On premises, remotely managed, host computers for virtual desktops

A method of managing a desktop hosting environment comprising:

• for each enterprise of a plurality of enterprises:
• configuring a management appliance on a service provider computer network to manage one or more virtual desktops, wherein the service provider computer network is distinct from a respective enterprise computer network for the plurality of enterprises;
• receiving at the management appliance, information about a status and available capacity of one or more desktop hosts of the enterprise computer network;
• and
• sending instructions from the management appliance on the service provider computer network, to provision virtual desktops on one or more of the desktop hosts using resources on the enterprise computer network, wherein the desktop hosts for the provisioned virtual desktops reside behind a firewall on the enterprise computer network distinct from the service provider computer network and are accessible by client devices of the enterprise.

Computer storage media storing computer program instructions that when executed by one or more computers, cause one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

• for each enterprise of a plurality of enterprises:
• configuring a management appliance on a service provider computer network to manage one or more virtual desktops, wherein the service provider computer network is distinct from a respective enterprise computer network for the plurality of enterprises;
• receiving at the management appliance, information about a status and available capacity of one or more desktop hosts of the enterprise computer network;
• and
• sending instructions from the management appliance on the service provider computer network, to provision virtual desktops on one or more of the desktop hosts using resources on the enterprise computer network, wherein the desktop hosts for the provisioned virtual desktops reside behind a firewall on the enterprise computer network distinct from the service provider computer network and are accessible by client devices of the enterprise.