UK outpaces US in desktop-as-a-service adoption, Nerdio finds

New research by desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) provider Nerdio indicates the United Kingdom has outpaced the United States in DaaS adoption. According to Zion Market Research, the global DaaS market is projected to reach USD $50.5 billion by 2030.

The report surveyed over 1,000 IT leaders across the UK, US, Australia, and New Zealand. It found that 77% of UK IT leaders reported increased willingness from their leadership teams to invest in new technologies following a successful DaaS implementation. This contrasts with the US, where DaaS adoption is less prevalent despite a higher general use of virtual desktops.

In the UK, 82% of organisations use virtual desktops, with 42% opting for cloud VDI or DaaS solutions, 12% relying solely on on-premises setups, and 38% choosing a hybrid approach. Meanwhile, 85% of US companies use virtual desktops, but only 38% have fully adopted cloud VDI or DaaS.

UK IT leaders identified several primary motivations for migrating to a cloud VDI or DaaS setup. These include reducing the risk of data breaches (76%), lowering the company's carbon footprint (76%), reducing costs (81%), facilitating flexible working (86%), and enhancing productivity (85%).

The research highlights the sustainability advantages of a cloud setup. Compared to two years ago, 52% of UK IT leaders felt increased pressure from senior management to ensure sustainable IT practices. In this context, 68% of UK IT leaders stated that a DaaS model helps or would help their organisation meet its sustainability goals. Additionally, 67% reported that the ability to demonstrate a shift towards more sustainable IT practices would benefit their careers.

Conversely, the US shows a greater awareness of carbon emissions, with 48% of IT leaders measuring cloud-related carbon emissions and adjusting workloads accordingly, compared to only 34% in the UK.

In practical application, Make-A-Wish UK has successfully utilised Nerdio Manager for Enterprise in its digital transformation efforts. According to Oliver Wilson, Technology & Workplace Lead at Make-A-Wish UK, the organisation has seen significant benefits in energy efficiency and cost savings. Wilson said, "We wanted to implement a BYOD/thin client strategy as part of our digital transformation effort to better enable and empower our amazing volunteers to fulfil the Make-a-Wish mission in a safe, secure, reliable way."

"As a not-for-profit, we're always looking for ways to do more with less. The less we spend on IT infrastructure, hardware, and software, the more we can put towards granting the wishes of the over 60,000 children in the UK diagnosed with a critical condition. Nerdio Manager for Enterprise is an irreplaceable tool in our stack that consistently pays for itself and saves us money across the organisation."

Joseph Landes, Chief Revenue Officer of Nerdio, commented on the findings: "The rapid adoption of DaaS in the UK is a testament to the transformative power of cloud technology. Amidst a challenging economic climate, it is vital that IT leaders are able to streamline infrastructure, continue to facilitate flexible work, address carbon emissions, and protect their systems from attacks. DaaS is paving the way for a more efficient, productive, and sustainable future for businesses across a vast array of industries."