AWS VDI: Amazon Workspaces vs Windows Virtual Desktop

Amazon Workspace is a tool for provisioning cloud-based desktops to end-users, allowing them to access applications, documents, and resources from supported devices. It runs on AWS cloud and offers a high-quality cloud desktop experience that is cost-effective performs as well as traditional desktops.

Microsoft Virtual Desktop is an app and desktop virtualization service that runs on Azure, allowing users to use full Windows 10 deployment, Windows 7 virtual desktops, Microsoft 365 Apps, and Remote Desktop Services in a unified setting.

What is Amazon Workspaces?

AWS’s desktop computing solution, Amazon Workspaces provisions cloud-based Microsoft Windows or Amazon Linux desktops or workspaces for users. It thus eliminates the need to deploy hardware, procure, or install applications. It allows you to remove or add users with ease, choose your operating system from a range of hardware configurations, choose your desired protocol, and deploy or manage applications with ease. Other features of Amazon Workspaces are:

Pick up from where you left off for a persistent desktop experience.
Bring your applications or licenses.
Use the same tools for managing both on-premise desktops and WorkSpaces.
Control the IP addresses that can be used to access the WorkSpaces.
Use multi-factor authentication.
Encrypt data at rest using AWS Key Management Service (AWS KMS).

What is Windows Virtual Desktop?

Windows Virtual Desktop is a tool that allows you to enable a remote desktop experience from anywhere at any time, securely. You can set up Windows Virtual Desktop in minutes, and manage other Azure services in collaboration with end-to-end Windows Virtual Desktop deployment. The features of Windows Virtual Desktops are:

Deliver Windows 10 desktops anywhere from any device.
Ensure compliance with built-in intelligent security
Reduce the cost of existing licenses
Quickly scale up and simplify deployment based on business needs.

Windows Virtual Desktop vs Amazon Workspaces

Both Windows Virtual Desktop and Amazon Workspaces are suitable solutions for your remote desktop and remote working needs. WVD as well as Amazon Workspaces allow you to access the right applications and desktops, from any place at any time. However, there certainly are significant differences between the two, and making the right choice is a matter of what an organization needs. The differences between the two are mentioned below:

Features

Amazon Workspaces is more mature than Microsoft Windows Virtual Desktop, thus the former has extensive, full features. Hence, Amazon Workspaces gives greater control because of its extra features.

Resource allocation

Amazon Workspaces offers one-one resources, making it suitable for cases when you need reliable, dedicated computing power. Microsoft Virtual Desktop on the other hand offers both one-to-one and one-to-many resources. In one-to-many case, Microsoft provides the host, but multiple users can access it at the same time. It is hence suitable for cases when dedicated computing power is not a huge requirement.

Costs

While the vdi costs associated with delivering virtual desktops and applications depend on the scale, Microsoft VDA is the clear winner when it comes to being economical. As Microsoft VDA offers one-many resources, costs are significantly reduced as the environment scales up.

Easy Deploy Virtual Desktops with Windows Virtual Desktop and Parallels RAS

The industry-leading solution for deploying virtual desktops on different vdi solutions. Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) not only supports, but also extends and integrates Windows Virtual Desktop capabilities by offering organizations the capabilities of multi, private, or hybrid clouds.
You can use Parallels RAS to easily deploy virtual desktops with Windows Virtual Desktop, to improve productivity, ensure flexibility, and facilitate simplified management and deployment. With Parallels RAS, you can unify, configure and manage all the main virtual desktop delivery solutions from a central location.

Simplify management of your Virtual Desktops, optimize your workspaces, and reduce the total cost of ownership by downloading the free trial of Parallels RAS today!

References:

Microsoft | What is Windows Virtual Desktop?

Amazon | What is Amazon WorkSpaces?

Clearcube | Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD) vs Amazon WorkSpaces

Perfect Image | Everything You Need To Know About Amazon WorkSpaces Vs. Microsoft

Paralles | Cloud Deployment Models