Top Ten Questions to Ask a DaaS Provider

Organizations that have chosen to deploy Desktops-as-a-Service (a DaaS provider) over building their own Virtual Desktops Infrastructure (VDI) face a second decision: choosing the best DaaS provider for their needs.

Almost daily, we speak with business executives and IT architects who are trying to puzzle out the differences between providers (you can read more about what sets Dizzion apart in our Technology Overview Paper). Not everyone is as transparent as Dizzion, so based on our experience, we’ve assembled a list of critical questions you should ask of every DaaS provider.

Here are our Top Ten to ask a DaaS provider:

1. Are you a DaaS platform provider (a company that supplies the technology but offers services like on-boarding assistance for an additional fee) or a DaaS service provider (a company that manages your VDI environment after deployment as a part of the service)?
2. Do you only deliver DaaS from the cloud or do you also offer an on-premises option?
3. How do you measure end-user performance and success (e.g., speed for end user, user acceptance, uptime)? 
4. What performance expectations are set by the Service Level Agreement and historical performance?
5. What kind of network connection do my users need?
6. Can you deliver single apps in addition to a whole desktop?
7. What endpoint devices are not supported (e.g., Android, Apple, thin client)?
8. How do I provision new users with your solution, and is it significantly more efficient than desktop management?
9. How do you support offline usage, and what security and data considerations are there for offline usage?
10. Can I speak with some reference customers who are similar to us?

Bonus question:

How long have you been in business? (A DaaS provider should have enough experience with virtual desktops to build your confidence in its ability to deliver on promises of multi-year support.)

While the selection process may be daunting, the above questions can help you to quickly rule out most DaaS providers and identify a short list of the best ones. If you have additional questions you would add to this list (or would like to know how Dizzion answers them!), drop us an email at info@dizzion.com.