VDI Benefits: Why Virtual Desktops Are Something You Want To Know About
It is fairly common knowledge that PC desktops (often referred to as fat PCs) have inherent drawbacks with manageability, security, and resources in today’s modern computing environments that the benefits of VDI can truly help to remedy. What’s even more apparent these days is the way in which VDI and its benefits are expanding to offer these solutions for remote, at-home, or hybrid environments, as well as supporting Cloud, DaaS, and SaaS services.
VDI Benefits Affecting Environment
1 – Manageability:
Since VDI replaces PCs – deployment, management, and maintenance of replacement endpoints becomes much easier. Remember, endpoint devices can be laptops, Thin (or Zero) Clients, tablets, mobile devices, etc. Centralized management software is used to enable IT administrators to maintain devices in the network from one central server (data center) – meaning upgrades, application deployments, and virus control can be centrally managed, rather than being handled individually at endpoints/workstations.
2 – Flexibility:
The flexibility of endpoint maintenance is one of several VDI benefits to positively affect your computing environment. Routine upgrades, installations, and more, can be completed without user intervention whatsoever. This also does not disturb end users’ productivity. Desktops can easily be virtually created by copying images and files, and then swiftly deployed. End users are not tied to any particular hardware with VDI, so desktop fixes and new desktops can get them up and running in no time.
3 – Accessibility:
Due to BYOD and even more so the pandemic, workforces are being more mobile. The need or desire to work at home, along with more employers not worrying about if their employees are in an office (sitting right next to them) or across the world on another continent, accessibility is a key VDI benefit for these remote, long-distance, and/or mobile end users. With desktop virtualization, everything is managed and protected in one central location/center/server. IT Admins can better maintain security – by protecting files from improper downloading, mass virus updates, etc.
VDI Benefits Affecting People
4 – User Experience:
It can sometimes be hard to persuade standard PC users to consider a virtual desktop environment with all of its VDI benefits, but once they try it out – they adapt quickly. Other than a few login differentiations, front end (what the end user sees) desktop virtualization looks and feels just like a traditional desktop experience. When logging in, each user sees their personal desktop just as they normally would, up to and including preferred settings. What’s so cool is that the end user can now obtain this same desktop anywhere – regardless of hardware device.
5 – Increased Productivity:
Worker productivity goes up all the way around with VDI. From the IT side of things, one of the benefits of VDI here is that admin professionals can focus on other initiatives because the management and maintenance of all of their end users are centralized, and changes and upgrades are done in group updates – and the fact that they don’t have to physically touch the endpoint hardware for the device for set-up or troubleshooting offers them time to work on other projects. From the end user side of things, the same VDI benefit applies. If they have an endpoint issue, like a virus, or a sudden need for an upgrade, or say there was a system failure, they’re not waiting around with nothing to do until IT shows up. Instead, they are able to get back to work nearly ASAP!
6 – Security & Back-Up:
As mentioned before, data is completely centralized – it is more secure and more protected – because it is located in one location. This cuts down significantly on the chances of sharing viruses or downloading documents with sensitive materials by the wrong staff members. Plus, if the right procedures are in place, backing up data without the risk of losing any files can also be a VDI benefit – particularly when done on a regular basis.
VDI Benefits Affecting Savings
7 – Cost-Savings:
We’ve already mentioned some cost-saving benefits of VDI along the way, but just to review – VDI saves money mainly because it saves time, energy, and effort. Everything runs more efficiently and much more safely. Less IT resources are required, and the rate at which IT can troubleshoot, increases. Therefore, productivity all around goes up, while expenses go down. As a long-term investment, VDI endpoints can ultimately be less costly due to energy/electrical savings and the fact that the hardware, by nature, lasts longer than a typical PC and comes at a much lower pricepoint. Plus, with the right centralized management software, you’ll save money on unlimited user licenses.
8- Energy Savings:
The endpoint side of things with VDI can really make a difference with the right VDI benefits from the right endpoints. Traditional desktops (fat PCs) consume a lot of power – they generate a lot of heat and tend to also be noisy. Your energy (electrical) bills are larger due to the required power, and even cooling bills to keep the environment cold can be pricier. Endpoints with VDI can most assuredly and almost immediately result in potential savings on your energy bills.
9 – Resource Savings:
Remember that easy, centralized management we mentioned earlier? Just to reiterate, the resource benefits of VDI in a virtualized environment means that IT professionals no longer have to physically be on site at individual workstations to physically maintain and/or troubleshoot PCs. This not only frees up valuable resources like IT personnel, but it also frees up time and increases efficiency.
VDI Benefits Affecting Desktops
10 – Same Image:
With a virtualized desktop infrastructure, the same image can be utilized for desktops. The VDI benefit of being able to create and use the same image for several desktops is something that IT professionals rely on in their virtualized computing environment. Images can be created, enhanced, and deployed via the VDI’s centralized endpoint management software.
11 – Graphics:
Gone are the days when graphics and VDI are an issue. The graphic capabilities with VDI are better than ever and continuing to improve. From task user to power user, there is a platform and protocol out there with the right quality of image and video capabilities for today’s end users. There are also suitable endpoints, constantly improving, to meet the needs of these growing graphic demands.
12 – Access:
With VDI management, you can set and provide desktops (i.e. users) with different levels of granted security access. Users can access their desktop on any hardware device without concern of what they should or should not be getting into. And, another great benefit of VDI is that, if granted, all users on a network can access large files like CAD documents and video files.
Benefits of VDI With 10ZiG
10ZiG Technology has the perfect endpoint devices, plus endpoint management software, as part of your VDI virtual desktop solution. A world-market leader in Thin Client & Zero Client endpoint hardware, 10ZiG provides leading VDI benefits with Intel and AMD based Dual and Quad Core Thin Clients & Zero Clients for VMware Blast Extreme & PCoIP, Citrix, and Microsoft environments – in addition to the widest range of Teradici PCoIP Zero Clients on the market. 10ZiG offers FREE, no-obligation demo devices, local Technical Support teams based in the U.S. and Europe, and provides endpoint management software (The 10ZiG Manager™) with Cloud capabilities completely FREE with UNLIMITED licenses supported.
