Amazon WorkSpaces vs on-premises VDI: Cost Comparison
Amazon WorkSpaces is a
Fully managed cloud computing desktop solution. Delivers documents, applications and resources to users for PCs, Macs and tablets. The service has the
Benefits of local VDI, such as mobility and security,
combined with all the powerful benefits of AWS, such as pay-as-you-go and simplified management.
Key benefits of Amazon Workspaces
With Amazon WorkSpaces,
You don't have to buy, install and maintain hardware data center or virtual desktop software. When your organization grows and you want to scale with users, you don't need to purchase new hardware or install new software. Simply choose the service package with the number of WorkSpaces you need based on your needs. The service provisions the hardware based on the configuration of the package and will provide a consistent, high-quality desktop experience to each user. WorkSpaces works on a pay-as-you-go basis, so you only need to pay for the hardware you need.
You pay for what you provide each month.
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Amazon Workspaces Case Study
To help understand the profitability of Amazon WorkSpaces, a total cost of ownership (TCO) model has been created for a scenario that offers a virtual desktop solution to on-premises users. In this model, a 1000-user VDI solution is considered. The objective of this model is to
consider all the costs involved in each of the two virtual desktop solutions and compare them to determine their profitability.
Scenario assumptions
For each user, we need to consider the computing experience we will deliver. We assume that users are office workers who typically perform productive tasks such as editing documents, creating spreadsheets, browsing the intranet, sending emails, updating forms, etc. Now, if these users are going to use VDI, they need a
solution that allows them to save documents and settings, customize them with their own applications and have a persistent experience similar to that of a traditional desktop. To offer this experience, we need a persistent virtual machine, with performance similar to that of a traditional desktop. Users will also need
Dedicated storage to save and retrieve your documentsTo meet these requirements, we can size a virtual desktop as a virtual machine with 1 vCPU, 4 GB of memory, and 50 GB of user data storage. We also need to include storage for an OS volume, which we'll assume adds another 50 GB.
Service costs
When determining the TCO of a cloud-based service, it is easy to overlook several cost factors, such as:
administration and license management costs, which can lead to an inaccurate and incomplete comparison. Also, in the case of a VDI solution, people often forget to include the
software costs. To get an accurate comparison we need to include all the different cost factors involved in implementing and managing a VDI solution, which means:
- Server hardware costs: To host the virtual desktop and manage the system control plane, server hardware is required to run the Windows Server operating system, Microsoft SQL Server database, and gateways.
- Storage hardware costs: You need network attached storage for persistent desktops.
- Network hardware costs:You need networking equipment to connect all the servers, storage, and control plane to the users.
- Hardware maintenance costs: Hardware failures are inevitable, so you will incur ongoing expenses to keep your system running to specification.
- Energy and cooling costs:Once the servers start running, the operational costs of powering and cooling the servers must be considered.
- Data Center Space Costs: You need space to store and expand the physical server.
- Software costs:To use VDI, you need software that allows you to configure and manage users and their virtual desktop environments.
- Administration costs: Hardware infrastructure, VDI environments, and desktops are difficult to manage, so you'll need specialized IT staff. You need at least two specialists per 1000 users to manage your desktop solution.
Comparison between VDI and Amazon Workspaces
For a fair comparison, amortized monthly costs are used. For example, hardware acquisition costs and administration costs are calculated on a monthly basis. Typically, these costs are incurred upfront with long-term contracts. The chart represents all costs incurred by on-premises VDI services and Amazon WorkSpaces per 1000 users:
Based on everything discussed above, we have been able to clearly verify how the total cost of ownership of 1000 users using a desktop computing service such as
Amazon WorkSpaces can be less than half the cost of running and managing a VDI solution equivalent in an on-premises infrastructure. It's not just the huge savings for a fixed number of users that should be taken into account, it's also important to consider the savings that Amazon WorkSpaces provides by adapting to the needs of your business. Provision the number of WorkSpaces you need and it will offer you the possibility to expand if necessary. In short, your users will get a better experience and functionality compared to a traditional team, and you will be able to provision them with desktops more easily and at half the cost of an on-premises VDI solution. What do you think? Did you know all the costs of on-premises VDI infrastructures and the huge savings that Amazon WorkSpaces represents? If you have any other questions,
contact us.
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