What is VDI? How to Select a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

What is a virtual desktop infrastructure, and why should you implement one? What are the benefits of VDI for your business?

In This Article:

Virtual desktop infrastructure utilizes virtualization software to host an operating system on a central server in the network data center rather than an individual computer.

What are the IT Benefits of Using VDI?

Virtual desktops allow for greater productivity and collaboration while offering reduced IT costs.

Virtual Desktops vs. Cloud Computing

Cloud computing and virtual desktops are not the same thing, but a virtual desktop infrastructure can be delivered via the cloud.

What Businesses Would Benefit from VDI?

Which kind of VDI is right for you depends on the exact type of work your employees will be doing.

Updated March 4, 2021

This guide will give you an overview of virtual desktop computing, how implementing a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) can benefit your organization and how you can choose a VDI that fits your business or enterprise needs.

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What is a Virtual Desktop?

Virtual desktop infrastructure utilizes virtualization software to host an operating system on a central server in the network data center rather than an individual computer. This virtual desktop can be accessed by more than one user on the network as if it were hosted locally on their own computer. Virtual desktops allow for greater productivity and collaboration, as all network devices with the same security settings have access to the same data and software.

What are the IT Benefits of Using VDI?

Some of the key benefits are:

Productivity

Since VDI operates faster than traditional networks, all users, whether local or remote, experience superior performance for file and data retrieval. There is never a risk of a laptop or tablet losing data — it's always accessible. Sales and other employees that work outside the office but need access to proprietary data behind the network firewall will find using a virtual desktop particularly useful as they can log in and show clients presentations hosted from the VDI or get immediate responses to questions from clients or potential clients.

Reliability

There is never a lag in computer performance with desktop virtualization because of the redundancies built in for data storage, power supplies and networking features that all connected users can utilize.

Skip Time-Wasting Upgrades

When desktops need updates, time is lost with downloads and installations. With VDI, employees can keep working as upgrades are seamless and done behind the scenes for an end-user, either in-house or remotely. Every user on the network gets security patches or service pack updates as soon as the VDI is updated. IT can also quickly expand the memory or storage of the VDI to fit the need for more intensive user activities like video editing.

Troubleshooting

Finding problems on a traditional network can take up valuable IT staff time to hunt down which desktop or network component is causing an issue. A standard VDI setup gives your IT department access to any connected device and allows them to fix the issue immediately, saving time and frustration.

Cost Reduction

Adding new desktops to your network costs money and is ultimately inefficient. The upkeep also costs money, plus potentially lost productivity while employees wait around for access to their desktops. A virtual desktop server hosts all data and files for everyone and reduces upkeep costs. Desktop virtualization also helps you save on software licensing, since a single software license can be distributed to multiple users rather than paying for multiple licenses on individual computers.

Security

VDI setups provide extra layers of security because data is virtualized and not stored on the hardware itself. Your employees won’t be carrying around proprietary data and there is less risk if their laptops or workstations are lost or stolen. Plus, access to a VDI is normally encrypted, adding another layer of protection.

Virtual Desktops vs. Cloud Computing

Cloud computing and virtual desktops are not the same thing, but a virtual desktop infrastructure can be delivered via the cloud.

VDI is delivered in two main ways. Self-hosted server VDI involves creating a physical data center where VDI software is installed. All VDI data remains on-premises in this data center. This gives you complete control over you data, but requires a lot more manual maintenance. And in the event of a power failure, your employees will not be able to access your self-hosted VDI until the server is back online.

Cloud-hosted VDI integrates your VDI with your cloud infrastructure. This is often run as part of a cloud services such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). IaaS can also provide virtual hardware, server space and network connections from outside an on-premises data center, whereas VDI can only deliver applications to an end-user device. In other words, VDI is often only a component of a cloud infrastructure.

What Businesses Would Benefit from VDI?

Any industry that wants to provide a consistent digital workspace for their employees across multiple locations can benefit from employing a VDI. But which VDI is right for you depends on the exact type of work your employees will be doing.

VDI can be deployed on a persistent or nonpersistent basis. Persistant VDI assigns users to a particular desktop from a single resource pool, allowing the user to connect to that same desktop every time they access the VDI. Employees that work remotely or field technicians or medical professionals might especially benefit from having access to "their" personal desktop anywhere they can log in to your organization's persistent VDI.

Nonpersistent VDI connects users to any desktop within the resource pool. So while there's a chance the user may be connected to the same desktop in a subsequent log in, it's more likely than not random — they'll have the same easy access to your business's applications, but their personal settings won't save once they log off. Nonpersistent VDI can be cheaper to maintain since your servers don't have to save custom operating system images. It can also be a good choice for task workers, like helpdesk associates, who won't need to save anything.

Summary

Ultimately, virtualized desktops give your business a lot of flexibility in terms of your IT infrastructure and in terms of how your end users can work. There are a lot of reasons to consider harnessing the productivity and power of virtual desktop software. Increasing the productivity of employees and allowing secure access for both in-house and remote workers can allow for great collaborations and teamwork with your staff. If you're ready to talk about implementing a virtual desktop infrastructure for your organization, CDW is ready to assist you. Talk to one of our experts and we can help you design a VDI that will grow with your organization.