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Physical Desktop vs. Virtual Desktop for Your Business

February 07, 2025 · Virtual Desktop

Considering a switch to virtual desktops or remote desktops involves many factors for a business, including cost, needs of their employees, and computing and storage requirements.

If your business is in Orlando, Space Coast, Tampa, or surrounding areas and is looking into the option of virtual desktop hosting, then here is a comparison between virtual desktops and maintaining on-premise personal computers, servers and related hardware which, for the purposes of this article, we will refer to as “physical desktops”.

Virtual Desktops Benefit Both Remote Employees & Employers

Remote and hybrid work is now normal rather than exceptional, and it changes where company data actually sits. Remote workers routinely reach company files from personal computers — machines your business does not own, patch, or control the security of.

Using a virtual desktop provided by Colo Solutions allows businesses to assert more control over security of their data. Your virtual desktop data is stored at a secure data center and you have the option to set security policies and protocols to prevent the data from being downloaded to anyone’s personal device. So, if an employee’s laptop is stolen, the data is password protected and your company data is still protected.

Smaller businesses are often the softer target, precisely because security is somebody’s part-time responsibility rather than anybody’s job.

Responsibility for security of company information is shifted off of your remote employees and onto the virtual desktop, and they can access the virtual desktop from any device at any time.

Comparing Physical Desktop to Virtual Desktop

In many ways, physical desktops and virtual desktops are the same. They have the same user interface and run the same applications. However, there are also big differences between the two.

  • Physical desktops are only in one location and the computer would need to be on for this process to work.

  • Physical desktop support means businesses need to have on-site IT technicians available to repair many issues.

  • Virtual desktops are accessible at any time through any device, including PCs, Macs, laptops, iPhones, Androids, and more.

  • Since virtual desktops are hosted at a data center, there are added physical security and firewalls.

  • Businesses can choose the software, meaning only company-approved software is allowed on the virtual desktop/server. For example, ability to surf the internet can be removed if needed.

  • If more storage is needed, the service provider can easily add more of its existing infrastructure. Physical desktops require you to purchase external hard drives and upgrades.

  • Virtual desktops will require an internet connection to run, so it is important for employees to have a reliable internet provider.

  • It is easy to add or remove users from the virtual desktop.

The Cost of Virtual Desktops versus Physical Personal Computers

By migrating your business to the cloud and using virtual desktops, you are moving from a capital expense to an operating expense and businesses will have to consider the pros and cons of such a switch. If a business has older servers and equipment, it may be cheaper to subscribe to a virtual hosted desktop instead of buying new physical servers and equipment every few years.

Additionally, the cost of the devices to access the virtual desktop can be significantly reduced by using “dumb” terminals and thin clients and many other options since it can be accessed from any device. Software upgrades are managed in a central location and rolled out easily onto the virtual desktop.

Virtual desktops also provide more security and backup value which should be considered in the decision to move to the cloud. When weighing the costs, take into account the value that these add to your IT infrastructure: data storage, backup, security, technical support, and more.

Is your business looking to move into the cloud?

At Colo Solutions, we run an N+1 data center — redundant across power, cooling and connectivity — providing data storage, virtual desktop hosting, colocation and more. Our controls are independently examined: SOC 1 Type 2 and SOC 2 Type 2 reports from 360 Advanced, plus a HIPAA Security Rule examination. Our location in downtown Orlando is convenient for businesses in Space Coast, Tampa, Daytona Beach, and more. We also provide services for clients across the United States.

Contact us today at [(407) 210-2480](tel:(407) 210-2480) to learn more about our virtual desktop and data center services and how we can help your business.