What is Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)?

In the past few years, we have witnessed a virtual explosion in the number of devices, dramatic change in the way end-users consume IT and a rise in workforce which is mobile and prefers to work from the location of their convenience. This has led enterprises to devise a strategy that accommodates the growing needs of mobile workforce. Enterprises are now faced with the challenge to strike a balance between windows-only and platform-agnostic applications, enterprise network and public internet, enterprise owned devices and user-owned devices. However, achieving a balance while addressing the needs of end-users is a challenge and complex process.

Enterprises are increasingly looking at virtualization technologies to provide the right answers to these issues. A recent Research and Markets report states that “the global desktop virtualization market is projected to reach US$28.345 billion in 2022, increasing from US$6.276 billion in 2016 at a CAGR of 28.57%.”

What is Virtual Desktop Infrastructure?

As opposed to a standard desktop infrastructure that stores data and runs applications locally on your machine, a virtual desktop infrastructure is a technology that delivers virtual desktops in the end-user computing environment. These virtual machines/desktops are relayed on thin or zero clients as images of data and applications which are stored remotely on a central server on a public, private or hybrid Cloud.

The VDI environment segregates desktop operating system, applications, and data from the hardware, and offers a robust, secure, flexible yet affordable desktop solution. The virtualization software creates desktop images and enables access to end-users over a network.

In the VDI environment, virtual desktops are provisioned based upon user-group profiling which ensures that end-users have an uninterrupted access to role-specific applications and data via a customized interface. Since data and applications reside on a central server, management becomes simple. All bug fixes, policy and software upgrades are applied only on the centrally stored golden images ensuring security and compliance adherence for all end-users. The ability to provide consistently high application availability in an anywhere, anytime, and across any device improves end-user experience and productivity.

Why enterprises should adopt Virtual Desktop Infrastructure?

Enterprises should adopt VDI for the following reasons.

• Anytime, anywhere, any device access to data and applications – As applications and data are stored on central servers, this enables access independent of the time, place and device enabling end-users enjoy flexible yet secure application availability.
• Simplified management – Centralized storage of data and applications enable IT to manage desktops in an extremely efficient manner. Since user profiles are also stored centrally, rolling out OS, application and bug fixes are simplified.
• Secure access – End-users only have access to applications and data specific to their roles as a result of role-based user profile creation and policy adherence. This also enables enterprises in providing contract employees and partners with secured access to relevant data and applications.
• Rapid disaster recovery and business continuity – In the event of a disaster, virtual desktops can be provisioned from the centralized backup, thereby ensuring business continuity.
• Reduced costs – If properly designed and implemented, VDI are often lower in cost than PCs on a total cost of ownership (TCO) basis.

Some of the use cases/ business requirements where Virtual Desktop Infrastructure is particularly suited,

• Supporting remote users who need access to core applications
• Temporary/makeshift offices
• Flexibility to rapidly ramp-up/ramp-down
• Simplify licensing and compliance
• Looking for next generation infrastructure at PC/hardware refresh cycle
• Implementing a BYOD policy
• Providing uninterrupted connectivity to remote branch offices that have poor bandwidth connectivity
• Require a versatile setup for Developers, Contractors and Training requirements
• Need high security to protect customer data or proprietary intellectual properties
• Not wanting to invest in large internal IT team with specialized skills

The versatility and flexibility of virtual desktop infrastructure helps enterprises in addressing the demands of their end-users while ensuring security, compliance and ease of management. Some of the technologies used require specialized skills and enterprise often work with specialized partners who can design, deploy and manage virtual desktops and deliver high quality end user experience.

As a recognized specialist in cloud and virtualization technologies, Anunta helps enterprises address today’s application delivery challenges by migrating them from traditional client-server architecture to a unified desktop and application services environment. Our solutions are focused on simplifying IT and maximizing performance and availability at the user end, at an optimum cost. Our decades of expertise in virtualization technologies and a track record in transforming and managing over 80,000 endpoints for more than 120,000 users, make us the virtualization solutions provider of choice for leading enterprises, for large, complex transformations across industry verticals.

Learn more about our virtualization solutions and domain expertise on anuntatech.