According to a survey by Markets and Markets, the desktop virtualization market will almost double between 2017 and 2022.
More and more companies are moving their desktop computing onto virtualized machines, for several reasons. Let’s look at what a virtual desktop is and some of its benefits.
What is Desktop Virtualization?
Desktop virtualization is a software-based version of a typical desktop PC environment. This “virtual” desktop works the same way a physical PC does but it runs on a high-powered server by provisioning a portion of its resources to each user.
This lets users access their desktop environment from any device connected to the network, allowing much better cross-platform compatibility. For example, a user can access a Windows-based virtual desktop from a device like an iPhone or iPad.
Benefits of Virtualized Desktops
Virtualized desktops offer many advantages over a physical workstation. These benefits include the following items.
Easier to Manage
Virtual PCs are easier for IT teams to manage. Because these “workstations” are completely software-based, you can configure them however you want.
You can assign more or less RAM, storage, and processing cycles as needed. This lets IT make changes on the fly, without having to make any changes to physical hardware.
Cost Savings
Virtual desktop services let you reduce your capital expenditures since you no longer need to buy hardware and upgrade your workstations every couple of years.
And because the bulk of the processing is handled by the virtual server, users don’t need very powerful devices to access them. This lets you use older, less powerful hardware for longer.
Higher Productivity
Virtual environments let users log in anytime, from anywhere they need to work. As long as they have a connection to the network — usually through the internet — they can be productive.
This makes it easy to accommodate flexible schedules and remote work environments.
Cross-Device Support
Because applications run on the virtual desktop server, the device used to connect to it can run on any platform. As long as it offers virtual desktop support, it can connect.
This lets your users choose devices that might not fit into a traditional IT plan. If they prefer to use a Mac, iPad, or another device, they can still run industry-standard software like Windows through a virtual desktop connection.
Better Security
Because the desktop image runs independently of the hardware people use to connect to it, there’s less chance of security risks affecting those users.
The virtual desktop server can run on a more tightly controlled security model without impacting usability. Corporate IT departments can lock things down more tightly without requiring more end-user support.
Scalability
Because virtual desktops are completely software-based, it’s easy to scale them up or down as needed. If you need more memory, storage, or processing power, you can deploy a new virtual machine (VM) quickly, without any hardware changes.
This lets you scale up for short-term needs such as a large project or product launch, then reduce your resources again once things level out.
Virtualization Models
There are three different models for desktop virtualization:
- Virtual Desktop Infrastructure
- Remote Desktop Services
- Desktop-as-a-Service
They all provide a similar experience to the end-user but they go about it in different ways.
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
With a VDI setup, the operating system runs on a VM that’s hosted on a remote server. The desktop image is transferred over the network to the user’s device, where they can access everything as if it were running locally.
With this model, every user gets their own dedicated VM with a certain amount of memory, storage, and other resources. Each VM can also run different operating systems if necessary.
Remote Desktop Services (RDS)
In an RDS setup, users access the desktop and any apps they need to run through the Windows Server operating system.
From their perspective, there’s no difference from a VDI environment. The difference with RDS is that a single instance supports multiple users at the same time. The number is only limited by the resources available on the server.
Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS)
With a DaaS setup, a cloud-based backend hosts the VM. With a system like Desktop as a Service by Mathe, your users get a similar experience but the flexibility of cloud computing makes it much easier and faster to scale up and down as needed.
DaaS virtual desktops are also faster to deploy than the other two options. The cost is based on actual usage so you only pay for what you use.
How to Choose the Best Model for Your Needs
One of the main benefits of VDI is that it delivers the desktop and operating system (usually Windows 10) to the user’s device, no matter what they’re using. It’s a virtualized version of a familiar model so it’s easier for some IT departments to work with.
The biggest drawback to VDI is the cost since you need to spin up a separate VM for each user.
RDS offers a similar environment for the end user but the backend is quite different. Because it’s running on Windows Server, your IT team needs to be familiar with it. The applications you use also need to support the server environment, which isn’t the case with VDI.
If you have multiple users connecting to the VM, RDS will be more cost-effective since it’s a multi-user environment.
DaaS offers all the benefits of cloud computing — fast deployment, scalability and flexibility, and usage-based pricing. And because it runs on cloud-based servers, most of the management is handled by the cloud provider — not your IT staff.
DaaS is a relative newcomer to the virtualization world but is quickly becoming the most popular choice.
Improve Your Productivity at a Lower Cost With Virtualization
Desktop virtualization is a good way to reduce your costs while providing more flexibility. Once you make the switch, you’ll likely find your users will become more productive and your IT team will spend less time supporting them, freeing them up for more valuable work.
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