Would You Run Windows 7 in the Cloud? Amazon Thinks You Would

Just after reporting today that the Private Cloud is expected to win handily over the Public Cloud, Amazon Web Services announced the release of a new Desktop Computing in the Cloud service called Amazon WorkSpaces. We've heard rumors about similar services coming from other vendors, but Amazon has been able to draw first blood.

Amazon, an online retailer, has become the king of the Cloud. If there's one thing Amazon does right, it's everything, so I expect this new service to be stellar.

The idea behind running a desktop in the Cloud is that business users can use any device (laptops, iPad, Kindle Fire, and Android tablets) to spin up a virtual computing environment and have access to a Windows 7 desktop. This gives them access to documents, applications and resources, just as if they were sitting in the office, their hand attached to a desk by the mouse cord.

Pricing is on a per-user, per-month, pay-as-you-go basis and offers different levels of options:

Obviously, this is a part time solution for temps or contractors, because based on the math and the limited application options, the cost could outweigh a physical piece of hardware. But, this probably makes more sense as a BYOD solution, allowing business users to use personal devices to access corporate resources.

You can read more about it, and sign-up for a Preview here: Amazon WorkSpaces

Or, just watch the video to get an understanding of what they are actually offering.