---
title: "Amazon Workspaces"
type: entity
tags:
  - AWS
  - End-User-Computing
  - Virtual-Desktop
  - VDI
sources:
  - public-cloud-learning-sessions-aws-end-user-compute-services-20240430-160120-mee
  - ctp-topic-6-aws-workspaces-demo
last_updated: 2026-05-11
---

## Amazon Workspaces

Amazon Workspaces is an AWS-managed **fully persistent virtual desktop** service that provides cloud-based Windows or Ubuntu desktops. It is part of the [[AWS-End-User-Computing]] portfolio and is designed for knowledge workers who need a complete desktop environment.

## Key Characteristics

| Feature | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| **Persistence** | Fully persistent — application states and user settings persist between sessions |
| **Instance model** | One-to-one instance management |
| **OS support** | Ubuntu and Windows |
| **Protocol** | WSP (Workspaces Streaming Protocol) — designed for high-latency networks |
| **Deployment** | Deployed from bundles; users can install applications with appropriate permissions |
| **Network** | Each workspace has two network interfaces (service VPC managed by AWS + customer VPC) |
| **Cost control** | Auto-stop feature to reduce idle costs |

## Use Cases
- Knowledge workers needing full desktop environment
- Hybrid workforces
- BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) users
- Developers
- Compute-intensive workloads

## Security Features
- Active Directory integration
- Encryption
- IAM profiles
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Device certificates
- VPC Interface Endpoints for private connectivity

## Disaster Recovery
- Build out workspaces in another AWS region for cross-region DR
- Refer to [[Disaster-Recovery]] and [[RTO]]/[[RPO]] metrics

## Connections
- [[AWS-End-User-Computing]] ← is_a ← [[Amazon-Workspaces]]
- [[ctp-topic-6-aws-workspaces-demo]] ← extends ← [[Amazon-Workspaces]]
- [[AppStream-2]] ← compared_to ← [[Amazon-Workspaces]] (persistent vs. selective persistence)

## Sources
- [[public-cloud-learning-sessions-aws-end-user-compute-services-20240430-160120-mee]]
- [[ctp-topic-6-aws-workspaces-demo]]