Giving VDI a Makeover
There’s been buzz about virtual desktops for many years. As Windows XP faded in favor of Windows 7, VDI was an alternative to refreshing PCs that couldn’t run the newer OS. And as the workforce became more mobile and remote access to systems increased, VDI was an ideal way to ensure anytime, anyplace access. With shrinking IT budgets, low-cost thin clients became more attractive. Finally, the BYOD movement encouraged IT departments to investigate alternate delivery of their desktops.
There’s been buzz about virtual desktops for many years. As Windows XP faded in favor of Windows 7, VDI was an alternative to refreshing PCs that couldn’t run the newer OS. And as the workforce became more mobile and remote access to systems increased, VDI was an ideal way to ensure anytime, anyplace access. With shrinking IT budgets, low-cost thin clients became more attractive. Finally, the BYOD movement encouraged IT departments to investigate alternate delivery of their desktops.
Today, we recognize additional benefits that VDI can bring. With centralized storage independent from the end client, data is secure in a data center rather than on unsecured devices that can be stolen, lost or damaged. Seasonal and part-time workers, work-from-home arrangements and networks of branch offices make support of employee PCs a nightmare. VDI facilitates remote management, and VDI-based desktops can have the same high availability of the core data center systems.
With all the benefits of VDI, we should see virtual desktops being implemented at a phenomenal rate, right? Wrong. Only about 2 percent of all PCs are being provided virtually currently.
Why isn’t VDI catching on? Several factors have hindered adoption:
- First, the upfront cost of establishing the infrastructure to support virtual desktops can be very high. Using traditional virtualization technology, Gartner indicated that many VDI implementations were costing as much as 40 percent more than the traditional desktop implementation.
- Second, VDI introduces a new paradigm. While VDI greatly simplifies and streamlines desktop support, it introduces a new source of complexity. Many SMBs have an IT guy who’s comfortable with PC management, but they may not have the expertise to implement the infrastructure needed for virtual desktops.
- Finally, there are concerns about performance and end user satisfaction. The average employee isn’t aware of server or SAN functionality issues, but when there is latency on a desktop—when clicking the icon doesn’t immediately open the application—users notice and are unhappy.
So is VDI doomed to remain an impractical technology? Not at all.
Many cloud providers are now offering desktops-as-a-service (DaaS). While the technology behind DaaS is similar to VDI, many providers are utilizing specialized technology that makes DaaS affordable. With DaaS, a business is outsourcing the infrastructure acquisition and management to someone else. In other words, businesses can get the advantages of VDI without the hassle.
DaaS also makes the customer’s IT budget much more simple and predictable. There is no capital outlay for the underlying infrastructure. Changing resource needs don’t have huge impacts on their budget. Per-gigabyte and per-VM rates are set, so expenses are predictable when resources need to be scaled to their needs.
In the end, DaaS may be the model that finally pushes virtual desktops into the mainstream. MSPs who provide cloud services can offer far more than a technology benefit with DaaS. They can now also present a powerful business argument that balances capabilities, convenience and price.
Richard Reiffer is Vice President of Cloud Services at Zenith Infotech and CEO of Global Cloud Consulting. Monthly guest blogs such as this one are part of Talkin’ Cloud’s annual platinum sponsorship.