have a big impact on the cost, complexity, and user experience.

1) Run Windows apps on a remote desktop

If your end users already have a Windows computer, you can use Google’s Chrome Remote Desktop app to access that device through a remote desktop session. This will require IT to set up a Chrome Remote Desktop extension in the Chrome web browser on the Windows PC. That process will guide you through some setup steps to securely establish the connection between the PC and the Chromebook.

Downsides to this approach? For starters, it requires each user to have a dedicated Windows PC, effectively doubling your device fleet. Also, that PC will have to be up and running whenever the Chromebook user needs to access it, which comes with practical implications as well as increased energy consumption.

The other drawback is that your users always end up interacting with the desktop environment within Chrome OS. It’s a bit like looking through a window through another window just to glimpse a view of the world outside. It doesn’t offer quite the same user experience as native-feeling desktop applications.

2) Emulate a Windows environment with Parallels Desktop

Parallels, the company known for providing cross-OS compatibility through emulators and virtual machines, has a product that enables IT departments to run desktop Windows applications—including full-featured Microsoft Office titles—on Chromebooks. Parallels Desktop is a Windows container that runs natively on Chrome OS and basically allows both operating systems to run side by side, even without an Internet connection.

This dual-OS setup might sound appealing, but it’s not exactly the best of both worlds. It comes with some elevated hardware requirements since users are now running the full version of Windows on their Chromebook. They’ll need devices with an Intel Core i5/i7 or AMD Ryzen 5/7 processor at a minimum. They’ll also need at least 8GB of RAM and 128GB of local storage. That will offset some of the cost savings of low-spec Chromebooks. 

It’s also worth considering that Parallels Desktop is largely a consumer-centric product that isn’t always ideal for enterprise environments with large pools of users. Parallels focuses on delivering a full Windows OS desktop on Macs and Chromebooks (rather than taking a Windows-independent Cloud Desktop approach), and managing these Windows desktops at scale can demand more and more of IT’s time. Most use cases might be better served by other forms of virtualization.  

3) Utilize traditional virtual desktop (VDI) or Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) products 

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) and Desktop as a Service (DaaS) solutions have been around for more than 25 years, and they enable you to deliver the full Windows OS to any device (Mac, Chrome OS, etc.). We cover the various flavors of traditional virtual desktops in depth on our blog (you may want to start here), but at the end of the day the biggest thing to note is that all VDI and DaaS solutions force you to deliver the full Windows OS to Chrome OS devices in order to run Windows apps. 

But most organizations are making the decision to move to Chrome OS devices so that they can reduce the cost, security concerns, and complexity of managing Windows OS devices – so why make your users access the Windows OS from their Chromebooks? 

4) Enjoy seamless Virtual Application Delivery with Cameyo 

Just a ChromeOS is the secure, cloud-first approach to modern computing, Cameyo’s Virtual App Delivery (VAD) is the secure, cloud-native approach to giving your people access to all of the apps & data they need on any device.

Cameyo’s VAD platform enables users to access full Windows desktop applications either through the Chrome browser or as Progressive Web Apps (PWAs). There’s no Windows-based virtual desktop or emulator necessary, because the apps aren’t running on the local device. 

At the same time, Cameyo ensures a more native experience for the user than any other approach. Our VAD platform’s native file system integration with Chrome OS means that end users can open, edit and save Windows applications files locally on their device. Coupled with Cameyo’s support for Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), users can also access their full-version Windows apps directly from their taskbar and launcher. And since the apps themselves aren’t stored and run locally, organizations can even deploy Chromebooks with more economical specs.

The result is uncompromised performance, ease of use and cost-effectiveness. Let’s say a Chromebook user wants to work with the full desktop version of Microsoft Excel (instead of the Office 365 version that doesn’t support macros). Thanks to Cameyo, they can simply click on the app icon in their taskbar, work in their spreadsheet just as they would on a Windows PC, then save the file – either locally or in your org’s cloud storage of choice – for later access or sharing. There’s no VPN or remote desktop client to mess with.

With Cameyo, you unlock the full benefits of ChromeOS with a Windows-independent Cloud Desktop that allows your people to work exactly as they always have, without the cost, complexity, and security issues of Windows OS.

The preferred way to run your business’ Windows apps on a Chromebook

Google has already recognized Cameyo as one of only 3 Chrome Enterprise Recommended solutions globally for virtualization. And the wider Windows community has also been taking an interest in how Cameyo is opening up Chromebooks to enterprise adoption.

 But don’t take our word for it. Here’s how some of our enterprise customers are utilizing Cameyo’s VAD platform with Chrome OS devices to deliver secure, full-featured Google virtual desktops:

• “As a G Suite customer, we love how integrated Cameyo is with Google. We don’t have to configure a thing – everyone simply logs in with their Google account info, and they instantly have access to all of their applications.” — Emir Saffar, CIO at Ur&Penn
• “The most critical need was the ability to deliver our Windows-based ERP system, VismaBusiness, to all of our employees even though they are now utilizing ChromeOS devices. Cameyo played a critical role in enabling our transition to Chrome Enterprise” — Christian Ahlin, Group Head of IT at Nordward
• “Cameyo’s platform plays a critical role in enabling our Digital Workplace strategy by removing the legacy application roadblocks that were preventing widespread Chrome adoption. Cameyo’s VAD platform is the perfect blend of simplicity, a seamless user experience, and advanced security.” — Mario Zúñiga, IT Director, Digital Workplace at Sanmina

If your organization is using, planning to use, or even just curious about ChromeOS devices and you still need access to Windows apps – Cameyo can help. Take a few seconds to sign up today for your free trial of Cameyo and see if Virtual App Delivery is the right solution for your environment. Or to get a one-on-one tutorial from one of our engineers, feel free to request a demo instead.

The post How to Run Windows Apps on Chromebook appeared first on Cameyo.