Portal Desktop technology and Hosted Desktop are not at the heart of a philosophical debate over which is the more promising cloud computing platform. This isn't Betamax vs. VHS, PC vs. Mac, or even Verizon vs. the AT&T approach to 4G.
Hosted Desktop vs. Portal Desktop is really just a simple comparison of what technology was like fifteen years ago and where it is today.
In theory, it is possible to build a Hosted Desktop that will do everything that a Portal Desktop will do (though in some cases not quite as well), but why go to the expense and trouble of custom building functionality that already exists, and is proven reliable?
As you explore our site you'll find a number places where we shine a light on Portal Desktop technology vs. Hosted Desktop so you can make a well-considered decision. The comparison that follows will give you a pretty good top-line. For most people, that's all they need to appreciate how great the disparity is.
Designed for Win-based and Web-based Apps
Portal Desktop: As you know, this is the platform that works with any application, including custom apps. One click and it takes you directly to any Web-based application.
In fact, OS33 has a built-in Cloud File Folder. This gives you secure access to your corporate file system from within a browser, which means you have instant integration with Office Web Applications (Office 365), as well as three ways to open files: through a hosted application via Citrix, Web-based, or by downloading any file to your local computer.
Hosted Desktop: Hosted Desktop was essentially the alpha test for a someday-cloud-computing world. A world that would be designed around (they thought) Windows applications. There is no built-in interoperability for Web applications, but then the Windows desktop was originally created to work with Windows-based apps.
A browser can be built-into a Hosted Desktop to give you access to the world of Web applications, but in this configuration you and your staff are required to first reroute yourselves through your Windows platform before arriving where you want to go. "Yes driver, take me to Wrigley Field." "Certainly. I'll just drive you out to O'Hare Field first, then swing back around." Your rerouting journey will be much quicker than a trip to O'Hare, but why should your staff be sent on any kind of detour? Why should anyone have to deal with unnecessary latency issues?
Integrated Collaboration Tools
Portal Desktop: All of your files and folders, Web-based and Windows, are available to share. Even in real-time. The OS33 Portal Desktop has SharePoint 2010 already built in. You have group folders file sharing in Windows, as well as Outlook public folders.
You're ready to go with Outlook Public Folders, an Employee Directory, Announcement Board, and Shared Shortcuts can be assigned to specific departments, or the entire company.
Hosted Desktop: There are no built-in collaboration tools. SharePoint is not built-in. There are neither built-in Shared Shortcuts nor a built-in Employee Directory.
Self-service User and Group administration
Portal Desktop: You can set up a new user in just minutes. Everything from assigning applications, establishing an email account, adding your new employee to the company directory, loading collaboration tools, selecting and deploying mobile connectivity options, and managing their permissions can be done in short order.
You can manage aliases. Reply-to addresses. Set up email address templates. Resource mailboxes, public folders and distribution lists.
You can also assign people to groups, such as their department group to give them access to group file/folder. You can designate an employee to be a Group Manager with little more effort than checking a box and hitting "save."
In Personal Folders you can give someone else, such as their assistant, access to their personal files.
With but a few clicks each group can have their own file folders, email distribution list, Outlook public folder, applications, shortcuts and announcements, and email aliases.
Hosted Desktop: There are no built-in self-service administration capabilities. No built-in application assignment or provisioning. No built-in integrated file access rights for groups. There are no built-in productivity enhancing administration capabilities at all.
Security Options
Portal Desktop: You can control passwords, log-in access, privacy levels, password resets, time-based access rights, IP access rights. You can do all these things quickly, and easily, and without being highly technical.
Hosted Desktop: There are no built-in self-service capabilities for managing security options.
Customizable and Company-branded
Portal Desktop: Your company can customize and brand your Portal. You can add links to any website, add gadgets, or give it an iGoogle look/framework, turning it into a business version of iGoogle.
Hosted Desktop: There are no built-in customizable capabilities.
Built-in Help Desk and ticketing system
Portal Desktop: One click and you have a Help Desk ticket ready for you to fill in and report on your issue. The status of your request is also posted to your portal, and company managers can see every request for their entire organization.
If need be, you can turn over control of your computer to a Support Technician.
Hosted Desktop: It does not come with a built-in Help Desk ticketing system. Because each Hosted Desktop is put together differently, depending upon who builds it, anyone trying to resolve an IT issue has to first figure out the design of your Hosted Desktop. Not a fast way to work.
Recent changes, Auditing and Compliance
Portal Desktop: One great convenience of the Portal Desktop is an audit trail. This tracks users, groups, and the company as a whole. Every change is recorded and tracked to insure accountability, and it gives you easy access to the information you need come audit time.
Hosted Desktop: Tracking is limited to Active Directory. There is no built-in feature set for doing this.
Real world Performance
Portal Desktop: The reliability of the OS33 Portal Desktop is well proven. It has been in use for almost ten years now. Many thousands of people, on four continents, are working with it right now.
Hosted Desktop: Many thousands of people are also working with Hosted Desktops. The extent to which they are pleased is directly related to those features their companies went to the trouble and expense to build into them. Very rarely will you find a Hosted Desktop that comes close to matching the end user and administration capabilities that are already built into the OS33 Portal Desktop.
