Amazon WorkSpaces

Amazon WorkSpaces is a managed, secure Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) solution. It helps you provision virtual, cloud-based Microsoft Windows or Linux desktops for your users, known as WorkSpaces. This service eliminates the need to procure and deploy hardware or install complex software. You can quickly add or remove users as your needs change. Users can access their virtual desktops from multiple devices, including computers and tablets.

General Concepts

• Fully Managed Service: WorkSpaces is a completely managed service. You don't need to worry about the underlying infrastructure, hardware, or software management.

• Directory Integration: To manage users, WorkSpaces requires a directory. You can:

  • Create a standalone, managed directory within the service.

  • Integrate with your existing on-premises Active Directory environment for seamless user authentication and access to corporate resources.

• Bundles: WorkSpaces are launched from bundles. A bundle includes a hardware configuration (CPU, memory, storage) and the software (operating system, applications) for the WorkSpace. You can choose from pre-defined bundles or create your own custom bundles.

• Bring Your Own License (BYOL): You have the option to bring your own existing Windows desktop licenses to WorkSpaces, which can help reduce costs.

Billing and Pricing

• Pay-As-You-Go: You are charged based on the bundle type and the number of WorkSpaces launched.

• Billing Options: WorkSpaces offers two billing options:

  • Monthly Billing: A fixed monthly fee for unlimited usage, suitable for users who use their WorkSpaces as their primary desktop.

  • Hourly Billing: A small fixed monthly fee per WorkSpace plus a low hourly rate for the time the WorkSpace is actively being used. This is ideal for part-time users or for short-term projects.

Storage

• Persistent Storage: Each WorkSpace comes with persistent storage in the form of SSD volumes in the AWS cloud. This means that user data and settings are saved and available every time they log in.

• Automatic Backups: Data stored on the user volume (D: on Windows, /home on Linux) is automatically and regularly backed up to Amazon S3. This provides data durability and protection against data loss.

• Volume Management:

  • You can increase the size of the root and user volumes after a WorkSpace has been launched.

  • However, you cannot reduce the size of the volumes after launch.

Security and Connectivity

• Secure Protocol: WorkSpaces uses the PC-over-IP (PCoIP) protocol to compress, encrypt, and encode the user's desktop experience and transmit it as a "pixels-as-a-stream" to the user's device. This ensures a secure and high-quality experience.

• Image Sharing: You can create a custom image from a WorkSpace and share it with other AWS accounts. This allows for consistent configurations and application deployments across different environments.

• Application Management: The Amazon WorkSpaces Application Manager (WAM) is a service that allows you to package, deploy, and manage applications for your WorkSpaces. This simplifies application lifecycle management.

• Personalization and Control:

  • Users can personalize their WorkSpaces by installing applications and changing settings.

  • Administrators have the option to lock down a WorkSpace, preventing users from making changes and ensuring a consistent, controlled environment. This is useful for compliance or security requirements.