Virtualization Moving From Data Center To Desktop

Virtualization has sparked a paradigm shift in the IT industry. Because this computing technique enables companies to more effectively maximize use of their hardware, many corporations who have virtualized their servers are starting to think about applying that same principle to their desktops.

The change offers potential benefits. With Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), companies replace desktop PCs with devices that do not house application software, an approach that offers them some potential benefits. They can better support remote workers, enhance security, reduce calls to their help desk, and cut their software licensing costs.

Consequently, customer interest is picking up, and competition has heated up. "There has been a lot of activity in the VDI market," stated Chris Wolf, an analyst at Burton Group Inc. Citrix, MokaFive, Pano Logic, Ring Cube, Symantec, Oracle, and VMware are some of the vendors who have developed desktop virtualization products.

Corporations see potential benefits in moving to desktop virtualization. "VDI fits with the growing emphasis on mobility," stated Mark Bowker, senior analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group. No longer are users tied to their cubicles; instead, they are on the go, working from home or the road. Many companies have struggled to support these users.

VDI can help. This approach enables companies to get new users up and running quickly. Corporations do not have to provision and test new PCs and then load the proper software onto them. Instead they plug in a new piece of hardware and download a software image that has already been developed. Additionally, upgrades and patches can be completed more quickly. Instead of populating remote devices with updated operating systems and applications, IT departments change software running on one system, and the alterations are automatically downloaded as the other systems come online.Security can also be enhanced. End users cannot download new applications or store data locally, so there are fewer instances of malware invading the enterprise network. In addition, corporate data no longer walks out of the door at the end of the day.

These changes can reduce support costs. Because fewer calls come in to help desks, companies can cut their support requirements by 20% or more in certain cases. Corporations can then either reduce their staff or assign individuals to more pressing assignments.

VDI can be economical. In some cases, companies can consolidate a hodgepodge of software licenses. Because this approach relies on a utility based computing model, corporations can reduce the number of licenses that they have while still providing employees with access to needed applications.

While sounding good in theory, this option can present corporations with various challenges.  "Historically, companies have not realized the expected ROI by moving to VDI," stated Chris Wolf, an analyst at Burton Group Inc.

Depending on the system selected, the initial costs can be high. Vendors have designed their systems in different ways. In some cases, customers need to upgrade the central systems with faster processors or additional memory because they can carry a high processing load. In other cases, a company may have to beef up its desktop systems.Software pricing can also add up. Desktop licensing costs range from $99 to $350 per user (see chart). In addition, the application vendors often tack on a one-time fee ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 for each application virtualized.

In addition, companies will experience a lag in the time when new technical advances occur and when they are able to take advantage of them. If a vendor develops a new operating system or application, there will be delay of at least a few months (and sometimes many) before it will be available with the new system.

Cloud based solutions have been gaining traction. In some cases, companies may view them as easier to maintain than VDI options because the vendor takes on more of the maintenance chores.

The economic downturn has had a mixed impact on the VDI market. "Many companies have tightened their budgets and put new projects on hold," noted Burton Group's Wolf. However, firms typically upgrade their desktop systems about every three years. In a number of cases, they are searching for ways to reduce that ongoing expense. In some instances, a VDI deployment is comparable to this upgrade and does not have to be completed every three years, so companies move in that direction.

After reshaping the data center, virtualization is poised to change the desktop. Because the business case to use virtualization is not as straightforward as it is in the server farm, it appears that VDI will be more of a niche technology than its older sibling, server virtualization.