Amazon has decided to leverage its cloud computing end to roll out new services of a similar nature. Called ‘Amazon Workspaces’, the new service essentially brings virtual Windows desktops to Windows and Mac computers as well as a number of tablets including iPad, certain Android tablets and Kindle Fire.
The virtual desktops will offer not only a host of Windows applications and software, it also offers a sizeable amount of cloud storage space. The Windows 7-ish desktop that this service offers includes ‘Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash, Firefox, Internet Explorer 9, 7-Zip, the Java Runtime Environment (JRE), and other utilities.’
For businesses who want to go for the premium package, the virtual desktops come packed with Microsoft Office Professional and Trend Micro security for a bumped up price. The cloud storage space that is offered to each user who avails the service ranges from 50GB to 100GB. Moreover, each user also gets to have one or two virtual CPUs depending upon his needs and a choice between 3.75GB and 7.5GB of memory.
Amazon Workspaces run atop Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud virtual machines and the retail giant is able to deliver them using the PCoIP remote display protocol. For now, the prices of these virtual desktops range between $35 to $75 per user per month.
Such virtual desktops can be immensely beneficial for such business or organizations who want to offer a secure, yet closed, virtual environment to their employees. By offering them access to Amazon Workspaces on office PCs, for instance, such companies can save other components of the system from their access. Moreover, for such users who want to get quick access to a Windows desktop without essentially installing the OS while at the same time getting a good measure of security, the Workspaces are an ideal deal.
Source: Amazon/Amazon Workspaces
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