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Deploying and managing traditional desktops represents one of the greatest challenges facing IT managers. Desktop management has always been one of the most time-consuming and expensive aspects of operating a network, and the job just keeps getting more difficult due to the constant need for application upgrades, operating system patches and antivirus updates. Mobility and the growing use of end-user-owned devices has only exacerbated the problem — it is difficult for IT to systematically manage devices it never sees.
Desktop virtualization helps relieve these headaches by consolidating and centralizing complete desktop environments. Desktop virtualization solutions transform the entire desktop — including operating system, applications and data — into an image that is stored and executed on a server. End-users can access their virtual desktops using a traditional PC, thin client or other network-connected device.
While the end-user retains the familiar desktop experience, IT gains the ability to manage a large number of workstations from the data center rather than at each end-user device, vastly improving IT efficiency. Workers also become more productive because they can get their full PC experience from any location. And organizations can delay PC upgrades or utilize lower-cost thin-client devices.
A virtual desktop functions as though it were running directly on the user’s computer, but applications and data are kept on a server where they can be more easily managed by IT. As such, desktop virtualization is similar to the server-based computing model, in which servers run the applications and give users remote access via a stripped-down PC or thin client.
However, desktop virtualization offers a much higher degree of customization. In essence, a server hosts an entire desktop environment specific to each user. Virtual machine images are built and stored on the server and delivered to end-users as needed over the network or the Internet. These images can be customized with the operating system, applications, security settings and other personalization features required by specific users.
The latest desktop virtualization technology creates an environment identical to a Windows PC that can be customized to re-create a particular user’s desktop. It’s not just icons on the screen — it works exactly the way a regular PC works. The end-user gets a rich, personalized experience through any connected device.
When users authenticate to a server, the virtual desktop image gets loaded and boots with all of the preferences set. When they log off, any changes are loaded back into their base virtual image. With these virtual images stored in a central server, users have the ability to access their personalized computing environments from any device and any location, as long as they have a way of connecting to that central source.
Although a standard PC can be used to connect to the virtual desktop environment, it introduces additional costs and risk. In contrast, a thin-client device costs less, consumes less power and has a smaller footprint. Thin clients are also stateless — meaning no data is stored locally — and lack the hacker and virus risks associated with traditional PC operating systems. In the past, thin clients were only suitable for end-users with minimal requirements. However, today’s desktop virtualization environments coupled with multimedia thin clients can support even power users.
Of course, the key benefit of desktop virtualization is that it allows IT to move most of the management activities that sit on a PC to a server. IT staff can set up new users, workgroups or departments in just minutes, and control and manage desktops and updates centrally. This reduces the costs normally associated with a traditional distributed desktop model while improving data security.
The ability to control and manage desktops and updates centrally also improves security and virus management compared to the traditional distributed desktop model. Virtual machines are inherently more secure because operating systems and applications can be updated instantly on the server. What’s more, the data on these virtual machines is protected from disaster, disruption, attack and theft. There is less risk of exposure to data loss on stolen laptops or thumb drives.”
Desktop virtualization is not without its challenges, however. Early desktop virtualization solutions suffered from high costs, lack of scalability and an inadequate end-user experience that limited enterprise deployment. Today’s desktop virtualization environments solve many of those problems but require more computing and storage capacity at the data center level.
“Enterprises need to understand the strain this technology can place on their data center infrastructures and operations, especially when thousands of employees use this platform type,” said Philip Dawson, research vice president at Gartner.
Still, analysts expect the desktop virtualization market to explode. The average annual total cost of ownership (TCO) per desktop is approximately $5,000, which means there are literally billions of dollars spent annually just to keep existing desktop environments operational. Adoption of desktop virtualization solutions is being driven by the need for a more flexible, independent and secure computing environment that can substantially reduce this costly TCO equation.
Traditional distributed desktop computing — where everyone in an organization has his or her own PC or laptop loaded with applications and data — is complex, time-consuming and insecure. By extending the virtualization concept to the desktop, IT administrators can deploy virtual machines on every PC and deliver a complete desktop experience that is easy to manage, fast to deploy, always current and better protected.
