Despite today’s fragmented IT architectures, end users and systems administrators expect a seamless experience. In this post, we’ll explore several ways the IT team can create a consistent cloud computing experience.

Consider busy sales managers approaching the end of the quarter. They don’t care if the data to run sales reports is coming from a data center in Costa Rica or Boston. All they need to know is whether the sales team is on track toward achieving their quarterly bonus.

Likewise, the system administrators care about the load on the CPU, given the quarterly close and high volume of transactions. They are focused on provisioning another server instance to handle demand quickly and easily — without affecting end user experience.

Integration enables a consistent cloud computing experience

Ideally, integration enables system administrators and end users to operate uninterrupted. However, that’s not always the case. Complicated coding often connects on-premise applications with cloud applications, and this patchwork of code also complicates identity and access management. So, how can we make these processes a bit more seamless?

One option is to invest in pre-configured cloud applications. For systems administrators, pre-configured cloud applications represent a faster way to deploy many of the most popular business applications — including CRM. These applications use a single-sign-on to enable seamless integration with public, private or hybrid cloud environments.  It’s not necessary to write code; you simply configure the application.

That’s good news for desktop users, but what about mobile users? Mobile users expect application to always be live and immediately accessible. However, mobile presents a greater risk to data security.

Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) delivers a consistent mobile cloud computing experience

Aside from application performance and user experience, mobile users also expect a similar experience with their device as they do with their laptop or desktop. The challenge for systems administrators is allowing access to the data while containing its flow.

Using our earlier example, sales managers now want to view quarterly reports from their tablets. VDI has two advantages: it brings a seamless and efficient interface for end users, and it supports BYOD policies, ensuring that corporate data doesn’t find its way on to personal devices.

Regardless of device, the experience remains the same — while separating corporate from personal data.

As cloud computing gains widespread adoption, end users and systems administrators expect a seamless cloud experience. The use of pre-configured cloud apps and VDI contribute to greater accessibility for desktop and mobile users alike while delivering an efficient product.

This blog originally posted on Tech Page One.