Adding extra apps, desktops and storage

Because ThinkGrid is a cloud service, you can add more desktops quickly, just by paying for more users. But you can also add more to the desktops you already have; you can add more storage or extra applications like Visio, Project, Dreamweaver or Dynamics from the online control panel – and if there’s an app you need virtualised that ThinkGrid doesn’t already stream, they can set that up for you.

If some users run demanding applications you can pay to have another CPU core devoted to running the virtual desktops. And when business gets quiet you can scale back just as easily; if you need extra seasonal workers or if your finance team needs access to additional software or faster systems during the annual audit, cloud lets you do that without buying hardware and software you’re stuck with afterwards.

Desktops in the cloud don’t solve every problem. You do still needs PCs (or Macs) with an OS to run the virtual desktops on, and while that could be Linux you still have to manage that OS. You need good network connectivity; while websites and online services loaded very quickly, on a typical DSL connection using the Office apps wasn’t as fast as running an app locally.

Hosted desktops give you control and simplicity at a predictable price and that may outweigh the disadvantages for you.