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All About Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

The pros and cons of VDI. Is it right for your business?

First things first, let’s talk about VDI basics. An acronym that stands for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, VDI is a functional outflow of the client/server computing model. When enabled on a network, programs and applications on multiple computers connected to the private network deploy from the same central server.

VDI allows remote workers to access the virtualized corporate desktop from their own PC, laptop or mobile device as if they were working in-office.

BCS works with industry leader VMware to provide VDI services to our clients. This partnership puts clients at an advantage because VMware helped pioneer VDI as we know it today (they even coined the term!)

Here are the Top 4 pros and cons of VDI:

1. Pro: Supports Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) with less security risk than the traditional computing model.

Con: Requires the acquiring of new skills and knowledge on the part of the existing IT department or outsourcing to a VDI vendor.

2. Pro: Facilitates greater control of employee desktops while allowing for limited personalization on the employee’s part.

Con: Tasks IT staff with the sometimes difficult task of managing a hybrid desktop environment.

3. Pro: Greener and more efficient than traditional computing models. VDI preserves the life of hardware while simultaneously allowing hardware upgrades that are independent of the desktop image.

Con: Efficiency depends on skilled deployment of VDI and close monitoring.

4. Pro: Easy to make network-wide software updates. Instead of updating each physical desktop one-by-one, VDI allows IT staff to make software changes across the network with the click of a mouse.

Con: Because of the uniform nature of the desktop image, the user-experience may feel impersonal.

Most all of the “cons” associated with VDI deployment can be avoided by trusting a virtualization specialist like BCS Voice and Data Solutions to manage the service. Call or contact us today to learn more about VDI and other VMware virtualization solutions.

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