Add to del.icio.us     Digg this

Aug. 9, 2010

On average, desktop virtualisation isn't always a simple process. Instead, it offers a number of ways of modernizing the management of a specific desktop environment, either in its entirety or for specific user types, with the latter usually the most encountered in the IT segment today.

Additionally, it’s not just about giving someone a dumb terminal and putting everything else in the data center either. That would be too simple.

Recent advances in CPU design and management capabilities now allow you to combine virtual technologies with real client computing. Organizations that are planning to implement any of the desktop virtualisation options available today, need to carefully do their momework *before* starting out on such an important venture.

Understanding in detail how various desktop virtualization options that are available today is problematic at best, and overwhelming for some.

With so many desktop virtualization vendors using the same terminology for a range of different technologies, just using the term “desktop virtualization” is confusing in and by istelf.

Overall, desktop virtualization systems today offer significant benefits for IT professionals. As for server-based technologies, the long established thin client/terminal services approach is most widely utilized in most enterprises.

At the same time, VDI based on a shared server architecture is in active use, ahead of application virtualisation.

So what gives?

Well, a new survey looked at VDI specifically. With many organizations actively looking at refreshing desktop real estate, VDI is attracting serious attention, especially among larger enterprises.

In organizations with more than 5,000 employees, research shows that about 53.2 percent are considering VDI. Even in the smallest companies, about 24 percent are considering VDI rather than a like-for-like desktop refresh.

So far, early adopters of desktop virtualization say that it is also valuable to look at the server, storage and networking systems required to deliver a desktop virtualisation infrastructure that truly meets the service levels that users have come to expect.

Specifically, server-based desktop virtualization approaches such as VDI require the whole infrastructure to work together, which can be a radical change for some IT professionals familiar with standalone desktop environments that can at least function should there be any problems at the back end.

IT managers and system admins need to make sure that migration planning is included in the project specifications as well, as this can have a dramatic impact on project timescales, professional services costs and user satisfaction, whichever option is undertaken.

Despite this level of interest, some people are now hearing from IT professionals who have started desktop virtualization projects that can make a business case rather problematic.

To resolve this, note that the basics are the same as for any such project. They first work out what users you have, what they are using and their usage patterns. From this it should be possible to identify which user groups are suitable candidates for desktop virtualization, and which approach suits best.

It's essential to get this core data if you want to avoid any unexpected cost implications later, when overlooked users or systems show up, usually at the worst time possible.

You need then to establish expected project costs, preferably with someone who has a hands-on experience of a similar project, so that they can be compared with the costs of a standard desktop refresh.

Try to include the costs of ongoing management, support and system recovery of both, which are often overlooked in many cases.

With the consumerization of specific devices in enterprise use, and more users bringing equipment into business, overall support costs for locked down environments using desktop virtualization are likely to be lower.

Of course, this comes at the expense of flexibility, as is usally the case with such changes. Getting ahold of data to illustrate this trade-off may take some effort, but it could be really compelling when working out the business case for desktop virtualization.

With this information available, explaining the business case can begin, but understand that some reports tell us that potential desktop virtualization projects will still be difficult to justify using standard 3-year investment lifecycles.

Early adopters have pointed out that several of the benefits from using some form of desktop virtualization can be difficult to quantify in terms of financial resources, even if the business benefits are clear to most people.

Still, the decision making process is likely to involve a lot of discussion, taking more factors into account than simple cost savings per se.

Overall, desktop virtualization is still new, but some are now predicting that it will gain more traction in 2011 and 2012.

Add to del.icio.us     Digg this

Source: TLNH.

All logos, trade marks or service marks on this website are the property of their respective companies or owners.

ADVERTISERS:
Linux News Today.org is read by over 450,000 people involved in the field of Linux application development, professional Web hosting services, Linux security, Linux Web development, etc. Inquire about our reasonable advertising rates on our news website. One of our advertising representatives will be in touch with you. Simply email us to learn about our ad rates and how we can help drive relevant traffic to your website. Advertising space is limited.