Amazon WorkSpaces is a technology that allows deployment of virtual machines in the cloud. It comes with a client application that enables remote desktop access to the workspace. You can choose either a Linux-based OS or Windows. This is exactly what I was looking for: isolated environments that are easy to create and manage.

I gave it a try, and here are my thoughts:

The good things:

• I tried the Windows-based system, and it comes with a license, so there is no need to worry about that. If you have your own license, there is an option for that as well.
• The client application is very good. The one in the web browser gets confused with the modifier keys, but the standalone application works very well.
• The internet connection on that machine is excellent. Downloads and uploads were faster than anything I have ever experienced.

The bad things:

• Initial setup. The idea is simple, but the amount of configuration is overwhelming when it’s done for the first time. WorkSpaces require Active Directory, which incurs additional costs. There is a special offering for small setups, but it is not available in all regions. The documentation feels like it is meant for systems administrators, so it was not always easy for me to follow.
• Cost. I prefer per-hour billing, which is only part of the price. Each workspace also comes with an upfront cost, which is not ideal for me. The overall price is much higher than the price for EC2.
• The Windows installation on the machine is a little different from the one I know from laptops. It is based on Windows Server and has some interesting “features.” Internet Explorer still appears in some situations. There is no Store application, and there is no default application for viewing images.
• The workspace is located in the data center, and this has some consequences when browsing the Internet. Some sites simply don’t let me access them from that machine, probably assuming that traffic from a data center is nothing more than bots.

I spent a few days with one workspace on a machine with average performance. Even just those few days bumped my bill up by around $30. This is the main reason I abandoned the idea. I don’t see how this setup could work for me in the long term, especially that I prefer to have multiple isolated workspaces.

I will keep looking for other solutions.