Anyone following technology news these days knows that the cloud is everywhere. The shift to cloud technologies and software-as-a-service (SaaS) has been more than a major transition for the industry; it has been a key market disruptor for the entire technology economy.
Like most software companies, VMware has made the shift to cloud and SaaS models, as well. Recent product releases, such as VMware Cloud on AWS, as well as investments in container technologies, such as Cloud Native and Kubernetes underscore this commitment.
But possibly nowhere else is VMware better poised to make waves in SaaS than its End-User Computing (EUC) portfolio. VMware’s EUC product suite, made up of Horizon, Workspace ONE, and others, has quietly been at the forefront of the cloud revolution for VMware and the industry as a whole. VMware EUC products are commonly featured at or near the top of the Gartner Magic Quadrants in their respective focus areas.
In my years working with EUC customers, I’ve found that every situation is unique. Each has different reasons for (and concerns about) deploying or moving software to the cloud. For these reasons, I find that it’s not just the technical expertise that makes VMware a helpful partner in these situations. It’s the hundreds and thousands of other customer experiences to help explain potential challenges, gotchas, and pitfalls of a move to SaaS. Despite popular opinion, working with a trusted partner in Professional Services is actually MORE important when deploying in the cloud than on-premises. You don’t know what you don’t know, so it helps to work with someone who has been there before.
Workspace ONE
Workspace ONE UEM (formerly AirWatch) has been a cloud offering from the start. Even from early days, it was very common for three-quarters of these implementations to be in SaaS environments. The best part about Workspace ONE in the cloud is that VMware offers multiple options to meet each customer’s needs. SaaS-shared environments are traditional cloud. You get automated updates and new features, and you have the benefits of SaaS high-availability (HA) and disaster recovery (DR). SaaS-dedicated environments give you the ability to choose your own upgrade schedule, which is great for large organizations who want to roll out software changes deliberately. Dedicated SaaS environments also allow customers to and keep data completely separated. This is a great option for data-sensitive customers in finance, healthcare, and other sectors.
VMware Horizon
VMware Horizon is the perfect microcosm of the industry shift toward centralized computing and storage. A problem statement for many CTOs is as follows: “Having all of the computing power decentralized on each employee’s desk is a huge waste of resources. It would be great if I could dynamically deploy virtual desktops and applications to smaller clients and increase efficiency.” The Horizon suite of products is all about achieving these goals. Furthermore, for environments where data security is a high priority, the option to keep sensitive data off of potentially mobile devices, such as laptops can be reassuring to even the most nervous CIO. Imagine having a high-ranking official leave a laptop with sensitive information in a taxi in a foreign country. Now imagine that same laptop has no sensitive data on the local drive; it’s all accessed through a remote desktop. Which scenario helps you sleep better at night? The laptop itself is Workspace ONE UEM-managed and can be wiped remotely? Even better!
More than just providing a great night of sleep, VMware Horizon can be deployed on a staggering number of cloud environments. The most popular today is VMware’s Horizon on VMC on AWS offering. Customers are starting to take advantage of this monumental partnership and realizing that virtual desktops are an intriguing use-case. Horizon can build upon an existing VMC on AWS infrastructure and add the power of virtual desktops and applications. In addition, Horizon can be deployed as a service on Microsoft Azure and IBM Softlayer infrastructure. Having VDI deployed in the cloud saves valuable time and capital expenditure that could be better utilized by interacting and serving end-user needs.
Next Steps
VMware offers a staggering number of Professional Services offerings for any flavor of EUC software you could possibly want. Cloud, On-Premises, Hybrid: We can do that. In addition, VMware offers a full suite of migration services to help you move on-premises workloads to cloud environments where compatible. Contact your VMware sales representative to find out more about how VMware Professional Services can help you achieve your cloud goals.
About the Author
Roy D. McCord is a Staff Architect with VMware’s Professional Services Engineering team. He is responsible for architecting, building, and maintaining VMware’s End User Computing global portfolio of professional services offerings. Roy has previously worked as a team leader within the Workspace ONE consulting team and helped to build the practice from the ground up. He holds BS, MS, and MBA degrees from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA. Roy resides in Alpharetta, Georgia.
