Workplaces are changing. Today, no one needs to learn how we, as a global society, reinvented so many processes and workflow functions to get through the lockdown; it was a realignment that, in many ways, reflected changes in the workplace since the PC revolution began half a century ago. In other words, if a job, task or function can be digitized, automated and managed electronically, then we generally benefit. more control over it.

This, of course, is a large part of why desktop virtualization is proliferating. The ability to provide organizations of all kinds with cloud-based desktop services is something that managed service providers have provided and refined as the cloud model itself eventually becomes a de facto technology standard.

Nerdio, an organization that works directly with MSPs to simplify their management of Microsoft 365 services, among other technologies, is working to provide Azure Virtual Desktop management for what it now calls “modern work” capabilities. The Nerdio Manager platform for MSP has now been updated with these modern working features along with an updated pricing model.

What is endpoint streamlining?

The company says this late 2024 enhancement allows MSPs to manage their customers’ entire Microsoft 365 environments with options to streamline endpoint management and gain complete control over devices to improve overall operational efficiency.

When Nerdio talks about “endpoint streamlining” in this sense, it means being able to create and delete user accounts for virtual desktops and physical desktops that are no longer in use. It also involves automating aspects such as authentication, managing updates and patches, running configuration fixes, and troubleshooting system anomalies and related issues. On the latter point, Nerdio Console Connect is a remote control feature for troubleshooting issues on physical and virtual endpoints.

“We’re making it easier than ever for MSPs to manage their clients’ cloud infrastructure in one place, while ensuring high-level security and compliance,” said Vadim Vladimirskiy, CEO of Nerdio. “By integrating the full Microsoft 365 environment into Nerdio Manager for MSP and partnering with CIS, we provide a comprehensive cloud management suite designed to simplify operations and improve security. »

Baselines, policies and management

With the addition of Modern Work features, Nerdio Manager for MSP provides baselines, policies, and management controls for Microsoft Teams, OneDrive/SharePoint, and Exchange Online. This means centralized management of settings, file storage, email and compliance policies so that collaboration and data management happens at the right time. Work in line with Center for Internet Security (CIS) – a New York-based non-profit dedicated to cyber protection – Nerdio also claims to have simplified the application of identity management and security policies across multiple environments.

Nerdio also now offers a flexible commercial pricing model designed to accommodate MSPs of all sizes, as there is a new per-customer or per-tenant pricing structure. This allows MSPs to pay a flat rate regardless of the number of users, making managing the entire client environment (whether small or large) more predictable and affordable.

“At Kite Technology Group, the new per-tenant pricing model has given us the flexibility to grow without worrying about costs increasing with each new user,” said Adam Atwell, Chief Technology Officer at Kite Technology Group. “The ability to manage our customers’ entire Microsoft 365 environments has simplified our operations and allowed us to focus on providing a better service experience to our customers.

Are virtual offices the future?

We don’t need to ask Nerdio if virtual desktop services are the future of computing – it’s the company’s bread & butter, of course it’s sold on this vision – but we We can look at the broader trends at play here and try to assess why. Organizations in any vertical could find this approach effective, productivity-efficient, and cost-effective.

As the entire end-user IT spectrum continues to evolve with many services coming from the cloud model or accelerated by AI automations (or both), the concept of virtual desktop infrastructure is being popularized because of its ability to help businesses scale. its generally more powerful disaster recovery features, rapid integration efficiency, and security. But in reality, the main advantage is its virtual nature and the fact that it means employees can work from anywhere thanks to remote application streaming services, which sort of brings us back to the where we were in the reference to confinement.

Real-world devices and desktop installations of your favorite operating system will still exist for use cases that require it for a very long time, but virtual delivery has become part of our computing culture, from gaming to computer processing. text to spreadsheets and everything in between.