What is Device As A Service (DaaS)?

Device as a Service (DaaS) has become extremely popular among organizations today because of the many benefits the approach affords them. 

If you’re not fully aware of the DaaS concept, understanding how it works and the business advantages it can bring isn’t always clear. That’s why we’ve compiled this short Device as a Service guide.

What is Device As A Service?

In a nutshell, DaaS is when devices, such as desktop PCs, laptops, smartphones, and even software, are provided to a business as a paid service.

If you’re familiar with the various Technology as a Service (TaaS) offerings, then the Device as a Service model will be straightforward to understand. DaaS provides an intuitive alternative to a business purchasing devices, setting them up, giving them to its users, and then ultimately replacing them at the end of their life. With DaaS, businesses effectively lease the equipment for the duration of its useful lifetime. 

However, DaaS goes several steps further than the traditional hardware leasing model by offering additional value-add services. Inventory monitoring, remote device management, network analytics, security and compliance reporting, and software patch management are just some of the additional services businesses can take advantage of with DaaS.

So a Device as a Service contract doesn’t just cover the hardware itself, rather it provides a complete hardware management package.

Device As A Service Benefits

For businesses, the benefits of DaaS offerings are numerous, which makes them an attractive option. 

Here are some of the main benefits of DaaS:

Simplified IT management

The Device as a Service model simplifies IT management by outsourcing this often labor-intensive role to a third-party provider. So instead of spending time on tasks like configuring devices and rolling out updates, internal IT teams can instead focus on the projects that drive real business value.

Predictable monthly costs

With DaaS, the cost of purchasing IT hardware shifts from being a capital expenditure (CapEx) to an operating expenditure (OpEx). This allows for more predictable, per-user, per-month pricing. This not only potentially reduces the total cost of ownership (TCO) but also enables a business to better manage its budget.

Easy scalability with DaaS model

There are times when businesses need to scale up and scale down their physical devices as the need arises. With DaaS, businesses can do this quickly and cost-effectively as needed, without having to make a large CapEx in new equipment that might only be needed temporarily.

Access to the latest technology

Business users inevitably want to be utilizing the latest technology and providing it is actually something that can set companies apart in the race to secure the latest talent. DaaS offerings enable businesses to always have the latest hardware, which means there is no risk of devices falling behind the requirements of business-critical applications.

Increased productivity

Motivated by being able to use the latest technology and empowered with the right devices for their needs, employees often operate more productively. For example, field sales teams usually require portability and long battery life, while office-based design staff demand high specs and the latest CAD software. With DaaS, each department’s requirements can be perfectly matched.

No more end-of-life challenges

When a piece of hardware comes to the end of its useful life, internal IT teams usually have to invest significant time and effort in decommissioning it. Gathering up the devices, securely wiping them to ensure no business data remains, and then disposing of them appropriately takes a significant amount of time and effort.

Device as a Service offerings remove this requirement completely as the cost and responsibility of end-of-life management shifts from the business to the DaaS provider.

DaaS also takes care of the problem of dealing with end-of-life hardware. The onus and cost of securely disposing of that hardware falls on the DaaS provider, not your IT department. 

Working With Device As A Service Providers

According to Grand View Research, the global Device as a Service Market was valued at $30.75 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 37.8% to reach $475.98 billion by 2028. This forecast underlines the enormous potential of Device as a Service solutions and highlights just how many organizations are likely to take advantage of them going forward.

If your business is considering partnering with a Device as a Service provider, here is a quick breakdown of what you can expect the process to entail:

• Discovery and Design – The DaaS provider will work with you to understand your business, its needs, and your users’ needs. A DaaS plan will then be drawn up accordingly.
• Configure – The DaaS provider will then obtain and configure all the devices in the plan.
• Deploy – The devices are then delivered and deployed throughout your organization, ensuring that each is fully fit for purpose from the start.
• Optimize – Devices are regularly analyzed to ensure they are functioning correctly, secure, and are right for the business user. Changes can be made if something isn’t quite perfect.
• Maintain – The DaaS provider carries out upgrades and maintenance, as well as security patches and bug fixes as needed.
• Dispose and Refresh – Devices that are end-of-life removed, cleaned, and recycled by the DaaS provider, without any interruption and very little input from the organization.

Yorktel’s Device as a Service Offerings Can Help

At Yorktel, we prioritize helping our partners obtain the perfect technology mix to meet their needs and do so at the right cost structure for their business. Our Device as a Service offering can streamline your technology acquisition model and empower your organization by providing access to powerful and collaborative technology solutions.

Interested in learning more about Device as a Service and discovering how our solutions can benefit your organization? Contact Us and talk to one of our specialist DaaS professionals to find out more.