Hosted Desktop vs Local Infrastructure: What Should You Recommend to Your Clients?

If you’ve got clients still relying on local infrastructure, now’s the perfect time to start a conversation about Hosted Desktop - and how it can save them money, boost security, and simplify day-to-day operations.

As a Channel Host partner, Hosted Desktop isn’t just a smart solution for your clients - it’s also a great way to generate consistent, recurring revenue for your business.

Here’s a breakdown of how Hosted Desktop stacks up against traditional local setups, and why it’s a win-win for both you and your clients.

💸 1. Cost Savings Your Clients Will Notice

Local environments carry a heavy (and often underestimated) price tag. You’re looking at:

• Upfront spend on servers, firewalls, networking equipment

• Regular hardware refreshes

• Additional Support

• Separate licensing for email, antivirus, backup, and remote access

• Energy bills to keep it all running

Hosted Desktop removes the need for all of that. It rolls everything into a predictable, all-in-one monthly cost, covering:

• Application and file hosting

• Hosted Exchange or Microsoft 365 email

• Cyber security (including Anti-Virus, patching and MFA)

• Data backups

• UK-based support

For your clients, it’s leaner and more manageable. For you, it’s an opportunity to offer a higher-value, lower-risk service.

🔐 2. Enterprise-Grade Security – Without the Overhead

Cyber threats are only increasing and many SMEs relying on local servers don’t have the tools or expertise to protect themselves properly.

With Hosted Desktop, your clients benefit from:

• UK-based ISO 27001-certified data centres

• 2048-bit encryption for data at rest

• AES-256, TLS 1.2 and 1.3 encryption in transit

• 365-day backups (with 2-hour snapshots)

• Built-in firewalling, patching, and threat monitoring

Security like this is expensive to replicate on-premise — but it’s included as standard with all our Hosted Desktop environments.

🌍 3. Built for Hybrid and Remote Teams

For clients with field-based staff, hybrid workers, or satellite offices, local infrastructure creates friction.

With Hosted Desktop, every user gets access to their full desktop environment — apps, email, files — from anywhere. All they need is a device and an internet connection.

No need for VPNs or remote support tools. Everything is hosted in the cloud, and performance is consistent across the board.

⚙️ 4. No Hardware, No Hassle

Maintaining servers and local infrastructure means:

• Constant monitoring

• Regular updates and patching

• Risk of downtime or hardware failure

• Physical security considerations

With Hosted Desktop, everything is maintained by our team. You can offer clients peace of mind — and ongoing support without needing to manage on-prem kit.

🚀 5. Scales as They Grow (And You Grow With Them)

Adding users to a local setup often means new equipment, more software licences, or additional IT support.

With Hosted Desktop, scaling is simple. Add or remove users easily and you maintain predictable margins without having to constantly reconfigure infrastructure.

💬 What This Means for You as a Channel Host Partner

• Offer a modern, secure IT solution that’s perfect for today’s flexible, cloud-first world

• Provide ongoing value to clients while generating reliable monthly revenue

• Avoid the complexity of managing physical infrastructure

• Stand out from local competitors still pushing on-premise setups

• Let us handle the heavy lifting — you focus on building the relationship

✅ Want to know how to position Hosted Desktop to your clients?

We’ve got everything you need: pricing guides, comparison sheets, proposal templates — and we’re happy to jump on calls with you if you need backup.