Amazon Web Services (AWS) has today launched Amazon WorkSpaces, a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solution with data all stored in the cloud, at its AWS re:Invent show in Las Vegas.

In the morning keynote Andy Jassy, AWS senior vice president, announced the launch alongside giving a few soundbites about how far ahead of the pack Amazon is – as well as an obligatory pot shot at cloud competitor IBM.

Amazon WorkSpaces, as Jassy explained, aims to go where previous VDI technology has failed, because the sector hasn’t taken off in the way it should have done. 

“You get to live that dream of centrally managing your desktops, but with no hardware, no software, no infrastructure, and no long term commitments,” Jassy said.

WorkSpaces has a flexible structure, with customers able to consume licences from Amazon, or use licences bought already. Importantly, as all the data resides in the cloud …