why VDI?

• why VDI?

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure delivers a cost effective mode of accessing applications securely from a data center and grant access to employees around the world.
http://www.locuz.com/vdi-byod.html

• Why VDI? (5 Reasons people really use VDI)

Datacenter-based desktops, without the hassle of RDSH
The primary purpose of VDI is that you get the benefits of hosting desktops in your datacenter without the hassle of Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) / Terminal Server.




VDI Pros and Cons

A Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is designed to run desktop operating systems and applications inside virtual machines on servers in a data centre, and these are often referred to simply as virtual desktops
The virtual desktop is accessed via a desktop PC client or thin client via a remote display protocol, therefore many of the features previously loaded on local systems are still accessible but are centrally managed.

VDI Advantages / Pros
Typically, if a user experienced a PC problem previously, a member of IT staff must physically go to the PC to fix the problem. This can prove difficult if the user is at a remote site or is working out in the field. Either the IT technician must travel out to visit the user, or the PC must be sent back to the main office for repair. In either case, productivity suffers as the user no longer has a machine, or the technician is out of the office. With a VDI, most problems such as this can be dealt with remotely from within the data centre.

Desktop applications must be constantly updated, or patches and security updates frequently installed to protect systems.
On occasion, the operating system may be upgraded across the organisation
Technicians previously had to go to every PC in order to update, but a VDI enables this to be within the data centre and then rolled out across the company en masse
The VDI user is able to switch between operating environments, such as Windows 8 and Windows XP
VDI simplifies desktop management and administrative tasks as every attached workstation can use the same image.
A new user of the system can also be up and running quickly.
in the event of a single session failure for a user, a VDI allows the IT department to isolate that machine from others so that the problem does not spread.
VDI also allows the user to access business email and corporate documents from their own personal device, from anywhere.
Desktop security, backup and data protection are centralised, therefore the integrity of the applications and their data can be safeguarded at the data centre.

VDI disadvantages / cons
Implementation of a VDI requires a major investment in server hardware.
Storage and network infrastructure may also have additional cost implications, exceeding the expense of purchasing a basic PC for every individual user.
If that one server goes down, all users will be unable to work, whereas if a single PC goes down, only one user is affected

Although all workstations can use the same image, unique images are required for each of those users who needs a different set of applications or who needs the capability to save personal settings or install their own applications. This quickly multiplies the storage requirement on the VDI server.

when users download and install personal software, such as instant messaging. Difficulties can arise through the accidental downloading of malware applications. If this happens to a remote user, often the problem does not come to light for some time.

operational and support costs are lower, which can prove to be a more significant long-term saving than server hardware investment

http://hardpoint.eu/vdi-pros-and-cons

• Evaluating Your Options for Desktop Virtualization (Part 1)

VDI, or Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, is a technology in which a server is used to host desktop operating systems. This technology is similar to what is used for server virtualization, except that there is usually a mechanism in place to link users to individual virtual desktops so that each user is connected to a different virtual desktop.
http://www.virtualizationadmin.com/articles-tutorials/vdi-articles/general/evaluating-options-desktop-virtualization-part1.html

• Microsoft Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Explained

A centralized desktop delivery solution, Microsoft Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is. The concept of VDI is to store and run desktop workloads including a Windows client operating system, applications, and data in a server-based virtual machine (VM) in a data center and allow a user to interact with the desktop presented onto a user device via Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)
http://blogs.technet.com/b/yungchou/archive/2010/01/06/microsoft-virtual-desktop-infrastructure-vdi-explained.aspx