Virtual Desktops 

Simplify your network

Virtual desktops are the new buzz in IT, everyone is talking about them, all the big companies like VMware, IBM and HP are marketing like crazy to get you to buy into this idea.

So what is Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) or as is more commonly known Virtual Desktops?

Well, lets look a little into the past before moving forward into the future. About 10 years ago, a tiny company called VMware appeared with a piece of software called VMware workstation for Linux. This interesting software allowed Linux junkies needing to access or develop on windows platforms the ability to run virtualized versions on top of their Linux OS of choice.

This gained popularity rather quickly and for the past 5 years or so VMware has been at the forefront of this technology, with many companies now having a virtualized server infrastructure. This means less space is needed in already cramped server rooms and datacentres and allows lower costs overall. However even with this revolution going on behind the closed doors of server rooms worldwide, unknown to the user population, the faithful metal PC box was still gracing desks running various versions of Windows and in some cases Linux. So to the present, still worldwide we have the metal PC boxes on desks, but as time has passed these have become more difficult to manage and keep secure due to the meteoric rise in viruses and spyware programs as well as users becoming more computer savvy, all working against the administrator in a constant “cold war” chess game.

Whereas a company's PC infrastructure used to be small, now everyone has a desktop or worse still, laptops with which to go out and travel to foreign countries bringing back the digital equivalent of swine flu.

Can Virtual Desktops help me?

Yes Virtual Desktops can help you and here's how. Virtual Desktops are no more than a set of files stored on a centrally managed server farm. This means they are simple to backup, replace and create new machines for new staff. No more does the PC support team have to frantically order and install a new machine on short notice. With a virtual desktop the machine can be prepared literally in minutes and assigned to that user. Benefits  

• Standard images can be created and distributed quickly 

• Backing up of a users desktop is simple and with snapshot technology can even be restored to a specific time and date 

• Virtual Desktops use standard remote viewing protocols, so easy to offer remote support 

• Virtual Desktops are easily portable as they are simply files 

• Easy to maintain security and management 

• Accessible via many devices. PC's, Thin clients, PDA, iPhone etc