With SharePoint Online becoming more and more popular, many companies are asking the question which is better cloud storage or a hosted desktop? If your company is using a hosted desktop but are thinking about replacing it with something faster, more flexible and secure which allows for better organisation, then the benefits of SharePoint and its powerful document management capabilities could be what you need.
Definition of both solutions:
Microsoft SharePoint Online is a collection of cloud and web-based technologies that makes it easy to store, share and manage digital information within an organisation.
A hosted desktop solution provides your entire desktop including Microsoft Office and any other application your business runs all in the cloud. This is accessible on any device with an internet connection and access your personalised desktop exactly as it is today from anywhere.
How they differ:
The most substantial differences between the two solutions are as follows:
Pricing – A hosted desktop is more expensive per user per month compared to SharePoint Online there is no infrastructure costs.
Flexibility – SharePoint Online offers file storage in the cloud, giving your staff the flexibility to securely access your organisational files and folders from your desktop, tablet, smartphone, etc. via a web browser or desktop application. All you need is access to an internet connection to be able to access to your desktop. Whereas with a hosted desktop you have to be connected to your office’s internet connection to use it.
Collaboration – SharePoint Online allows your users to edit and collaborate on files locally on their laptops and desktops without the need for re-learning a new system. Hosted desktops do not have this option. Hosted desktops do not have this feature.
Security – SharePoint takes care of all updates regularly for you to make sure that it is the most up to date version to enhance it’s overall security. Most hosted desktop solutions offer full maintenance and monitoring, including patching, anti-virus, anti-spyware and anti-malware for ongoing protection.
Features – With SharePoint, you can retrieve previous versions of files with the click of a button. If you edit a document accidentally, or you edited the wrong file, and you need the previous unedited document, you can retrieve it at the click of a button.
Support – With Microsoft’s support, they can tend to be a bit slower on response due to the popularity of their services, however, if your personal IT Support company is reliable and dedicated there should not be an issue with the support you receive! With hosted desktop providers, they are usually significantly smaller and therefore could be more invested in their quality of client support, but may not be as professional or knowledgeable compared Microsoft.
If you are interested in moving over to SharePoint from a hosted desktop, please contact us on [email protected] or 0203 904 3464 and one of our technical account managers will be in touch with you as soon as possible!
