Web-Desktop

A web desktop (or Online Desktop ) is a Web application that provides a virtual desktop as a Rich Internet Application via the Internet to a local web browser.

History

The first web-based desktop was by Andy Bovingdon and Ronald Record for SCO (Santa Cruz Operation ) developed in 1993 for Unix. It followed the SUN ONE Webtop, which presented the StarOffice desktop with its integrated browser. This already went through the online editor also. Currently, Java or JavaScript / Ajax applications are developed primarily. Nivio recently has developed client for the Windows operating system, the web-based server concept of thin.

Compare Web Desktop vs.. local desktop

Benefits

Convenience: A person equipped desktop on each supported device.

Mobility: access to the desktop anywhere, from any supported device.

Sitzungensverwaltung: Due to the session management on the server side, the user can save his session and restore it to another device.

Software Management: The delivery of applications is done centrally, all clients use the same versions and programs and updates must not be distributed over the network.

Security:

  • Less prone to typical attacks, such as viruses and worms
  • Important data is stored on a secure server and not on many, potentially unsafe and vulnerable clients (eg smart phones and laptops )
  • Encrypted data exchange between server and clients ( for example, HTTPS )
  • The software management ( above) allows a quick and easy security management of the server

Availability:

  • Minimum hardware requirements for the client ( except for rendering technology such as Flash / Flex / Silverlight)
  • Less down time - server can be easily protected and the probability of failure of the server is lower than the plurality of client desktops
  • Fault tolerance - if a client fails, it can be replaced by another supported client, without data, configuration or application access to lose.

Disadvantages

Safety: Because all of the data sent over the internet, it is possible for an attacker to intercept the data and may also be read. By https 256-bit encryption, and an access control list, this should be avoided.

Speed: When using a Web desktops all the code for Visualization ( JavaScript files, stylesheets, Flash animations, etc., etc. ) must be transferred to the local computer to be shown. Furthermore, latency or congestion slow down the web desktop activities.

Program features: Some web desktop applications may have limited functionality as their desktop counterparts.

Network Access: Web desktops need internet access. If the client is configured incorrectly or the network is not available, and the web desktop is not available.

Controlled access: Some web desktop access of certain users to certain programs and data may be limited. This will be perceived as an advantage both from an administrative standpoint, but also from the user's perspective as a disadvantage.

Centralized control: The normal web desktop user is not able to install additional programs or update existing programs. Updates must normally be performed by an administrator. Thus, the users are not able to lay hands on the system itself, but are dependent on the administrators. This can also be seen as an advantage.

Comparison of web - desktops

The following list gives a rough overview of existing Web desktops. The respective articles on the products provide more detailed information. This list may not be complete nor up to date If you expect your own desktop computer in the browser, likely to be disappointed. Thus, for example, the browser from the host pc for pop-up window is shared. This kind of systems is not comparable to a sandbox.

  • Web application
  • Computer Networks
Online rich-text editor Desktop-Computer Sandbox (computer security) Qooxdoo NX technology Netvibes Online OS Eclipse Public License Kubuntu
621243
de