There are plenty of benefits that are inherent to properly execute a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) implementation.
As the capabilities of the various connection protocols improve, the experience from the users’ end has become every bit as rich as that experienced by a PC user. Additionally, the hardware itself has grown to a point where there are viable options for every tier of user at price points to fit any budget. However, the benefits don’t stop there.
Deploying virtual desktops lets you create a more flexible IT infrastructure so your business becomes more efficient, effective, secure, and manageable. This method deploys applications and desktops faster and more consistently to a wider variety of users at a lower cost while improving service levels.
When considering the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) with desktop virtualization, there are several factors that should be considered. Other then the initial start up cost, particularly the costs incurred by obtaining servers, the price drastically lowers deployment costs when compared to a PC environment. Thin clients alone can last between 7-10 years as compared to their PC counterparts. The fanless nature of thin clients means they end up saving nearly $1000 per seat in the long run in maintenance costs; fewer moving parts result in fewer broken units. Furthermore, thin clients use anywhere from 3-13 watts of power, which is a considerable energy savings compared to PCs that range anywhere from 60 to 150 watts.
Security should be a top concern for any IT department, and desktop virtualization can increase the security of your business in two ways. Firstly, all data is stored on the server end, so devices themselves have no information physically on them. Someone could walk away with a thin client and would not be able to gain any data from it at all. As laptop thefts are a big source of leaked information, this is an outstanding security benefit. Additionally, the nature of thin clients makes them very resistant to viruses. Since nothing on the device is persistent, a simple reboot is all that’s needed to remove any malicious software that may find its way to a user’s terminal.
Additional reasons to consider the benefits of thin client computing and virtualization include:
- Desktop Virtualization can significantly decrease maintenance and support costs
- Adding new terminals is a simple process
- Reduced downtime with server or client hardware failures
- Decreased cost of new application deployment
- Desktop image management capabilities
- Longer refresh cycle for client desktop infrastructure
- Secure remote access to the enterprise desktop environment
- Reduce costs by increasing energy efficiency and requiring less hardware with server consolidation.
- Build up business continuity through improved disaster recovery solutions and deliver high availability throughout software management system such as Echo™.
Economical and sustainable innovations are a shared interest among many top executives. Enterprises are leveraging desktop virtualization for the plethora of business benefits they bring to environments of all sizes. By creating a more dynamic and flexible VDI environment with advanced software for both thin clients and the servers, IT departments around the world are simplifying their IT infrastructures and realizing these benefits every day. VDI enables businesses to meet their enterprise needs while ensuring that they have reliable IT strategies. When TCO, security, energy costs, manageability, and user experience can all be improved through a single approach to IT, it’s certainly something worth looking into.
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