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Our increasingly connected world demands more than what traditional desktop systems provide for many Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). This is why many Los Angeles based CPAs are increasingly turning to cloud based solutions known as Desktop as a Service (DaaS).
What is Desktop as a Service?
The most straightforward way to define Desktop as a Service is taking a physical desktop computer and serving it up from the cloud as a virtual desktop enabling users to access their systems from anywhere at any time and from any device. This means that, as long as an employee has access to the internet, they can connect to and access their desktop.
While Desktop as a Service is similar to a conventional virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), which allows employees or other authorized users to access an onsite virtual server via software on his or her existing computer or device, it isn’t quite the same thing. The most significant difference is that DaaS is a cloud-based system that is less complex and costly to maintain than an in-house VDI infrastructure while offering more flexibility of access on a long-term basis.
At FPA, we manage our go to Desktop as a Service solution is built on VMware's Horizon. The benefit of using this system is that it enables us to maintain a single environment through which your employees and other authorized users (such as contractors) can securely and remotely access your data, software, and applications. For example, some industry-specific applications can be accessed — CCH, ProSystem, and Lacerte, in addition to various accounting software packages for time-tracking and client write-up — quickly and efficiently via this remote platform.
What are the advantages of using DaaS for Los Angeles accountants?
4 Reasons Los Angeles CPAs Should Use Desktop as a Service
Desktop as a Service provides a highly accessible virtual environment for accessing your data, files, and applications. Cloud service DaaS environments also avoid the security issue of having files saved and stored locally on individual computers.
1. DaaS Makes IT Service Providers Faster and More Efficient
Desktop as a Service simplifies the desktop management process by allowing organizations that rely on in-house tech teams to do more with less. Rather than supporting and maintaining desktops on a one-to-one (1:1) basis, your IT staff can update the base desktop image using a one-to-many approach via cloud services.
For organizations that have limited in-house staff, they can always partner with an agile and knowledgeable Managed Service Provider (MSP). MSPs who have a team of experts in this area can design, manage, and implement DaaS technology solution ensuring that your solution is up-to-date on security updates, patches, and other related measures.
Need to onboard new users faster and support existing desktops more efficiently? Your business can do all of the above — applying application updates and fixes quickly — without having to lift a finger. DaaS is also an attractive security option because data and applications reside in the cloud rather than on end-user devices, which can be easy targets due to insufficient security tools or practices.
2. Desktop as a Service Improves Access Control
With locally-stored files and data on end-user devices, anyone with access to a particular workstation would be able to access the information easily. This can create a security risk by leaving your information accessible to too many people. However, properly configured DaaS solutions enable only authorized users to access the virtual desktop using their individual login information.
You or your IT team can create an Access Control List (ACL) that governs who has access to your digital computing environment and the data it contains. This means that you can configure it to allow access to only the people you want to have access and block others that you don’t.
3. DaaS Helps Organizations Meet Regulatory Compliance
The right MSP ensures that your DaaS solution meets the specific regulatory compliance standards of your industry, such as those outlined by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
4. DaaS Provides Valuable and Actionable Data Reporting & Insights
You can track the digital activity of your employees to ensure that everyone at your Los Angeles Certified Public Accounting firm is actively working during work hours, you can do that. Furthermore, you also can know the programs they are using to ensure that your software resources are being well spent. There’s no ROI for investing in software that never (or rarely) gets used.
To learn more about cybersecurity, how to protect your cloud or on-prem based assets, and how it can affect your firm’s bottom line, be sure to download our complimentary resource by clicking on the image below.
What are some of the reasons that you think Los Angeles CPAs should turn to Desktop as a Service for their firms? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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