What is Virtual Desktop Infrastructure [VDI]?Compute
23 March 2021 4 min read
By:
Jordan Shamir, Offering Manager
Share this page on Twitter Share this page on Facebook Share this page on LinkedIn E-mail this page
An examination of virtual desktop infrastructure, how it works, and the benefits it brings.
There are large changes happening within the work landscape as work from home andhybrid cloudecosystems are becoming commonplace. With the sprawl of employees and environments, it has become difficult to administer the manageability, security, and infrastructure requirements needed to keep a business running. Due to these challenges, IT leaders are looking for tools that securely ease the management of these environments without breaking the bank.Virtual desktop infrastructure[VDI] is that tool.
What isVDIand how does it work?
Virtual desktop infrastructure[VDI] is the creation and management ofdesktop environmentsand applications that allow employees to work and access applications and services outside the office, in the office, or from a remote location.VirtualizationsolutionssupportVDIdeploymentsthrough creating a virtual compute system known asvirtual machines[VMs] that allows organizations to run multiple applications andoperating systemson a singlephysical serverin adata center.VDIis enabled through hosting adesktopoperating system such asMicrosoftWindows Desktop withinVMsthat all run on a host server.
By using thedesktopoperating systemhosted on avirtual machine[VM] on a host server, IT managers can deploy their corporate data, applications, and desktops to users in a virtualdata centerand deliver them as a service via the internet. This is in contrast to traditional PCs, where a user utilizes a physical, portable personalendpointdevicefrom anon-premiseslocation.
When implementing aVDIsolution, aconnection brokerfinds a virtual desktop within the resource pool for each employee to connect to when accessing theVDIenvironment. Examples ofconnection brokersincludeCitrixVirtual Appsand Desktops,VMwareHorizon, AmazonWorkspaces,MicrosoftAzureandNutanix.
Users can securely connect to theirdesktop images, likeMicrosoftWindows, through any device or location. Having the ability to access your applications from anywhere is helpful because it means you don't need to actually be in the office at yourphysical desktopwith anendpointmachine, and it allows you toBYOD "bring yourown devices" [including PCs, tablets, orthin clientterminals] from wherever is easiest for you.
For more background onapplicationvirtualizationsolutionsandvirtualizationtechnology, in general, see the following video and check out the article, "5 Benefits ofVirtualization":
Benefits ofVDI
The following are a few of the most important benefits provided byvirtual desktop infrastructure[VDI]:
- Increasedscalability:Cloud computinghas madeVDImore enticing through leveraging scalable infrastructure to consume resources when required by theVDI. By consolidating all of theVDIinfrastructure on a host server, it reduces the hardware requirements and purchases, since users can access their environments from any device.
- Centralized management:VDIsprovide a centralized management structure that allows administrators to patch, update, and change allvirtualized desktopsat a single time. There is no longer a requirement of needing to fix the entire organization individually. This also allows for a complete desktopdisaster recoverystrategy because all components are saved and backed up in thedata center.
- Security:VDIhelps businesses maintain their complete confidentiality since the applications live on the host server in thedata centerand not theclient device. If a device is ever stolen or corrupted, theconnectivityof the devicecan be terminated to protect the businesses data. It is critical, however, that theoperating systemimages be properly managed and updated, and theauthenticationofremote workersmust be thorough.
- Accessibility:VDIallowsend-usersto bring yourown device [BYOD] and use their devices gainremoteaccesstotheir files, applications andcloud servicesfrom any location. This essentially creates a digitalworkspace/remote desktop, creating a betteruser experienceand making it significantly easier to work from home because employees can utilize PCs, tablets, smartphones andthin clients.
- Cost savings:Hardware expenses are significantly reduced, since IT does not need to keep purchasing new hardware. The consolidation of the processing on the server helps drive the decrease in IT expenditure.
VDIvs.desktopvirtualization
VDIis a type ofdesktopvirtualization, asdesktopvirtualizationis an overarching term that cover any technology that separates the desktop and hardware. For a deeper dive into the higher-level category, see "What isDesktopVirtualization?"
PersistentVDIvs.non-persistentVDIdeployments
PersistentVDIenables a personalized desktop, as the user connects to the same desktop. This allows users to tailor their desktops, since the changes are saved, turning their virtualdesktop environmentinto a customizable and highly personalized digitalworkspace.
Non-persistentVDI, on the other hand,is a generic desktop that has a single-use connection, since changes are not saved. Thenon-persistentVDIapproach is ideal for organizations with employees who have a lot of repetitive tasks, as its usually cheaper and easier to manage.
VDIuse cases
- Call centers:VDIallows the employees in thecall centerto access only the information and tools needed to complete their tasks. This streamlines efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
- Remote work:VDIenables team members to access the same company networks, applications, and resources, while being geographically dispersed, since theVDIscan all be deployed and managed from a central point.
- Regulatory compliance:Some heavily regulated industries have run into problems with their employees storing confidential information improperly. By centralizing the management withVDI, it helps eliminate the problem of incorrectly storing data and applications.
- Third-party access:When leveraging a contractor or business partner, these employees need company-owned hardware to connect to the entire system. This is expensive, especially for shorter projects. This makesVDIthe ideal solution to give contractors secure access to company information without needing to provide or procure hardware.
WhyVDImight be right for you
Virtual desktop infrastructure[VDI] is an integral part of many companies IT strategy because it allows businesses to reduce their expenses and simplify management of these systems. The importance ofVDIis becoming exponentially accelerated as companies look at enabling a more flexible work landscape because it provides the accessibility, security,scalability,automationand ease of use to implement quickly and effectively.
Learn more aboutVDI
If youre looking to build your ownVDIenvironment, you can do so withIBM Cloud IaaS solutions. IBM offers a full-stack cloud platform that includes all the components youd need to build your ownVDIenvironment, including virtualized compute, network, and storage. Youd need to install and manage thehypervisoryourself in this scenario.
In partnership withVMware, IBM offerscustomer-managed and partiallyVMware-managedVDIsolutions[withVMwareHorizon] and a fully-managed virtualDesktop as a Service[DaaS] solution, delivering desktops andvirtualizedapplicationshosted on the IBM Cloud platform.
Jordan Shamir
Offering Manager
Follow IBM Cloud
Be the first to hear about news, product updates, and innovation from IBM Cloud.Email subscribeRSS
IBM Cloud Technologies
- Analytics
- Artificial intelligence
- Automation
- Blockchain
- Cloud
- Compute
- Data science
- Database
- DevOps
- Disaster recovery
- Hosting
- Hybrid cloud
- Integration
- Internet of things
- Management
- Migration
- Mobile
- Networking
- Open source
- Security
- Storage
Related Articles
Cloud
The Ultimate MMO Host Platform on AMD EPYC 7763 Processor-Powered IBM Cloud Bare Metal Servers
By: Sterling Milstead and Stephanie Wing
10 November 2021
icons
Cloud
Build a Cloud for Your Most Demanding Workloads with 3rd Gen AMD EPYC Processors on IBM Cloud
By: Amartey Pearson and Stephanie Wing
10 November 2021
icons
Artificial intelligence
A New Way to Sparkle
By: Leah Valentine
4 November 2021
icons